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About the Secretary

Shailen P. Bhatt serves as Cabinet Secretary for the Delaware Department of Transportation. His responsibilities consist of managing the day-to-day operations of the state's transportation system including transit, motor vehicles, project construction, maintenance, planning, IT and HR functions. He is also charged with directing a billion dollar budget and nearly 2,800 employees. Bhatt's background includes working on transportation issues at the local, state and federal levels. Prior to his confirmation by the Delaware State Senate as Secretary, he served as an Associate Administrator at the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in Washington, DC. In this role, he was charged with setting policy and managing relationships with members of Congress and leading the FHWA's efforts in reauthorizing the nation's surface transportation legislation. At FHWA, Bhatt played a key role in establishing a Federal Highway Administration's initiative on accelerated project delivery called Every Day Counts (EDC).

Before joining FHWA, Bhatt served as a Deputy Executive Director with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) where he was responsible for advancing transportation projects and addressing regional transportation needs. During his time at KYTC, he helped oversee a record construction letting period for the state. Prior to that, he was Director of the Bowling Green/Warren County Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Bhatt is a graduate of Western Kentucky University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics.

Bhatt currently serves on AASHTO, Board of Directors and Chairs the Standing Committee on Public Transportation; Diamond State Port Corporation, Board of Directors; Northeast Corridor Commission, Co-Chair to Communication and Public Outreach Committee; and State Smart Transportation Initiative, Advisory Committee.