New Streets Cabinet Leadership Staff to Start in April

Under Chief of Streets Jascha Franklin-Hodge, they will deliver on the Mayor’s vision for a City where people can move safely, reliably, and efficiently by transit, on foot, or by bike, and to support a greener Boston by accelerating the shift towards low-carbon transportation.

“Both Julia and Nick come to the City with exceptional backgrounds to tackle the kinds of challenges we’re facing. They share a vision and passion to reshape our streets while providing the world-class services Bostonians expect,” said Chief Franklin-Hodge. “I am excited for them to join our team and to benefit from their tremendous expertise and commitment to this work.”

As Deputy Chief for Infrastructure & Design, Julia Campbell will oversee the implementation of the City of Boston’s streets, sidewalks, and bridges projects including community process, design, construction, and evaluation.

Her previous experience spans both policy and implementation across the fields of planning, engineering, and governance, focused on environmental justice and low-carbon forms of transportation. She has led infrastructure projects improving active transportation safety, supportive programs, and legislation, as well as graduate-level instruction on active transportation planning. Julia’s previous work in Los Angeles focused on the delivery of capital improvement projects and safety programs for vulnerable road users and she has a cross-disciplinary background in civil engineering and green infrastructure, as well as in transportation technology. Julia has built cross-disciplinary teams and delivered visionary projects such as the first bike share and transit fare integration in the United States, a city and transit agency partnership to deliver network-wide bus lanes, and forming the largest active transportation project by budget in the Americas, the LA River Path. She will be relocating from Los Angeles to Boston and begins her role on April 18th. 

“I am grateful for the opportunity to join this dynamic team,” said Julia Campbell. “Boston is at a key moment to lead in infrastructure that supports climate justice and mode shift. I’m excited to contribute to delivering the projects that will shape our city for generations to come.” 

Nick Gove will serve as the Deputy Chief for Transportation which will also serve as the role of the Boston Transportation Department (BTD) Commissioner. He will be responsible for the day-to-day functioning of the BTD, including oversight of traffic management, parking enforcement, permitting, signals, and signage.

Previously, he served as the Deputy Commissioner for Operations at the MA Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR). Nick has been with DCR in various roles for 15 years. He worked for the City of Melrose as the Superintendent of Mt. Hood and Public Open Space and later as the Director of Operations for Public Works. Nick completed his undergraduate degree at Bentley University and earned a Master of Science in Public Affairs from the McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies at UMASS Boston. He lives in Charlestown and will begin on April 10th.          

“I am very honored to be joining the Streets Cabinet and helping to realize its exciting vision,” said Nick Gove. “I look forward to working alongside the dedicated and talented workforce of the Boston Transportation Department to deliver the high level of service that Boston residents have come to expect.” 

The Streets Cabinet leadership team, including Superintendent of Streets Mike Brohel and Director of Policy and Planning Vineet Gupta, will oversee increased investment in repairing and maintaining Boston’s Streets and sidewalks, enhancing core city services, improving street safety, and growing the City’s network of bus and bike lanes to build a safer, more connected, more sustainable city. 

Interim Commissioner of the Boston Transportation Brad Gerratt will retire after eleven years of service. 

“I want to thank Commissioner Gerratt for his commitment to public service and his hard work and leadership as Interim Commissioner. His passion for making our streets work for everyone and the kindness and care he shows to constituents and City staff have been critical to the success of the Transportation Department and our city,” said Franklin-Hodge.

Mayor Wu first announced the search for these two critical positions late last year. The Streets Cabinet continues to fill critical staff positions across the cabinet. Open positions include planning roles in active transportation, public transit, neighborhood planning, and new mobility as well as roles in Public Works such as inspectors, heavy equipment operators, and laborers. More information on job openings within the Streets Cabinet, including links to apply, can be found online.