* News…

* Press release…

Today, Governor JB Pritzker announced his appointment of transportation expert Gia Biagi to lead the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT), pending Senate approval. Biagi brings decades of experience in urban planning, transportation, and public policy, including previously serving as Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Transportation. The announcement comes alongside Omer Osman’s retirement from IDOT after 35 years of service to the agency.

“As my administration continues our ambitious goals to revitalize transportation across the state, I’m excited to appoint Gia Biagi as the next leader of IDOT,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Her expansive portfolio and unique leadership experience will undoubtedly propel IDOT’s mission forward and strengthen Illinois’ infrastructure efforts. I would also like to congratulate Secretary Osman on his retirement and thank him for so many years of dedicated service to our State.”

Omer Osman began his career at IDOT in 1989, working as a civil engineer, and proceeded to move into more challenging leadership roles. He eventually transitioned to executive management of the agency, overseeing historic projects such as the modernization of Interstate 80 in Chicago area, the I-57/74 interchange reconstruction in Champaign-Urbana, capacity improvements to I-57 in southern Illinois and a renewed focus on multimodalism. He was appointed Transportation Secretary in 2019, where he led the agency through the historic Rebuild Illinois bipartisan infrastructure bill. Osman also championed diversity through all levels of the agency, and strongly advocated for minority- and women- owned businesses in partnership with IDOT. […]

Biagi joins IDOT after four years of service at the Chicago Department of Transportation. She also served as Principal of Urbanism and Civic Impact at Studio Gang Architects, a Chicago-based architecture and urban design practice, where she advised private- and public- sector clients on urban design, community engagement and land use planning. […]

Biagi spent more than 10 years at the Chicago Park District, eventually serving as Chief of Staff after years of various leadership and urban development strategy roles.

She brings unique leadership experience as a board member for the Shared Use Mobility Center, a board trustee of the Chicago Architecture Center, an advisory board member of the Women’s Transportation Seminar, and a former board member of the National Association of City Transportation Officials. Biagi was recently named a Visiting Fellow at the Clinton School of Public Service at the University of Arkansas. She earned her bachelor’s from the University of Michigan and her master’s from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

…Adding… Biagi was interviewed about a year ago, and here’s just a little of what she said…

There are two kinds of problems in the world. There are the technical ones and there are the adaptive ones. We’re very good at solving technical problems in this field, like the Rubik’s Cube. I know what it looks like when it’s done and I know how to solve it. Then there are the adaptive challenges. They’re like a hurricane and you can’t really solve a hurricane.

The big challenges that matter are in that camp. It’s not to say that technical skills aren’t needed, but they can’t lead. They fit inside a larger context that is murky. We have to nest that technical work inside that adaptive lens and know what we’re solving for.

…Adding… American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois…

“Since his appointment to Secretary of the Illinois Department of Transportation in 2019, Omer Osman has been invaluable to rebuilding Illinois. We thank him for his leadership to the department and the entire Illinois transportation sector,” said Kevin Artl, president and CEO of the American Council of Engineering Companies of Illinois. “Governor JB Pritzker has made an excellent choice in his appointment of Gia Biagi as the next Secretary to IDOT. As the Commissioner to the Chicago Department of Transportation, Gia was innovative and forward thinking. With her understanding of transportation needs not only in Chicago, but statewide, Gia will be an outstanding leader to continue rebuilding Illinois.”