Sarah Williamson Named Orange County Transportation Director

Orange County has named Sarah Williamson as its permanent transportation director. She has served as interim director since September 2025. With more than 20 years of public service experience, Williamson brings a proven track record of strategic leadership and community-focused innovation to the position.

Since joining Orange County's Transportation Department, Williamson has led significant organizational and operational improvements while positioning the department for continued growth and success. As interim director, she has overseen regional transportation planning, state and federal grant compliance, and department-wide strategic planning efforts. She also led the development of the department's mission, vision, and values and implemented improvements that expanded service capacity without increasing staffing levels.

During her tenure leading the department, Williamson spearheaded several critical initiatives, including the development of the department's first multi-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP), modernization of legacy dispatch software, and preparations that resulted in top-tier national recognition during the agency's Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Triennial Review. She also helped achieve a dispatcher and driver vacancy rate of 0% for the first time in more than six years while advancing service reliability and organizational performance.

“Sarah has demonstrated exceptional leadership and a commitment to delivering high-quality transportation services for our community,” said Orange County Manager Travis Myren. “She has guided the department through significant operational improvements while strengthening partnerships and advancing initiatives that will benefit Orange County residents for years to come.”

Prior to her appointment as interim transportation director, Williamson served as deputy director of the Transportation Department. Before joining Orange County, she held leadership positions with the City of Raleigh, Town of Morrisville, and Wake County government. Throughout her career, she has led initiatives focused on strategic planning, process improvement, community engagement, organizational development, and public service innovation.

An alumnus of the Master of Public Administration program at North Carolina State University, Williamson combines deep analytical expertise with a community-first approach to public service. She has furthered her professional development through executive leadership programs at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and the Weldon Cooper School of Public Service at the University of Virginia.

“I am honored to serve Orange County in this role,” Williamson said. “Over the past year, I have seen firsthand the dedication of our drivers, dispatchers, and staff, as well as the strength of our regional partners. Reliable public transit connects people to jobs, healthcare, and opportunity, and I look forward to building on our momentum to deliver safe, accessible, and forward-looking transportation services across the county.”

Outside of her professional responsibilities, Williamson and her husband, Henry, reside in Raleigh and are the proud parents of four young adult children.

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