Shawn Wilson Joins WSP
Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor
Shawn Wilson, National Agency Coordination Leader for Transportation and Infrastructure, WSP
Shawn Wilson, former Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (2016-23), has signed on as National Agency Coordination Leader for Transportation and Infrastructure at WSP, an engineering, environment and professional services consultancy.
Based in Baton Rouge, La., Wilson will be charged with expanding the firm’s network within the transportation and infrastructure industry, identifying strategic growth opportunities, and supporting communication efforts with state and federal governments across the U.S., according to WSP.
As head of the Louisiana DOTD, Wilson oversaw more than $5.2 billion in construction projects, including the state’s first five discretionary grants that exceeded $250 million. He also established the state’s Office of Innovative Procurement, advancing innovative finance and accelerating design-build. According to WSP, Wilson developed and implemented the state’s first GARVEE (Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle) Bond issuance valued at $675 million to include the DOTD’s first two Construction Manager at Risk projects, and successfully delivered the state’s first infrastructure public-private partnership (P3) and brought its second P3 to near completion, a $2.1 billion bridge P3 in Lake Charles, La.
Wilson was elected as the first African American President of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), serving from 2021-22.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in urban and regional planning from the University of Louisiana-Lafayette, as well as a master’s degree in public administration and a doctoral degree in public policy from the Nelson Mandela School of Public Policy at Southern University in Baton Rouge.
“I’ve long admired Shawn’s leadership in the transportation industry,” said Sofia Berger, U.S. Transportation and Infrastructure National Business Line Executive at WSP. “His legacy at LaDOTD is impressive, with a track record of innovative thinking and commitment to project delivery across multiple administrations.
“Under his term as president of AASHTO, he brought our industry’s crucial role in creating more equitable and inclusive communities to the forefront. His reputation in the industry is unmatched and WSP clients and partners will benefit from his expertise and his leadership.”
