Therese W. McMillan served from March 2019 to January 2023 as MTC’s executive director for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, and as the top executive for the Association of Bay Area Governments. Ms. McMillan, who received her Bachelor of Science degree from U.C. Davis in 1981, a master’s degree in civil engineering science from U.C. Berkeley in 1983, and a master’s in city and regional planning from U.C. Berkeley in 1984, previously worked for 25 years at MTC, including more than eight years as MTC’s deputy executive director for policy. In 2009, she was appointed by then-President Barack Obama to serve as deputy administrator of the Federal Transit Administration, which was followed by service from 2014 to 2016 as acting FTA administrator. Following her federal career, from April 2016 to February 2019 McMillan served as Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s chief planning officer.
As MTC Executive Director, McMillan oversaw a staff of over 300 persons, and a diverse portfolio that covers transportation, land use and housing functions for the San Francisco Bay Area, encompassing nine counties and 101 jurisdictions. Her MTC roles included planning, funding, system coordination and select operations for the region’s network of 27 public transit agencies, and highways and local streets and roads; with distinct responsibilities as the Bay Area Toll Authority for the region’s seven state owned toll bridges. Her key ABAG assignments included regional housing need assessments and support for local governments, as well as climate resilience and adaptation activities.
