Past Dean Ilyas Bhatti Serving on State Transportation Board

Ilyas Bhatti, who formally retired from his dean of the School of Management position at Wentworth Institute of Technology this summer, is currently serving on the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s Board of Directors.  

Govenor Maura Healey appointed Bhatti along with Dr. Lisa Iezzoni of Harvard Medical School, former Lynn Mayor Thomas M. McGee, and President Emeritus of A Better City Rick Dimino. 

Bhatti’s teaching experience spans more than 20 years with five years as an adjunct professor and 15 years as a full-time professor. Bhatti most recently served as an associate professor holding the Douglas C. Elder Endowed Professorship. 

Prior to joining academia, Bhatti provided consulting services on national and international projects. In the public sector, he served as the Commissioner of the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC), a predecessor agency to the current Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), from 1989 – 1995 in the Michael Dukakis and William Weld administrations. In 1995, he was appointed by Governor Weld to oversee the construction of the most complex transportation project in the nation – Boston’s Central Artery/Tunnel (CA/T) project—as associate project director. Under his supervision, the Ted Williams Tunnel connecting Interstate 90 with Logan International Airport was completed.  

The MassDOT Board of Directors serves as the governing authority for MassDOT. The MassDOT Board is comprised of eleven members who are appointed by the governor. Each member is required to fulfill specific criteria with expertise in transportation, finance, and/or engineering. The secretary of transportation is the chair of the board.  

“Every community in Massachusetts relies on our transportation system, so it’s essential that we make sure every community is represented at the decision-making table,” said Lieutenant Governor Driscoll. “These new appointments to DOT’s Board of Directors reflect our commitment to being an administration for every region of Massachusetts and to bringing people with diverse experiences and backgrounds together to drive change."