TRENTON, N.J. — Priya Jain has been sworn in as commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Transportation, becoming the agency’s 21st chief executive, state officials announced.
Jain, who had been serving in an acting capacity since January, was unanimously confirmed by the New Jersey State Senate on March 23 after being nominated by Gov. Mikie Sherrill.
As commissioner, Jain will oversee the state’s transportation network and also serve as chair of NJ Transit, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and the South Jersey Transportation Authority.
Officials said Jain is focused on improving affordability, reliability and modernization across the state’s transportation system through collaboration and data-driven decision-making.
Jain brings more than 30 years of experience in transportation and infrastructure, including leadership roles in both the public and private sectors. She began her career as a civil and environmental engineer and has worked on major infrastructure projects involving engineering, policy and program management.
Most recently, Jain served as president of the Americas for Mace Consult, where she oversaw operations and strategic growth. She also previously held senior leadership positions at Atlas, Atkins and CH2M.
Her connection to New Jersey transportation dates back to her early work as an engineer on the Access to the Region’s Core (ARC) Tunnel project.
In her first months leading NJDOT, Jain has worked alongside department staff, including engineers and maintenance crews, to gain insight into operations and project delivery, officials said.
Jain serves on several transportation boards, including the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, the Northeast Association of State Transportation Officials and The Eastern Transportation Coalition.
She also serves as an advisory board member for civil engineering at the City College of New York.
Jain holds degrees in civil engineering, physics and environmental engineering.
