Joel Szabat

Joel Szabat is an American government official and former military officer. In August 2018, Szabat was nominated by President Donald Trump to become Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Aviation and International Affairs.[1] He was confirmed by the United States Senate in a unanimous voice vote on January 2, 2019.[2] Szabat became Acting Under Secretary in June, 2019.[3]

Joel Szabat
Acting Under Secretary Transportation for Policy
In office July 2019 – January 20, 2021
President	Donald Trump
Preceded by	Derek Kan
Succeeded by	TBD
Assistant Secretary of Transportation for Aviation and International Affairs
In office January 2, 2019 – January 20, 2021
President	Donald Trump
Preceded by	Susan Kurland
Succeeded by	TBD
Personal details
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Chiling Tong
Education	Georgetown University (BA) Harvard University (MBA)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Rank	Captain
Unit	11th Armored Cavalry Regiment

The Under Secretary is the third-highest position in the Department of Transportation, after the Secretary and Deputy Secretary.[4]

Szabat first joined the Department of Transportation in 2002. He served in several positions, including Deputy Assistant Secretary for Management and Budget, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aviation and International Affairs, and Executive Director of the United States Maritime Administration.[5] In 2009, Szabat was the department's designated federal official for overseeing $48 billion of transportation infrastructure investments from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 that led to the construction of 15,000 transportation infrastructure projects.[6]

In 2005, Szabat was assigned to the Embassy of the United States, Baghdad as the Transportation Counselor to the U.S. ambassador to Iraq; he also led U.S. government efforts to rebuild airports, ports and railroads in Iraq.[7] In 2006–2007, Szabat was the Chief of Staff to Administrator Steve Preston of the Small Business Administration, before returning to the Department of Transportation.[8]

Prior to first joining the Department of Transportation, Szabat worked as a Principal Consultant for transportation in the California State Assembly, as a management adviser in the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and for a private sector management consultancy.[6] He was a cavalry officer in the U.S. Army, commanding soldiers patrolling the East-West German border during the Cold War.[9] Szabat and his wife,[10] founded the International Leadership Foundation,[11] a non-profit corporation that promotes the civic awareness, involvement and effectiveness of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.[12]