For the fourth consecutive year, Engineering Georgia magazine has included women of the State Transportation Board (STB) and the Georgia Department of Transportation (Georgia DOT) in its annual listing of “100 Influential Women in Georgia Engineering.” The Georgia DOT is well-represented with four STB members and nine Georgia DOT team members, who were nominated and selected by their peers and leaders for this recognition.
 
“When Engineering Georgia announces their top 100 Most Influential Women in Engineering list each year, I am always so proud of the number of incredibly talented Georgia DOT women who are included,” said Georgia DOT Commissioner Russell McMurry. “Each of these women spend their days looking for opportunities to advance transportation in Georgia, and they could not be more deserving of this recognition.”
 
The State Transportation Board is comprised of 14 congressional districts each represented by a board member elected by a majority of a General Assembly caucus from their congressional district. Board members serve staggered five-year terms and guide the planning, development and management of the department and critical transportation projects in the state of Georgia.
 
Georgia DOT aims to deliver a transportation system focused on innovation, safety, sustainability and mobility. The Department prides itself on its diverse and well-trained workforce and is proud to recognize the achievements of these women.
 
Women recognized who are affiliated with Georgia DOT include:
 
Emily Dunn, who represents Congressional District 9 on the STB, was elected in 2011. Dunn previously served as board chairman—the STB’s first female chair—and is currently vice-chair of the board. Dunn is owner of Tom’s Amusement Company, Inc. and is known for her civic involvement.
 
Stacey Key, who represents Congressional District 5, joined the STB in 2013. She is president and CEO of the Georgia Minority Supplier Development Council (GMSDC) and serves on various boards, including the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and the Midtown Alliance.
 
Dana Lemon, who represents Congressional District 13, has served on the STB for 18 years and was the first woman elected to the board. Lemon is president of W.D. Lemon & Sons Funeral Home and co-hosts a local TV talk show, Community Spotlight.
 
Ann R. Purcell, who represents Congressional District 1 on the STB, was elected in 2013. She has served as chair and vice-chair. Currently, she is serving as chairman of the Statewide Transportation Planning/Strategic Planning Committee. Purcell previously served 18 years in the Georgia House of Representatives.
 
Meg Pirkle, P.E., is the first woman to serve as chief engineer for Georgia DOT. Pirkle oversees the management of Georgia DOT’s engineering, construction, project management and P3 program delivery. She is a registered professional engineer.
 
Angela Whitworth is the treasurer of Georgia DOT, where she administers and manages a $3.6 billion annual budget. Whitworth has served the state of Georgia in various finance and accounting roles for 23 years.
 
Jannine Miller was nominated by Governor Brian Kemp and confirmed by the Georgia House and Senate Transportation Committees in 2020 to serve as Georgia DOT’s planning director. She previously worked with former Governor Sonny Perdue, ran the Center for Innovation and Logistics at the Georgia Department of Economic Development and has been involved with GRTA and ARC.
 
Carol Comer is director of the Division of Intermodal, where she oversees Georgia DOT’s statewide programs for aviation, rail, transit and waterways. She has been with Georgia DOT for over 20 years. Comer is also a licensed FAA commercial pilot and flight instructor.
 
Marlo Clowers, P.E., DBIA, PMP, is the P3 project manager and leads the Transform 285/400 project, GDOT’s largest project currently under construction. She also oversees the I-85 Widening Phase 1 project, the first Major Mobility Investment Program project to break ground. She is a registered professional engineer and a certified design-build professional.
 
Hiral Patel, P.E. is the director of the Division of Engineering, a position she has held since 2015. She has been with the Department for over 20 years. Patel is a licensed professional engineer.
 
Kimberly King is the director of Georgia DOT’s Equal Employment Opportunity Division and has been with the Department since 2012. She has over 20 years of experience in collective bargaining, civil rights and appellate advocacy.
 
Kimberly Nesbitt joined the Georgia DOT in 1999 as a civil engineer technologist in traffic operations and worked her way up to her current position of state program delivery administrator. The Office of Program Delivery is responsible for approximately 1,000 projects.
 
Krystal Stovall-Dixon, PMP, leads a team of project managers responsible for over $9.5 billion in improvement projects as the assistant state program delivery engineer. She has been with the Department since 2009 and is a certified project management professional.
 
The magazine also recognized ITS Supervisor Emily Dwyer, Metro Atlanta Signal Operations Engineer Kate Shearin and Assistant Director of Strategic and Systems Planning Kathy Zahul as "Women in the Know." These women were selected among those most likely to bring positive change and innovation within their industries.