Commissioner Fai Appointed to National Leadership Position on Transportation

National Association of Counties (NACo) President Mary Jo McGuire has appointed Washington County District 1 Commissioner Nafisa Fai to a one-year term as Vice Chair of the NACo Transportation Policy Steering Committee.

McGuire, a commissioner in Ramsey County, Minnesota, issued leadership appointments shortly after being sworn in as NACo’s president on July 24, at the conclusion of NACo’s annual conference, the nation’s largest convening of county leaders.

“I’m honored and excited to take this important leadership role,” said Fai. “As a member of this NACo committee, I appreciate how counties across the country – including Washington County, Oregon – all struggle to expand transportation systems to provide all travelers access to jobs, education and services through sustainable, equity-informed policies and funding strategies. National discussions around addressing traffic demand are also surfacing in Oregon as the Portland region prepares for tolling on Interstate 5 and Interstate 205. I look forward to focusing on these topics at the national level.”

Fai was originally appointed to the Transportation Committee as a member in 2022. She will now move into a leadership position for the 2023-24 NACo membership year.

NACo’s Transportation Policy Steering Committee is responsible for all matters pertaining to federal transportation legislation, funding and regulation and its impacts on county government. This includes highway and bridge development, finance and safety, public transit development and finance, transportation planning, airport development and service, passenger and freight railroads, ports and waterways, freight movement, and research and development of new modes of transportation.

The National Association of Counties strengthens America’s counties, including nearly 40,000 county elected officials and 3.6 million county employees. Founded in 1935, NACo unites county officials to advocate for county government priorities in federal policymaking; promote exemplary county policies and practices; nurture leadership skills and expand knowledge networks; optimize county and taxpayer resources and cost savings; and enrich public understanding of county government.