Dallas District leaders assume new roles
DALLAS — The TxDOT Dallas District announces the promotions of multiple engineers to new leadership roles. Eight people have assumed new duties: Jeffrey “Jeff” Bush, P.E.; Lane Selman, P.E.; Amanda Miller, P.E.; Nicholas “Nic” Wadlington, P.E.; Chris Rocha, P.E.; Elecia Moore, P.E.; Cody Jolley, P.E.; and Nolan Del Hierro, P.E. Each of the promoted engineers got their start in the Dallas District as part of its engineering assistant (EA) program. Their increased responsibilities highlight the success of the EA program in providing a solid career foundation, and in the Dallas leadership team’s dedication to fulfill TxDOT’s mission of “Connecting You with Texas.”
With more than two decades of experience, Bush assumes the role of deputy district engineer and will help oversee operations, maintenance, construction and design in the Dallas District’s seven counties. He was appointed in March. Bush has previously served as the director for operations and maintenance in the Dallas District, construction engineer for East Dallas, district construction plan review engineer, Denton County assistant area engineer and area engineer for the Kaufman/Rockwall Area Office.
Selman steps into the role of district director of maintenance. He was appointed in May. His position consists of overseeing maintenance operations in all seven of the district’s counties. Some of the operations include the preservation, upkeep and inspection of more than 11,500 lane miles of Texas highways and rights of way. He will also lead all emergency management, including winter storm operations and wildfire operations. Like Bush, he also brings almost two decades of experience to his role. He began his TxDOT journey as a summer employee for the Collin County Area Office in 2007. Selman later joined the department full-time as an engineering assistant in the Central Design Section in the Fort Worth District. Selman’s other roles included construction engineer and area engineer for the Kaufman/Rockwall Area Office, where he oversaw projects to address the rapid growth in those counties.
Miller was named the director of transportation operations in May. Her journey at TxDOT began as an engineering assistant in the Dallas District in 2009. She became the design manager for the Dallas County area office in 2015. She joined the District Construction Office in 2018, then returned to the Dallas County Area Office as an assistant area engineer. She became the Dallas County area engineer in 2020. Before her new role, Miller served as the area engineer for the Denton County Area Office. Her background consists of design, construction and traffic operations, including 15 years of TxDOT experience.
Wadlington and Rocha are the new area engineers for Kaufman/Rockwall Area Office and Denton County Area Office, respectively. They will oversee all construction and maintenance operations. Wadlington served as the assistant area engineer for Kaufman/Rockwall in 2019, while Rocha was the assistant area engineer in Denton County since June 2020. They both will oversee high priority projects as both area offices have counties designated as some of the fastest-growing counties in the nation. Wadlington will continue to work on the Texas Clear Lanes I-30 Rockwall County Project, among others. That I-30 work includes two projects with a combined value of more than $660 million. Rocha will manage the $583 million I-35E/I-35W interchange project, among others.
Moore moved from her position as the assistant area engineer in the Ellis/Navarro County Area Office to the same role in the Denton County Area Office. She will help manage the construction of dozens of Denton County projects. Jolley will continue to work in the Kaufman/Rockwall Area Office, as he was promoted from construction supervisor to assistant area engineer. Del Hierro moves from the Dallas Construction Office, where he served as the project manager for the I-35E Phase 2 Design Build Project, to the assistant area engineer role in the Ellis/Navarro Area Office.
Dallas District Engineer Ceason Clemens, P.E., said the change in roles is beneficial for the future of TxDOT and highlights the efforts for the district to grow the next generation of leaders. “The new leadership we have here at the Dallas District is a major step forward,” said Clemens. “With this, we’ll bring in new leaders with fresh methods and ideas for construction as well as ways to keep drivers safe on our Texas roads and highways.”
Learn more information about the district’s engineering assistant program.