Who's New

Shaila Chowdhury, chief environmental engineer

Shaila Chowdhury is the new Chief Environmental Engineer, replacing Scott McGowen, who retired earlier this year.

Shaila earned her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in Bangladesh and master’s degree in civil and transportation engineering from the University of California, Davis. She began her career with Caltrans in 1998 in the Division of Engineering Services’ Materials Engineering and Testing Services Program. She then enrolled in the Department’s rotation program and worked in the Bridge Structure Hydraulics Office and later District 3 Construction as a field engineer.

After obtaining her Professional Engineer license in 2003, Shaila became a Professional Engineer in District 3 Design. Five years later, she joined Headquarters Traffic Operations, where she served in various capacities including as the executive engineering assistant, Highway Safety Improvement Program branch chief, manager of the statewide execution of State Highway Operation and Protection Program safety projects, and implementation of the Traffic Division’s Collision Monitoring Programs.

Since 2013, Shaila has served as the chief of Caltrans’ Hazardous Waste, Air, Noise and Paleontology Office in the Division of Environmental Analysis, providing leadership and statewide direction for the program and ensuring compliance with environmental regulations and effective management during project delivery.

Shaila is an excellent collaborator and brings diverse Headquarters and district experience, along with effective management and leadership skills to this position. She and her husband live in Sacramento with their 14-year-old son.

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Janice Salais, assistant director of the Office Of Business and Economic Opportunity

Janice Salais has accepted the position of Caltrans Office of Business and Economic Opportunity (OBEO) Assistant Director. Janice has been acting in that position since March 2016. Before that, she was the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Certification Branch and the Contract Evaluation Branch Office chief.

Janice has been with Caltrans for more than 30 years working most of that time in OBEO, managing such programs as Certification, Contract Evaluation, Title VI, External Employment Opportunity Contractor Compliance, Supportive Service, Mentor Protégé, Tribal Employment Rights, DBE Program Compliance, On the Job Training Program and Small Business and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Programs. Janice has also acted as the California Unified Certification Program chair for the past two years. Janice has worked in partnership with U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Federal Aviation Administration and Federal Transit Administration and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience with her to this new role.

Janice has a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration with a concentration in marketing from California State University, Sacramento.