Princeton resident chosen to lead NJ Transit

Princeton resident Kris Kolluri has been selected as the new president and CEO of NJ Transit.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy nominated Kolluri for the post, and the NJ Transit board of directors unanimously confirmed the appointment Wednesday. Kolluri will replace Kevin Corbett, who resigned from the agency this week. Corbett’s last day as the head of NJ Transit will be Jan. 15.

“Kris Kolluri has played a vital role in strengthening our region’s transit infrastructure, and I am confident in his ability to lead NJ Transit as we work to deliver the reliable, efficient, and modernized mass transit system that New Jerseyans deserve,” Murphy said. “As CEO of the Gateway Development Commission, Kris was an exceptional leader and a relentless champion for the Hudson Tunnel Project, who helped secure the largest federal investment in a mass transit project in our nation’s history and oversaw the start of construction on both sides of the Hudson River – all in less than three years.”

Kolluri recently completed his tenure as CEO of the Gateway Development Commission, a bi-state entity overseeing the $16.1 billion Hudson Tunnel Project. In two years, he transformed the organization from a startup into one that received the largest investment the federal government has made in a mass transit project, closed the largest Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing loan package in U.S. history, and initiated the construction of the first set of heavy rail tunnels under the Hudson River in more than 114 years.

Previously, Kolluri served as CEO of the Camden Community Partnership Inc., a community and economic development nonprofit in Camden. He oversaw the design and implementation of outcome-focused, resident-driven programs.

He also served as CEO of the Rowan University/Rutgers-Camden Board of Governors. During his tenure, he oversaw the development of a multi-institutional research and teaching facility and implemented a medical assistants training program and the Alzheimer’s patient navigator program. He was CEO of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority, where he oversaw the state’s $5.3 billion school construction program focused on socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. He was also commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Transportation, where he led efforts to increase investment in mass transit. Kolluri has served as chairman of NJ Transit, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, and the South Jersey Transportation Authority, overseeing 17,000 employees.

Earlier in his career, Kolluri worked as a congressional staff member for more than a decade, eventually becoming a senior policy advisor to House Democratic Leader Richard Gephardt. In that role, he helped freshman members of Congress develop long-term policy initiatives. Kolluri earned a bachelor’s degree from Rutgers University and a law degree from Georgetown University. He was an adjunct faculty member at Rutgers University Law School during the 2011 and 2012 academic years. He also served on the Rowan University Board of Trustees, the Southern New Jersey Chamber of Commerce Board, and the New Jersey Board of the Regional Plan Association.

Kolluri said he is honored that Murphy recommended him to lead NJ Transit.

“Through his leadership and targeted investments, Governor Murphy has made improving NJ Transit a cornerstone of his administration,” Kolluri said. “Over the next year, I look forward to working with the governor and the board to continue putting NJ Transit on a pathway to carry out the improvements that customers expect and deserve.”