Barbara Reese Joins Parsons Brinckerhoff

Feb. 16, 2012
Barbara W. Reese, former Deputy Secretary of Transportation for Virginia and CFO of the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), has been named a principal consultant in the strategic consulting group of Parsons Brinckerhoff

Barbara W. Reese, former Deputy Secretary of Transportation for Virginia and CFO of the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), has been named a principal consultant in the strategic consulting group of Parsons Brinckerhoff, a global infrastructure strategic consulting, engineering and program/construction management organization.

In her new position, Reese will advise clients on project development, financial planning and the execution of complex transactions, including public-private partnerships. She will guide public agency clients in obtaining transportation-related funding and assist agencies with complex financial organizational, process and procurement issues. She will be based in Parsons Brinckerhoff's Richmond, Va. office.

Reese's career, which spans over 25 years, includes her most recent role as director of finance for the city of Richmond, Va. She directed the activities of 110 full-time staff and successfully improved tax collection rates, implemented a tax amnesty program, completed implementation of a revenue administration system and led the citywide "Well-Managed Government" initiative. She also served on the negotiation team for the city's Justice Center, a public-private partnership venture.

Prior to this, Reese served as deputy director of policy in the Office of the Governor of Virginia. She spearheaded the implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for the Commonwealth with responsibility for policy development, program design and implementation, reporting, and auditing of Virginia's $5 billion in ARRA funds. She also directed Virginia's $2 billion high-speed rail program, including oversight of the federal application process.

During her tenure as Deputy Secretary of Transportation, Reese acted as chief public negotiator for the Capital Beltway HOT lane transaction, a Public Private Transportation Act (PPTA) project that was named Project Finance's North American Deal of the Year in 2008. She also served as the Commonwealth's project director for the Dulles Corridor Metrorail project, winning both federal approval and funding for this 23-mile extension of the existing Metrorail system that will provide transit service in the Dulles Corridor and a one-seat ride from Dulles International Airport to downtown Washington, D.C.

Prior to her role as deputy secretary, Reese served as the first chief financial officer for VDOT, overseeing a $3.8 billion annual budget and 9,000 employees. She was responsible for directing three separate bond issues for VDOT within 90 days and securing the highest bond ratings for the agency.

Reese holds a master of public administration degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and a bachelor of arts in American studies from Mary Washington College.