The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO), an organization made up of more than 100 of North America’s largest cities and transit agencies, today announced a national search for a new Executive Director to replace Ryan Russo, who is departing the organization.
“It has been an honor to have such a distinguished transportation professional serve as NACTO’s Executive Director over the past two years,” said Michael Carroll, NACTO President. “Ryan has been steady and thoughtful in navigating changes in the policy landscape and kept the NACTO community fully engaged in advancing best practices for transportation.”
“At a time when cities face growing political, financial and transportation pressure, NACTO’s practical guidance, professional support, and national advocacy is needed more than ever,” said Janette Sadik-Khan, NACTO Chair. “This core commitment, supported by Ryan’s leadership, has positioned the organization to defend local progress while helping the next generation of safer, more sustainable streets take shape at a national scale.”
Russo was appointed NACTO Executive Director in May 2024, strengthening its position as the premier professional network for transformative city transportation agencies, and as a national voice for the authority of cities to design and manage their streets. Russo led the publication and launch of the landmark third edition of NACTO’s Urban Bikeway Design Guide, the organization’s first comprehensive revision of the signature publication in a decade. In addition to documenting bike-lane treatments, the guide provides cities with a complete framework for planning connected networks and creating facilities usable by people of different ages and abilities. The publication has been sold or downloaded more than 200,000 times.
Russo also led and elevated the organization’s Designing Cities conferences in Washington DC and Minneapolis, each drawing more than 1,000 participants each and strengthening the conference’s role as the centerpiece of NACTO’s expanding peer exchange network.
“Leading NACTO has been an extraordinary honor. I came to this role believing that NACTO’s greatest strength is its members, and I am proud that we sharpened the organization’s focus on supporting them and ensuring every agency gains more value from this incredible community,” said Ryan Russo. “At a time when local transportation leaders are navigating immense challenges, the opportunity to learn from one another, solve problems together, and speak with a strong collective voice matters more than ever. I am deeply grateful to NACTO’s members and staff, and I look forward to seeing this community continue to grow and thrive.”
Since 2024, NACTO has added 15 new cities and transit providers to its membership, including Anchorage, Saint Paul, and Cleveland, the Jacksonville Transportation Authority, Montgomery County Department of Transportation, and Spokane Transit.
For more information about NACTO, board leadership, membership, and for details on the search, visit nacto.org.
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About the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO)
NACTO is an association of more than 100 North American cities and transit agencies that exchange transportation ideas, insights, and practices and cooperatively approach national transportation issues. The organization champions bold, people-first urban transportation by mobilizing a network of cities and transit agencies. See more at nacto.org.
Contact
Alex Engel | alex [at] nacto.org
Elise Harmon-Freeman | elise [at] nacto.org
For Immediate Release
July 31, 2026
