• WSP has appointed former Federal Highway Administration executive director Gloria Shepherd as national planning and project delivery strategic advisor.
• Shepherd previously helped oversee more than $350 billion in federal highway programs and brings over three decades of transportation policy experience.
• Her appointment strengthens WSP’s advisory capabilities as U.S. infrastructure clients face growing demands around resilience, sustainability and project delivery.

WSP has appointed Gloria M. Shepherd, former executive director of the Federal Highway Administration, as national planning and project delivery strategic advisor in the United States.

Shepherd joins the firm’s Advisory and Planning team in Washington, D.C. She will advise clients on major transportation and infrastructure programs across the country.

Her remit includes transportation planning, project delivery and public-sector engagement. She will also support programs focused on mobility, sustainability, resilience and community outcomes.

The appointment brings senior federal infrastructure experience into WSP at a time when public agencies are managing large investment programs alongside tighter delivery expectations.

Federal infrastructure experience moves into advisory role

Shepherd brings more than three decades of experience in transportation planning, program management and public policy.

Most recently, she served as executive director of the Federal Highway Administration. In that position, she helped oversee the administration of more than $350 billion in federal highway programs.

Her work involved close coordination with state departments of transportation, metropolitan planning organizations and tribal governments. She also worked with local agencies and national transportation partners.

“Gloria is widely respected across the transportation planning and program delivery industry,” said Steve Buckley, national planning leader, WSP in the U.S. “Her distinguished public service record, deep understanding of transportation policy and ability to build strong partnerships across agencies and stakeholder groups make her an invaluable addition to our team.”

Before becoming executive director, Shepherd spent more than 15 years as FHWA’s associate administrator for planning, environment and realty.

She led programs covering national transportation planning, environmental stewardship and infrastructure delivery.

Her portfolio included long-term infrastructure performance, community connectivity and complete streets. It also covered performance-based planning and efforts to accelerate project delivery.

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Policy expertise strengthens infrastructure delivery

Shepherd also helped implement major federal transportation legislation and national infrastructure investment programs.

That experience gives WSP additional policy expertise as clients navigate the relationship between federal funding, infrastructure priorities and local implementation.

Large infrastructure programs increasingly require agencies to balance cost, delivery timelines and environmental requirements. Climate resilience and community impacts are also becoming more important within planning and procurement decisions.

“Gloria’s experience and insight will help our clients navigate increasingly complex challenges,” said Jannet Walker-Ford, Advisory and Planning business line executive, WSP in the U.S. “Her deep understanding of federal policy, planning and program delivery will be a tremendous asset as we move critical infrastructure priorities from vision to implementation.”

Shepherd has also worked at the international policy level. As a U.S. delegate and executive committee member of the World Road Association, she contributed to transportation policy and industry practice beyond the United States.

Her academic background spans communications, English, law and international law. She holds degrees from St. John Fisher College, the College of St. Rose and the State University of New York at Albany.

She also earned a juris doctor from Albany Law School and a master’s degree in international law from Georgetown University Law Center. She is a member of the New York State Bar.

What executives and infrastructure investors should watch

For WSP, the appointment adds senior government experience to a business focused on planning, advisory and project delivery.

The firm advises public and private clients on transportation, environmental and community development challenges. Its work spans early-stage strategy through implementation.

Shepherd’s background is particularly relevant as infrastructure owners seek to convert government funding into investable and deliverable projects.

For executives and investors, that process has direct implications for project risk. Permitting, stakeholder coordination, environmental review and funding compliance can all affect delivery schedules and capital deployment.

Her appointment also reflects the growing importance of policy expertise within infrastructure advisory work.

As governments direct more capital toward resilient and lower-carbon infrastructure, technical design alone is no longer sufficient. Projects must also align with public policy, community priorities and evolving sustainability expectations.

That combination will shape which infrastructure projects move fastest from funding commitments to construction, both in the U.S. and across other major investment markets.