Karen Philbrick, PhD

Dr. Karen Philbrick is the executive director of San José State University's Mineta Transportation Institute (MTI). In this role, she oversees two competitively awarded multi-university consortia: the California State University Transportation Consortium (CSUTC), which brings together the surface transportation research and workforce development initiatives across the 22-campus California State University system and the Rail Resilience to Severe Weather Training and Research Program (RR2SW) funded by the Federal Railroad Administration.

Dr. Philbrick made significant contributions to the transportation sector through various leadership roles before joining MTI, including serving as the assistant director of the National Center for Intermodal Transportation at the University of Denver. Recognized for her expertise, she received four appointments from the U.S. Secretary of Transportation—under Secretaries LaHood, Foxx, Chao, and Buttigieg—to serve on the USDOT Transit Advisory Committee for Safety (TRACS). In this capacity, she chaired the FTA Administrator’s Tasking 14-02, leading the identification of essential elements for a safety management system approach to fatigue management.

With a longstanding commitment to the USDOT University Transportation Center program, Dr. Philbrick has held several executive leadership positions, including President of the Council of University Transportation Centers (CUTC). In addition, she sits on the Board of Directors for the American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) and serves as Immediate Past President of its Research and Education Division. Her leadership in transit worker well-being includes co-chairing the TCRP F-29 panel, "Mental Health, Wellness, and Resilience for Transit System Workers," and currently serving as chair for TCRP F-32, "Culture Reform: Psychological Health and Safety at the Workplace – The Missing Elements of Successful Workforce Retention and Recruitment in Transit."

Dedicated to advancing seamless and equitable transportation for all, Karen holds elected leadership roles across key industry organizations, including the board of directors for:

• American Public Transportation Foundation (APTF)
• Academic Council for the Auto Innovators Alliance (Auto Innovators)
• Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO)
• International Transportation Learning Center (ITLC)

Dr. Philbrick is dedicated to recruiting, retaining, and advancing women in the transportation sector. Her leadership experience includes three terms on the WTS Foundation Board followed by two terms on the WTS International Board. Beyond her professional achievements, she actively engages with her community as a member of the Rotary Club of San José—the 9th largest club globally among over 45,000—where she served as President for the 2023–2024 term.

Dr. Philbrick is a sought-after keynote speaker who has presented federal congressional briefings. Additionally, she has been invited to testify before both the California Senate Transportation Committee and the Assembly Transportation Committee. She authors a bimonthly transportation column for the San Jose Spotlight, an effort recognized with the national Publisher of the Year award for independent online news. She has published academic journal articles on accident risk models, fatigue in railroad operations, psychological trauma, transportation incidents (such as trespasser and grade crossing accidents), and cross-cultural variations in helping behavior.

Dr. Philbrick has been recognized with numerous prestigious awards honoring her executive leadership and exemplary contributions to the field. Among these honors are the CUTC Administrative Leadership Award, designation as a “Woman Who Moves the Nation” by the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO), and inclusion in the Silicon Valley Business Journal’s inaugural “Power 100” list of the region’s most influential leaders. Additionally, she was honored with the 2023 Katherine G. Johnson Trailblazer of the Year Award by the WTS Bay Area Chapter, recognized by Women We Admire as one of the Top 50 Women Leaders of San Jose in 2025, and most recently awarded the ARTBA 2026 Excellence in Academia Award.

Dr. Philbrick holds a PhD from the University of Denver and an MA and EdM from Columbia University. She earned her undergraduate degree from California State University, Fresno.

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