AASHTO Journal, 9 January 2015
Gov. Jack Markell is nominating Jennifer Cohan, now director of the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles, to be the state’s next transportation secretary.
DelDOT nominee Cohan.
(Photo courtesy Gov. Markell’s office.)
If confirmed by the state Senate, she will succeed Shailen Bhatt as CEO of the Delaware Department of Transportation, while Bhatt heads to Colorado to lead that state’s DOT. (See related story in this week’s States section.)
“Jennifer’s proven leadership skills have played an integral role in the transformation of the Delaware Department of Transportation over the past eight years, particularly as it relates to improved services and supports within the Division of Motor Vehicles,” said Markell.
He said Cohan “worked her way up through the ranks of state government, starting as a casual/seasonal front-line worker to director of DMV, gaining extensive knowledge and experience that will make her an ideal candidate to serve as the state’s transportation secretary.”
Cohan became DMV director in 2007, and Markell said she has held various DelDOT leadership positions in the areas of planning, finance and motor carrier safety.
She previously worked at Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control managing its clean water program, Markell’s announcement said, and worked with the Delaware legislature in the Office of the Comptroller General.
In accepting the nomination, Cohan said “this administration has made significant investments in transportation, and the dedicated employees of DelDOT play a critical role in ensuring those investments equate to positive changes for the people of Delaware. I’m proud of our team and would be honored to support their ongoing efforts if given the opportunity to serve.”
Cohan is also an adjunct professor at Wilmington University, teaching leadership and public policy in the master’s program. She is a member of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators international board of directors and is president of the Greater Dover Boys and Girls Club board.