The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) has appointed Karen Kitsis and Laoise King as deputy commissioners. Both Kitsis and King will begin their tenures in June.
Kitsis currently serves as the deputy executive director for the Office of Capital Project Development at Sound Transit in Seattle, Wash. She has held many leadership positions and worked on several significant projects, including a system-wide planning process resulting in a successful $54 billion ballot measure. Kitsis brings her experience working in several states managing large-scale projects to the CTDOT.
King is currently serving as the chief of staff for Mayor of Norwalk Harry Rilling. She oversees day-to-day city management, is responsible for city administrative functions and has been instrumental in securing funding for local projects. King has also held various roles in former Mayor of New Haven John DeStefano’s administration, bringing decades of legal, legislative and advocacy experience to the organization.
“Karen and Laoise bring significant experience to our team and will complement our already incredible leadership team well,” said CTDOT Commissioner Garrett Eucalitto. “I am proud of the team of Bureau Chiefs we have assembled in the agency, many of whom were promoted during the height of the pandemic at a time when we were trying to accomplish a mammoth amount of work with little certainty about what may come next. Every single person on this team has stepped up in ways that have helped ensure the public can travel safely and that the future of transportation is bright. Our new deputy commissioners will be a much-needed support to our team and help ensure we can complete more work and best serve our residents.”
