MDOT
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore on July 10 announced that Paul J. Wiedefeld will step away from State service on Aug. 1. MDOT Deputy Secretary Samantha J. Biddle will serve as Acting Secretary while Maryland Lt. Gov. Aruna K. Miller leads a nationwide search for Wiedefeld’s successor.
Wiedefeld’s career has spanned more than 40 years. As Secretary, he got the Purple Line project back on track and helmed a swift response and recovery following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key bridge, according to the Governor’s Office. Additionally, he secured more than $5 billion in federal grants to advance transportation projects for the State of Maryland, including $213 million to replace the Maryland Transit Administration’s older light rail vehicles; $80 million for the Maryland Transportation Authority’s I-895 Baltimore Harbor Tunnel enhancement project; $30 million for Port of Baltimore’s Dundalk Marine Terminal reconstruction of berths 11-1; and billions in federal funds, alongside Amtrak, to improve the Northeast Corridor and MARC Penn Line.
Wiedefeld joined MDOT as Secretary in 2023. He has overseen the Department’s six agencies: the State Highway Administration, Maryland Transit Administration, Motor Vehicle Administration, Maryland Aviation Administration, Maryland Port Administration and Maryland Transportation Authority. He has also led operations and maintenance of state highways, bridges, tollways, transit systems, motor vehicle licensing, Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, and the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore.
Previously, Wiedefeld was Vice President at HDR, where he served as the U.S. Northeast Transportation Business Director. Prior to joining the international architectural and engineering firm, he was General Manager/CEO of Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) from 2015 to 2022. Before WMATA, Wiedefeld was CEO of the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport for 10 years. He also served as Administrator of the Maryland Transit Administration, managing day-to-day operations of commuter rail, subway, light rail, buses, and paratransit. Additional private-sector experience includes a decade as a consultant with the engineering firm Parsons Brinckerhoff.
Wiedefeld has a bachelor’s degree in political science from Towson University and a master’s degree in city and regional planning from Rutgers University.
“Our state is grateful for Paul Wiedefeld’s distinguished service over the last two and a half years,” Gov. Moore said. “Secretary Wiedefeld brought decades of expertise to our team, and he used that wisdom to cultivate a new generation of talent. Samantha Biddle has the experience, instincts, and knowledge to carry forward the baton of service at the Maryland Department of Transportation. I look forward to continuing our work together as she takes on this new acting role.”
Kaplan Kirsch
Kaplan Kirsch on July 10 reported that Subash Iyer, former Acting General Counsel of the USDOT and former Chief Counsel of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), has joined as a partner. Based in the New York office, he will be part of the firm’s national infrastructure, transportation, and public law practice, building on the return earlier this year of John Putnam and Allison Ishihara Fultz, two attorneys who also held senior roles at the USDOT.
As USDOT Acting General Counsel, Subash served as Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s top legal advisor, overseeing a 500-person legal team. As Chief Counsel at the FTA, he worked to implement the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and oversaw all FTA legal matters, including on Buy America compliance and safety and labor regulations. Prior to joining USDOT, Subash was Special Counsel for Ethics, Risk, and Compliance at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York.
Subash, a former Supreme Court clerk to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, also brings a strong litigation background from private practice in Washington, D.C., where he helped deliver multiple Supreme Court and court of appeals victories for his clients, according to Kaplan Kirsch. He is a graduate of NYU School of Law and Columbia University.
“Subash is a remarkable lawyer and public servant, and we’re thrilled to have him join our growing team,” Kaplan Kirsch Managing Partner Bob Randall said.
“The best teams deliver the best results,” said John Putnam, Partner at Kaplan Kirsch and the General Counsel of USDOT prior to Subash. “Subash Iyer and Allison Ishihara Fultz are proven players who achieved big wins as part of the USDOT; they now expand our firm’s capabilities, and their passion, experience, and knowledge will make our clients’ teams that much stronger.”
