Priya Jain

Priya Jain was appointed Acting Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Transportation by Governor Mikie Sherrill on January 19, 2026.

 
Acting Commissioner Jain brings more than three decades of experience leading major and complex transportation and infrastructure programs. She began her career as a civil and environmental engineer and has worked at the intersection of engineering, policy, and program management to support public agencies in advancing complex capital projects.

Before joining NJDOT, Jain held senior leadership roles overseeing large infrastructure efforts globally and across North America and in New Jersey, working closely with partners to coordinate permitting, funding, and stakeholder collaboration needed to move projects from planning to construction.

Her experience delivering large multi-agency infrastructure programs informs her focus at NJDOT on strengthening project delivery, collaborating across agencies and partners, and ensuring New Jersey’s transportation system remains safe, reliable and able to support mobility and economic vitality across the state.

As NJDOT Acting Commissioner, she serves as Chair of NJ TRANSIT, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, the South Jersey Transportation Authority, and the New Jersey Transportation Trust Fund Authority, and Vice Chair of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission.

She is a member of the Board of Directors of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), the Northeast Association of State Transportation Officials (NASTO), and The Eastern Transportation Coalition (TETC). In addition to her professional responsibilities, Acting Commissioner Jain remains engaged in academic and industry service as an Advisory Board Member for Civil Engineering at the City College of New York.

Acting Commissioner Jain holds a bachelor's degree in civil engineering and master’s degree in physics from Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani, as well as a master's degree in environmental engineering from the University of New York at Buffalo.