Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month: Spotlight on Nuria Fernandez
In honor of WTS Philadelphia's 45th anniversary, our Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Committee is highlighting 45 female transportation pioneers, leaders and rising stars throughout the year. These 45 women in transportation have made an impact, continue to make us proud, and demonstrate the inextricable link between women and the success of our industry. Join us in celebrating the first four of the 45 women!
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month (observed from September 15th to October 15th) and as part of the ongoing effort to recognize 45 outstanding women in celebration of our chapter's 45th anniversary, the WTS Philadelphia ED&I Committee would like to highlight the incredible career of Nuria Fernandez, former Head Administrator for the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).
Fernandez, a woman of Jamaican descent who was born and raised in Panama, immigrated to the United States to pursue a degree in civil engineering. In her 30+ year career in transportation she has served many important transit agencies throughout the nation, including, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the Chicago Transportation Authority, and the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. Fernandez served as vice and then acting Administrator for the FTA in the late 1990s and was again appointed to vice administrator 20 years later in 2021. When confirmed by the senate later that same year, Nuria Fernandez became the first confirmed Afro-Latina/BIPOC woman administrator for the FTA. She served in this role until February 2024, wherein she retired and was succeeded by at the time vice administrator Veronica Vanderpool.
Thank you Nuria Fernandez helping to keep our nation moving throughout your career!