Pennsylvania Department of Transportation

Secretary Leslie Richards is the first female Secretary of PennDOT and one of only six women nationally who head their state transportation departments. She has used her current role, and prior role as a Montgomery County Commissioner, to advance diversity and social change. She has led many initiatives, including a program training PennDOT employees to recognize human trafficking; programs and workgroups to support diversity on the PennDOT work team; a series of town-hall events promoting Women in Transportation and Government; and “Plan W” which Richards created to increase the number of women on local government boards in Montgomery County. She is active in Habitat for Humanity and in local support for single mothers and women’s health issues, and she regularly speaks in Pennsylvania and nationally on the importance of diversity and gender inclusion in government and transportation.