An expert in transportation, consensus building, infrastructure and policy development is Johnson County’s new representative on the Kansas City Area Transit Authority Board of Commissioners. Chairman Mike Kelly has appointed Julie Lorenz to KCATA’s 10-member governing board, effective today.

Lorenz served as the Secretary of the Kansas Department of Transportation and Director of the Kansas Turnpike Authority for four years. While at KDOT, she launched the Kansas Infrastructure Hub in support of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, spearheaded the development of the $10 billion Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program and led the Kansas Recovery Office’s efforts to administer more than $1 billion in CARES Act COVID-19 relief funding in six months.

Currently, Lorenz is a principal consultant for 1898 & Co., the business and technology consulting arm of Burns & McDonnell. She provides C-suite-level advisory services for the private and public sectors and will also lead the charge to grow services into other markets, including IIJA deployment across infrastructure sectors. Lorenz has additional public and private experience having served in other roles at KDOT, Burns & McDonnell and HNTB.  

“With more than 25 years of experience, Julie is a proven national leader in policy development, consensus building and implementing visionary initiatives,” said Chairman Mike Kelly, Johnson County Board of County Commissioners. “I appreciate her taking on this role and look forward to the benefits she will provide to the KCATA board, the county and the region.”

Lorenz looks forward to contributing to the region’s transit system.

“I am very honored to represent Johnson County and contribute my knowledge and experience in this meaningful way,” said Lorenz. “I believe in regionalism, serving a public sector mission and working on challenging problems through collaboration, which makes this appointment a good fit.  There are game changing opportunities for transit in the region.”

BOCC Commissioner Jeff Meyers served as Johnson County’s KCATA representative since Feb. 2021 and resigned that liaison assignment due to other time commitments.

“I greatly appreciate Commissioner Meyers’ service on the KCATA board and his role representing Johnson County. He was a dedicated board member,  and I look forward to his continued service in several other nonprofit leadership roles,” said Chairman Kelly.