Jennifer Mitchell is Executive Vice President, Strategy and Planning for Amtrak. She joined Amtrak in December 2024. Her portfolio includes planning, infrastructure access, state-supported service line, network development, fleet planning and host railroad functions. She also oversees Amtrak’s accessibility, stations and facilities functions.
From April 2022 through November 2024, Ms. Mitchell served as Deputy Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), providing executive leadership and direction on agency operations and policy matters, including safety and rail development activities. Jennifer also oversaw implementation of FRA’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provisions, including the development of new discretionary funding programs and railroad development activities.
Prior to moving to the FRA, Ms. Mitchell served as director of the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) from 2014 to 2022, during which she served as the Chair of the VPRA Board between 2020 to 2022. She has also worked in the private sector providing consulting services on financial planning for major capital projects, capital investment planning and development of public-private partnerships for transportation projects.
Ms. Mitchell holds a Bachelor of City Planning from the University of Virginia and a Master of Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.