New Leadership Doubles Down on Commitment to Community

San Diego CA— In 2022, SANDAG is taking a bold approach to connecting people and places in the San Diego region through data-driven planning, building, and funding with a reorganization of the regional agency.
After an unprecedented year of accomplishments, SANDAG CEO Hasan Ikhrata announced to staff on Tuesday that former Director of Regional Planning Coleen Clementson and Chief Data Analytics Officer Ray Major will take the reins as Deputy Chief Executive Officers.
An expert at the forefront of regional and local planning for more than 20 years, Clementson recently led SANDAG through the development of the 2021 Regional Plan, the blueprint for the future of transportation, which was adopted by the SANDAG Board of Directors in December 2021.
Major, who will continue to serve as Chief Economist in addition to his Deputy CEO duties, has been a trusted expert in his field for more than 30 years, including 20 years as a senior executive for Fortune 500 companies.
Following the departure of some of the SANDAG leadership team, the agency announced the changes alongside an internal shift to pivot towards a matrix-based organization that will streamline work efforts on priority projects and encourage better cross-functional interagency collaboration.
“As we build out the rest of our matrix-based organization in the coming months, I am confident that our new structure will enable SANDAG to lead our region on a path to a truly visionary future,” said Ikhrata. “We have learned through the pandemic that change is the one thing we can count on. SANDAG needs to be an agency that can adapt and respond to the needs and priorities of the day, and these changes will help us do just that.”
The change in structure and leadership for the regional agency will help better position SANDAG to implement the transformative Regional Plan. With more than 70 active projects and programs going on right now, community engagement is a top priority for SANDAG.
“We want to make sure the community knows about our initiatives and how they can get involved and be a part of them,” said Clementson. “We are excited about all of the projects we have coming up and want to partner with you, our local leaders, our community, and the private sector to create a future where every person in the San Diego region can thrive.”
To reflect the agency’s focus more closely on innovation, SANDAG will use data to drive its decisions on internal processes and planning decisions, serving as a model to the state and nation.
“We are using data and technology in a way that we never have before,” said Major. “Both internally, to find ways to make SANDAG better, and externally, to make sure the investments we are making today will serve the San Diego region now and for generations to come.”
Additional priorities for SANDAG in 2022 include:

• Otay Mesa East Port of Entry: Breaking ground on a modern border crossing for the San Diego-Baja California region.
• Del Mar Bluffs Stabilization/LOSSAN: Moving forward on the final phase of stabilization and identifying the funding to move the LOSSAN rail corridor off the bluffs.
• Central Mobility Hub and Connections to San Diego International Airport:  Advancing the environmental review process to determine a future location for the multimodal transportation center with direct transit connections.
• Transit Equity: Launching one-year of free transit fares for youth 18 and younger, new service improvements, and studying free transit for all.
• Purple Line and Blue Line Express Trolley: Moving forward on the future Purple Line service from South Bay to Sorrento and express Blue Line service.
• Digital EquityStrategy and Action Plan: Launching a regionwide campaign to improve access to high-speed internet.
• Active Transportation and Safe Streets: Opening 11 miles of new bikeways, breaking ground on more than 19 miles, and advancing a new regional active transportation plan.
• Housing Acceleration Program:Providing $6 million to accelerate housing production regionwide.

About SANDAG

SANDAG is the regional agency that connects people, places, and innovative ideas by implementing solutions with our unique and diverse communities. We are committed to creating a San Diego region where every person who visits, works, and lives can thrive.

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