Dissertation: "Determinants of debt financing for highway capital spending in the states"
Hometown: Petersburg, IL (2005 – present)
Undergraduate Institution and Major: Augustana College, Rock Island – Public Administration
Graduate Institution and Major: University of Springfield (aka Sangamon State University) – Public Administration
Bio: Dr. Ann Schneider has 35 years of professional experience in public finance, public policy, and solutions development. Dr. Schneider has 17 years of executive-level transportation policy experience, including the last 9 years of Ann’s 27-year career with the State of Illinois, where she focused on transportation financing, funding, and multimodal transportation and freight planning. As Secretary of Transportation for Illinois, Ann emphasized freight and multimodal transportation planning and solutions. This work included efforts to bring commercial navigation back to the IDOT, recognizing its importance in the efficient, effective, and critical cargo movement within, to, from, and through the State. Ann also served as the initial chair of the National Freight Advisory Committee at the USDOT between 2013 and 2014. She worked with public and private sector freight stakeholders nationwide to develop recommendations for the initial draft National Freight Strategic Plan.
Since 2014, Dr. Schneider has worked as a transportation policy consultant helping public and private sector clients plan, fund, and implement key transportation initiatives. In addition, she has assisted clients in obtaining over $274 million in competitive grant funding. She has been retained to support work on the Illinois State Freight Plan and the Illinois Rail Plan. She has led freight and transportation studies for Will County, Decatur Illinois, Macon County Illinois, the Mid-America Intermodal Port Authority, Eddyville Riverport and Industrial Development Authority (KY), Paducah McCracken County Riverport Authority (KY), and various other clients.
Relevant Professional Experience: Revenue analyst and unit chief at the Illinois Economic and Fiscal Commission (1989 – 1994), Assistant Director for Fiscal Policy, Illinois Board of Higher Education (1994), Fiscal Advisor to the Democratic Leaders, Illinois General Assembly (1994 – 1999), Assistant State Comptroller for Fiscal Policy (1999-2003), Budget Operations Director, Governor’s Office of Management and Budget (2003 – 2004), Director of Administration, Illinois Department of Natural Resources (2004 – 2005), Director of Finance and Administration, Illinois Department of Transportation (2005 – 2010), Chief Operating Officer, Illinois Department of Transportation (2010 – 2011), Secretary of Transportation, Illinois Department of Transportation (2011 – 2014)
Research Interests: State budgeting, transportation policy, transportation funding, public finance
Honors and Awards: 2010 Outstanding Achievement Award at IDOT, Women in Transportation Seminar (WTS) Greater Chicago Chapter Woman of the Year in 2012, Distinction in Leadership, Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, 2012, Groundbreakers Award, Federation of Women Contractors 2012, United Township High School Hall of Fame Inductee, 2012 and the 2014 ICAT Heartland Sustainability Award. She was also recognized for exemplary service by the National Freight Advisory Committee in 2014.
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