Who's New
Dina A. El -Tawansy, Caltrans director
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.
Her responsibilities included the oversight of all highways, toll bridges, and tunnels in the greater San Francisco Area encompassing the nine Bay Area Counties of Napa, Sonoma, Solano, Marin, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara. Prior to that role, she served as chief deputy district director for the same district.
While much of her career has been in the Bay Area and Los Angeles, 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).
As District 4 director, Dina managed a $2 billion budget of in-house and oversight investments and lead nearly 3,400 staff. She remained focused on implementing the department’s mission, vision and goals, building and strengthening partnerships, and continuing to work towards multimodal, sustainable, safe and reliable transportation solutions that equitably serve all Californians.
Dina possesses a B.S. degree in civil engineering from Cal Poly Pomona and an M.S. degree from Long Beach State University in construction management. She is a licensed professional engineer (PE) in the state of California and project management professional (PMP).
In her free time, Dina enjoys mentoring students and professionals in various stages of their engineering careers, firmly believing in paving the way for the next generation. Additionally, she is ever ready for an invigorating hike in the great outdoors.
Chanta Kang, deputy division chief of Project Delivery Administration
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, driving collaboration, innovation, and efficiency to advance organizational goals.
Outside of work, Chanta is a proud mom and grandma - roles she considers her greatest joy. She and her husband co-own a cozy cafe and share a love of good food and the beach. On weekends, you might find them exploring new restaurants, hitting the golf course, or relaxing in the backyard.
Chanta brings warmth, creativity, and purpose to everything she does-whether leading teams or loving her family.
Aung Maung, District 4 deputy district director of Traffic Operations
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, leading the District 4 Transportation Safety Division and overseeing the implementation of the Safe System Approach and fostering a transformative shift in safety culture in the district.
Aung has a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Florida Atlantic University and is a licensed professional civil engineer.
In his new assignment, Aung is committed to improving partnerships with internal and external partners, creating better organizational alignment to achieve the performance and delivery goals for the program and district, and investing in workforce development.