Dina El-Tawansy was appointed the 35th Director of California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) by Governor Gavin Newsom and sworn in July 1, 2025. Director El-Tawansy manages a nearly $20 billion budget and more than 22,000 employees who oversee 50,000 lane miles of highway, maintain approximately 20,000 bridges, provide permitting of more than 400 public-use airports, fund three of Amtrak's busiest intercity rail services and provide transit support to more than 200 local and regional transit agencies.
Sal Torres III grew up surrounded by carabiners, ropes and climbing harnesses. Gear he now uses in his professional life as a transportation engineer in roadside maintenance for Caltrans District 2 and a certified climbing instructor. Climbing, for Sal, is more than just a skill, it's a legacy. His father, Sal Torres Jr., helped shape Caltrans District 2's climbing program after getting involved in the 1990s.
The Caltrans Employee Survey, the latest version of which was conducted last fall, was developed and analyzed to understand employees' attitudes and preferences in the areas of communication, leadership, resources and overall satisfaction. Results are used to make decisions at the district, program and enterprise levels. With this information, Caltrans gathers insight on what matters to our employees and where we should focus time and resources.
On May 21, the Caltrans Division of Construction Partnering Program recognized 23 teams at the 25th Annual Excellence in Partnering Awards Ceremony in downtown Sacramento. Acting Caltrans Director Mike Keever, numerous district directors, and the Division of Construction Chief Ray Hopkins helped celebrate the Caltrans Construction teams and their construction industry counterparts.
Even before she came to work here, Mellody Mallick had great things to say about Caltrans. Now in her new role as the District 1 employee recruitment and engagement coordinator, she helps future and current employees see the great things about working here, too. "The people of Caltrans have always amazed me," Mellody said. "Hearing how deeply they care about the community is so meaningful."
Caltrans' Division of Design, Office of Innovative Design and Delivery (OIDD) is honored to have received the 2025 Outstanding Value Methodology (VM)) Program Award from the SAVE International (a.k.a. Society of American Value Engineering) at the U.S. Advocacy Symposium on May 14. The award represents outstanding accomplishments for building and maintaining an exceptional Value Engineering/Value Analysis (VE/VA) Program.
ITE has spotlighted Division of Traffic Operations' Jianyuan Xu in its Young Leaders to Follow commendations. Currently a transportation engineer at the Transportation System Analysis Branch of Office of Mobility & System Performance with Caltrans, Jianyuan brings a rare combination of academic depth, practical experience, and organizational involvement that has already shaped regional and national transportation efforts.
It was a drizzly Saturday morning when Caltrans arrived at Long Beach's Veterans Park on May 3 stocked with project flyers, kid-sized hard hats, coloring books, and candies. At the Caltrans booth, staff shared details about the upcoming 16-month full closure of the Vincent Thomas Bridge as part of the deck replacement project. Team members engaged with attendees in both English and Spanish.
In April, Caltrans paid tribute to the programs, districts, divisions and individuals who were integral to our success in meeting the $100 million efficiencies savings goal, as mandated by Senate Bill 1. For the seventh consecutive year, Caltrans has reached the $100 million goal for fiscal year 23-24, with $176 million counting towards the SB 1 goal.
The 61st Annual Caltrans Invitational Golf Tournament was held in Monterey on May 15 and 16. Six teams from Caltrans Golf Clubs from around the state participated in this event, competing for prizes, pride and bragging rights. Caltrans Capitol (Headquarters) Golf Club earned top team honors, rocketing past second-place District 5 on the second day of the two-day event.
Did you know that more than 1 in 5 American adults now face mental health challenges? That means it's likely someone close to you - a friend, family member or co-worker - could be silently struggling. Your understanding and support can make a profound difference. This story suggests how you can be a mental health ally.
Squat. Bench. Deadlift. Ever come across these terms? How about lifting 600 pounds on a barbell? Rey Hernandez sure has! Powerlifting is an individual strength sport that centers on three exercises: the barbell back squat, barbell bench press, and barbell deadlift. These aren't just exercises. They're the foundation of powerlifting, a sport where athletes push their strength to the limit by lifting as much weight as possible in a single repetition.
Dina A. El -Tawansy is Caltrans' new director, effective July 1. Dina has 27 years of distinguished public service with Caltrans, and her leadership experience spans three districts and multiple divisions. Most recently she services as the Bay Area (District 4) director, marking her as the inaugural woman to serve in this capacity within the district. Dina also served as acting assistant divisions chief for Project and Program Management in Headquarters and the deputy district director of Operations and Maintenance in District 12 (Orange County).
Chanta Kang is the new deputy division chief of Project Delivery Administration. Chanta Kang is a seasoned project management professional (PMP) with 19 years of experience in the public and nonprofit sectors. She is excited to step into her new role bringing her leadership, strategic vision and passion for operational excellence. Previously, she served as chief of staff for the Clean California Program.
Aung Maung is District 4's new deputy district director of Traffic Operations. Aung began his career with Caltrans in 2005 as a transportation engineer in District 3 North Region. Over the 19 years, he has worked in Design, Construction, Project Management, Maintenance, Traffic Operations, and Traffic Safety in various capacities. For the past two years, he has served as the District 4 chief safety officer,
Philip L. Bianco (Phil) died in Elk Grove on Jan. 30. He was 88. Phil was born in Pennsylvania on March 6, 1936, After college, Phil began his long, distinguished career with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), starting as a junior civil engineer and retiring as a supervising transportation engineer. Phil was proud of his many years in public service.
Retired civil engineer Eugene Quan died April 13 in San Francisco at age 93. He was a beloved husband, father and proud member of San Francisco's Chinatown community. A U.S. Air Force veteran, Eugene served during the Korean War and met his wife, Jean, while stationed in England. They married in 1954 and raised five sons in San Francisco and Castro Valley. Eugene worked 35 years at Caltrans, rising to civil engineer.
Cynthia Ann Walker passed away at home on April 12 while being cared for by her husband, John Russell Batchelder, and her son, Garrison Alton Batchelder. She was 66. After a couple of years working as a research chemist in the 1980s, Cindy decided to transition to developing computer applications for Internet and Intranet networks at the California Department of Transportation. Cindy continued working at Caltrans until her retirement in 2018.
It is with deep sadness that I share the news of the passing of our dear colleague, Marlene Wilkins. Marlene was a valued member of our team in Planning and Modal Program Management, known for her dedication, professionalism and kindness. Marlene began her state career with The Big Fresno Fair in the late 1990s as an accounting technician.
Retired bridge engineer Ray J. Zelinski died Apri118 in Carmichael. He was 85. Born on Jan. 2, 1940, in Menasha, Wisconsin, Ray graduated from St. Mary's High School, Benedictine University and Marquette University with a degree in civil engineering. He made California his home in 1962 and dedicated 40 years to the California Department of Transportation's Bridge Department, where he played a leading role in earthquake retrofit efforts.
This springtime throughout the state, Caltrans workers and alums gathered to honor the 194 colleagues we have lost in service to the department. This gallery shares images from those solemn ceremonies.
Are you leaving the department or soon to retire, and would like to stay informed of what's happening with Caltrans? If so, please send our editor your preferred email address and you'll be alerted via email whenever we release a new issue.
