Caltrans News

• By: admin
• On: 06/20/2025 17:11:58
• In: Infrastructure News

Recent Appointments

Dina El-Tawansy - Director

Governor Gavin Newsom announced the appointment of Dina El-Tawansy as the new Director of the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). 

El-Tawansy brings a wealth of experience and leadership to the role, having held multiple positions at Caltrans since 1998, including District 4 Acting Director; District 4 Chief Deputy Director; District 12 Deputy Director of Operations and Maintenance; and Regional Project Manager. Most recently, she served as the Caltrans District 4 (Bay Area) Director. 

El-Tawansy earned a Master of Science degree in Construction Management from California State University, Long Beach and a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from California Polytechnic State University, Pomona. 

“Dina brings strong leadership history, extensive transportation expertise and nearly three decades of impressive Caltrans credentials to the helm of the most complex transportation network in the nation,” said California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin. “Dina's proven, people-focused record will enable a vital, seamless integration into this role as she and her team of 22,000 continue to prioritize improved lives for all Californians.”

El-Tawansy expressed her commitment to public service, stating, "I am honored to serve as the Director of Caltrans and to continue my work improving California's transportation infrastructure. My focus will be on accelerating the work of Caltrans across all programs to deliver efficient and effective transportation solutions."

Jackie Wong - Acting Chief of METS 

Jackie Wong has been named State Materials Engineer, Deputy Division Chief, Materials Engineering and Testing Services (METS), effective June 16th.

Jackie began her career with Caltrans in 2006 with experiences working in District 4, Structure Construction, Geotechnical Services, Bridge Design and most recently with METS as the Office Chief of Central Laboratories. Over many years, she has led several cross-collaborative teams with Districts, HQ Programs, and Industry partners to positively impact change statewide in project delivery support, legislative matters, sustainability, and innovation. Jackie would like to express her gratitude for the continued support of her teams, mentors, and peers.

As the acting State Materials Engineer, Jackie is dedicated to navigating the challenges of the current Translab closure, continued partnership with internal and external stakeholders to support project delivery and improving the effectiveness of METS and DES services to our clients. 

Jackie earned her B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2006 and a M.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign in 2015. 

Mauricio Serrano - Chief Division of Construction

Mauricio Serrano has been named Chief, Headquarters Division of Maintenance, effective June 16th.

Mauricio began his career with Caltrans 27 years ago. He has 23 years of experience working in multiple Districts (1, 3, 10, and the North Region), as well as 4 years working at Headquarters in various leadership roles. His leadership roles included Deputy District Director, Acting Division Chief, Office Chief, Project Manager, Design Senior, Senior Resident Engineer, and Project Engineer. In January 2021, Mauricio joined District 10 as the Deputy District Director for Maintenance. In September 2022, Mauricio was promoted to Principal Transportation Engineer as the Deputy District Director for Maintenance in District 3. From October 2023 to October 2024, Mauricio completed a one-year Temporary Assignment as the Acting Division Chief of Maintenance in HQ Sacramento. Mauricio brings with him invaluable technical, supervisory, and managerial experience.

Mauricio earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Davis, in 1989, and a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the California State University, Sacramento, in 1995. He is a registered Professional Engineer in Civil and Mechanical Engineering and has held a Project Management Professional certification since 2010. 

Caltrans Organization Chart

With all the changes at Caltrans, we provide a slimmed down version of the Caltrans organization chart with only the offices and positions of most interest to materials producers.