ATLANTA – Gov. Brian Kemp is turning to a veteran in Georgia transportation circles to serve as the state Department of Transportation’s next planning director.
Kemp named Jannine Miller Wednesday to succeed the post vacated by former Georgia Rep. Jay Roberts last September.
Miller is returning to Georgia after serving as senior advisor to U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao.
Before that, she built a lengthy track record with the state, including stints at the helm of the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority and the state Department of Economic Development’s Center for Innovation and Logistics.
“The planning director sets the long-term strategic goals for Georgia’s infrastructure investments and coordination at the federal, state and local levels,” Kemp said. “Jannine’s experience in transportation policy, budgetary analysis and planning, and big-picture infrastructure development is truly unparalleled, and I look forward to working with her in the years ahead.”
The General Assembly created the planning director position at the DOT more than a decade ago to increase coordination between the transportation agency and the governor’s office.
Roberts became planning director in 2015 after the Republican from Ocilla ended a legislative career highlighted by his successful sponsorship of a $900 million transportation funding bill.