Peter Simshauser

Chief Counsel

Simshauser oversees legal services across the agency, including the agency’s statutory authorities. His office plays a critical role in advancing the agency’s safety mission, including enforcing vehicle safety standards, and overseeing investigations and litigation. Full bio

David Bell

Director of the Office of Governmental Affairs, Policy and Strategic Planning

Bell oversees NHTSA’s Office of Governmental Affairs, Policy and Strategic Planning. He works closely with the Office of the Secretary of Transportation and other modal leadership to ensure strategic alignment, coordination, and focus on transportation safety priorities. Full bio

Sean Rushton

Communications Director

Rushton oversees media relations, crisis communication, messaging, and strategy development in support of the agency’s mission to save lives. Full bio

Jack Danielson

Executive Director

Danielson oversees the agency’s daily operations, program offices, and mission support programs, and provides executive direction over NHTSA’s eight associate administrators, chief financial officer, and chief technology officer. Full bio

Regina Morgan

Director, Civil Rights

Morgan serves as the principal staff advisor on civil rights and equal opportunity matters to the agency’s administrator and deputy administrator. Full bio

Jon Gatti

Chief Financial Officer

Gatti oversees the three divisions within the agency responsible for financial management, acquisition services, and budget formulation and execution, as well as performance management. Full bio

Sean Clayton

Associate Administrator, Administration

Clayton provides leadership to the offices of human resources, administrative and management services, and executive correspondence. Full bio

Julie Vallese

Associate Administrator, Communications and Consumer Information

Vallese manages the office responsible for providing accurate and timely vehicle and traffic safety information to consumers, media, and partner organizations. Full bio

Barbara Sauers

Associate Administrator, Regional Operations and Program Delivery

Sauers oversees the agency’s 10 regional offices and NHTSA’s grant management and operations office, which are responsible for a significant portion of NHTSA’s budget that's used to advance traffic safety across the country. Full bio

Chou-Lin Chen

Associate Administrator, National Center for Statistics and Analysis

Chen oversees the agency’s critical data collection and analysis portfolio in support of NHTSA’s mission of reducing deaths, injuries, and economic losses from motor vehicle crashes. Full bio

Cem Hatipoglu

Associate Administrator, Vehicle Safety Research

Hatipoglu is responsible for the agency’s vehicle safety research activities, which are focused on achieving NHTSA’s mission of reducing fatalities and injuries caused by motor vehicle crashes. Full bio

Eileen Sullivan

Associate Administrator, Enforcement

Sullivan is the principal advisor to the agency’s senior leaders on matters related to enforcement actions. Full bio