Mr. Elliot “Lee” Sander serves as Vice Chairman of KSE, providing executive-level leadership and strategic guidance to support the firm’s continued growth and expansion. In this role, he works closely with KSE Founder and President, Kamal Shahid, P.E., and senior leadership to advance corporate strategy, drive business development, enhance project delivery performance, strengthen client relationships, and support leadership development across the organization.
Mr. Sander brings a distinguished career spanning several decades, with extensive experience leading complex, large-scale transportation and infrastructure initiatives across both the public and private sectors. His leadership has had a significant and lasting impact on regional and national transportation systems, encompassing transit, highway, and multimodal infrastructure programs.
He has held numerous high-profile executive positions, including Chief Executive of AECOM’s Global Transportation business, where he oversaw a broad portfolio of infrastructure projects worldwide, and President of Bombardier Transportation Americas, where he led operations, project delivery, and strategic growth initiatives across North and South America. He also served as Managing Director of Global Transportation at Hatch, further strengthening his expertise in multidisciplinary project execution and international infrastructure development.
In the public sector, Mr. Sander served as Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), where he was responsible for the strategic direction, operations, and capital program delivery of one of the largest transit systems in the world. He also served as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT), as well as in senior leadership roles at the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) and the New York State Division of Housing, where he contributed to policy development, infrastructure planning, and program implementation.
In addition to his executive leadership roles, Mr. Sander is actively engaged in industry and civic organizations. He serves as Chairman Emeritus of the Regional Planning Association, Vice Chairman of the Greater Jamaica Development Corporation, and previously served as Senior Independent Director on the Board of National Express. He is the founder of the Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management at New York University and serves on the Board of Directors of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).
Mr. Sander’s deep expertise in transportation systems, governance, and infrastructure investment, combined with his strategic insight and leadership experience, provides significant value to KSE as the firm continues to expand its capabilities and deliver complex infrastructure solutions.