T. Bella Dinh-Zarr, PhD, MPH, was sworn in March 23 as the newest member of the National Transportation Safety Board.
Throughout her career, Member Dinh-Zarr has been a strong advocate for using science to advance transportation safety and public health. She most recently served as director of the U.S. Office of the FIA Foundation, an international philanthropy dedicated to promoting safe and sustainable transportation, and as the North American director of Make Roads Safe – The Campaign for Global Road Safety. Prior to that, she has held positions at AAA, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Texas Transportation Institute.
“I am very honored to have been nominated by President Obama and confirmed by the Senate to serve on the NTSB,” said Member Dinh-Zarr. “I feel privileged to work on this agency’s noble mission of keeping people safe in every mode of transportation. Working together, and using sound science, we can prevent injuries and deaths, now and for future generations."
Member Dinh-Zarr, the first Asian American to serve on the five-member Board, was born in Vietnam and spent her childhood on the Gulf Coast of Texas. She has served on the advisory boards of the Independent Transportation Network of America, the Carnegie Mellon University Transportation Center, and the National Association of Women Highway Safety Leaders. She has been active in the American Public Health Association and the Transportation Research Board.
Member Dinh-Zarr earned her B.A. from Rice University, and her Master of Public Health and Ph.D. from the University of Texas School of Public Health.
Dr. Dinh-Zarr’s term as Member of the NTSB expires December 2018.
