Joint PENC Triangle Chapter / ASHE Carolinas Triangle Evening Meeting

When: March 19, 2026; Networking: 5:30 PM; Dinner Program: 6:30 PM

Location:  NC State University Club; 4200 Hillsborough St. Raleigh, NC 27606

Cost: Members - $30 / Non-Members - $40 
(Cash bar available during networking)

Moving Forward: Modernizing Transportation Through Multimodal Investment and Innovation

Presenter:  Julie White, Deputy Secretary for multi-modal at NCDOT

Abstract: Transportation is evolving — and with it, the role of engineers, planners, and industry partners. Backed by historic levels of federal investment, states like North Carolina are accelerating efforts to modernize infrastructure, expand multimodal options, and use technology to deliver more efficient transportation systems. In this session, White will share how NCDOT is advancing initiatives across the modes and how these efforts align with the current federal focus on system performance, connectivity, and infrastructure renewal. Attendees will gain insight into the latest modal initiatives and innovations and how multimodal strategies are reshaping transportation planning and delivery.

Speaker Bio: Julie White serves as the Deputy Secretary for Multi-Modal Transportation at the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), where she leads the Rail Division, Division of Aviation, Ferry Division, and the Integrated Mobility Division—which encompasses Public Transportation, Bicycle and Pedestrian Transportation, and emerging mobility services. She oversees a workforce of approximately 800 employees and manages nearly $500 million in annual expenditures. Under White’s leadership, NCDOT secured its largest-ever federal discretionary grant—over $1 billion—to launch the first leg of a transformative rail corridor between Raleigh and Richmond.

With more than 20 years of experience in state and local government, White brings deep expertise in transportation policy and public administration. Prior to joining NCDOT, she served as Executive Director of the North Carolina Metropolitan Mayors Coalition. White currently chairs the Southeast Rail Corridor Commission, guiding the advancement of high-performance rail in the Southeast. She has also served on the Board of Directors of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) and now co-chairs APTA’s Legislative Subcommittee on Commuter and Intercity Rail. Her contributions have been recognized with multiple honors, including the WTS Triangle Chapter Woman of the Year award, the WTS Community Activist Award, and the Triangle Business Journal’s Women in Business Award for Public Policy. Over her eight-year tenure at NCDOT, the multimodal divisions have earned national recognition for innovation, planning excellence, and project delivery.

White holds a Master of Public Administration from North Carolina State University and a Bachelor of Arts from Michigan State University. She is an alumna of the AASHTO National Transportation Advanced Leadership Institute, Leadership North Carolina, and the North Carolina Institute of Political Leadership.