Josh Rowan - Delivering Atlanta’s Transportation Future

The Georgia Transportation Institute welcomes Commissioner Josh Rowan to speak at the Spring 2020 Transportation Speaker series. He is the Commissioner of Atlanta’s Department of Transportation (ATLDOT) formed to significantly accelerate and diversify projects with better options for getting around Atlanta safely, affordably and equitably.
Born Texan, raised New Mexican, and lived his adult life as a Georgian, Josh attended Covenant College (Lookout Mountain, GA) as a basketball walk-on, earning a scholarship before transferring to the Georgia Institution of Technology (Georgia Tech).
Graduating with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, Josh remained in Atlanta and spent the first five years of his career working with a local highway contractor. There, he learned the road-building business from multiple perspectives – laborer, foreman, estimator, and project manager. Later, as a consultant in Cobb County, Josh was introduced to the management of large capital construction programs. For nearly two decades, Josh has worked in the public sector as a program manager for transportation, transit, education, healthcare, and law enforcement capital construction programs throughout the eastern United States, as well as Mozambique and Tanzania. Most recently, he served as General Manager for the City of Atlanta’s Renew | TSPLOST Program.
Josh is a member of Leadership Atlanta Class of 2012, Leadership Cobb Class of 2013, and Regional Leadership Institute Class of 2018. Of all his achievements, knowledge, and experience, these are, without a doubt, the classes that mattered most.
Throughout his career, Josh has been actively engaged in the Atlanta community, serving for a decade as a reserve deputy in Cobb County. He is currently a board member for Crime Stoppers Greater Atlanta and the Construction Infrastructure Systems Engineering Board at Georgia Tech. In addition, he is an emeritus member for Georgia Tech’s External Advisory Board for the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering. He also mentors for the 100 Men to Mentors Challenge and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Atlanta.
Josh is a member of the Alliance Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu team, where he is a purple belt and trains under professor Leonardo Nogueira. He serves on the vestry at Village Church, a local Anglican congregation. He and his wife, Nancy Ladson Rowan, have four children – John, Dorothy, Ed, and Josie, who range in age from 2 to 18.

Title: Delivering Atlanta’s Transportation Future

Abstract:

Our vision for the newly created Atlanta Department of Transportation includes 4 key components. First, we are the path to a safe, welcoming, and inclusive City that is committed to ending traffic fatalities through an improved understanding of our streets. We will continue to develop thriving neighborhoods, communities, and businesses that everyone can reach with a 21st-century transit network. This will include well-maintained roads to keep both people and goods moving efficiently on our streets. City of Atlanta has world-class employees, infrastructure, and services that reflect a diverse and talented workforce, making ATLDOT a great place to work and ensuring that our infrastructure – from signals to street lights – are always in good repair. Lastly, an ethical, transparent, and fiscally responsible government that articulates clear policy priorities for our region; communicates early and often with residents, and delivers projects as effectively and efficiently as possible.

Josh Rowan Lecture Flyer 03 05 2020

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