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Name: Peters, Mary
Current Position: Former Secretary
A native of Arizona, Mary E. Peters served as the 15th Secretary of Transportation from September 30, 2006, until the end of George W. Bush's presidency. Peters holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Phoenix and attended Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government Program for State and Local Government Executives.
From 1985 to 2001, she served in the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT). During her tenure, Peters worked her way up through the ranks as a contract administrator, deputy director for administration, and deputy director. In 1998, then-Governor Jane Hull appointed Peters director of the agency.
In 2001, President Bush asked Peters to lead the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). As FHWA administrator from 2001 to 2005, she placed special emphasis on finding new ways to invest in road and bridge construction, including public-private partnerships. She also was a strong advocate for using new technology to reduce construction time.
Peters then left for the private sector, working in Phoenix, AZ, as the national director for transportation policy and consulting at HDR, Inc., a major engineering firm. She was responsible for building a management consulting practice and formulating public policy initiatives for the firm's transportation program.