Christopher Puchalsky

Biography: Chris is a nationally recognized transportation expert with a passion for livable cities. He has Bachelor‘s and Master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Temple University, as well as a Ph.D. in Urban Transportation Systems Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. Chris is currently the Director of Policy and Strategic Initiatives at the City of Philadelphia's Office of Transportation, Infrastructure, and Sustainability (OTIS). His past professional experience includes designing engines for the Ford Motor Company, working as a transportation consultant both in the United States and abroad, teaching and advising as an adjunct at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Waterloo, and serving the greater Philadelphia region as Director of Transportation Planning at Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC). Chris has sat on advisory panels for the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP), and National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP), and he has produced numerous conference presentations and papers.