Gov. Wes Moore has found a new driver for the Maryland Department of Transportation, tapping another former federal official for state-level leadership.

Kathryn “Katie” Thomson, who most recently served as deputy administrator at the Federal Aviation Administration, will assume the role of Maryland secretary of transportation on Jan. 7.

An attorney by trade, Thomson held multiple roles at USDOT, including as a director of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law championed by former President Joe Biden, overseeing hundreds of billions of dollars of federal investments.

“Maryland is at a critical juncture — we must tackle significant challenges in infrastructure modernization, resilience, and reliability, all at the same time," Moore said in an emailed news release. “Katie is a world-class public servant who has managed some of the most complex transportation systems in the country. She is uniquely up to the task of leading the department as we continue our work to leave no one behind.”

Thomson will assume leadership over six sub-agencies that own and operate the infrastructure that moves Maryland, from highway bridges and airport terminals to Baltimore’s transit system and its port. MDOT’s multibillion-dollar annual budget includes some of the state’s highest-profile initiatives, such as the rebuild of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

The job will come with challenges as soon as Thomson steps into the role, including uncertainty from President Donald Trump’s administration on grant agreements and mounting pressures on the revenue sources her department taps for an ambitious list of projects that are only getting more expensive.

Thomson fills the role vacated by former Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld, whom Moore appointed in January 2023. Assistant Secretary Samantha Biddle has been acting secretary since Wiedefeld stepped down over the summer.

Reached by phone Thursday, Wiedefeld called Thomson a “smart, talented consensus builder” whose federal experience will serve the department and the state.

“She’s got the [leadership] style that fits really well,” said Wiedefeld, who got to know Thomson during his stint at the helm of the Washington, D.C., Metro system while she worked at USDOT.

“As our administration works to improve safety, strengthen our economy, and better connect communities across the state, Governor Moore and I look forward to working with Katie to help Marylanders get from where they live to where opportunity is,” said Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller, a former transportation engineer.

In an email statement, Thomson said she is “deeply grateful” for the opportunity.

“My experience managing complex systems has given me a clear view of the immense potential in Maryland’s transportation network, and I look forward to partnering with the dedicated MDOT team to tackle the challenges and seize the opportunities ahead — ensuring we continue to build a future that leaves no one behind," she said.

Thomson’s life in public service began at former President Barack Obama’s Department of Transportation before she left in September 2016 for a stint in the private sector, including as general counsel for Amazon’s transportation and logistics operations. She returned to the USDOT in January 2022 under Biden to oversee the implementation of the infrastructure law before transitioning to the FAA a year later.