SAN DIEGO–Hasan Ikhrata, hired by the San Diego Association of Governments Board of Directors, stepped into his new role as executive director on Monday, December 3 and attended his first SANDAG Board of Directors meeting Friday.
At the meeting, the SANDAG Board approved the creation of a steering committee to identify future transportation solutions to improve connectivity to the San Diego International Airport.“My first task will be to listen and to learn,” Ikhrata said.
“My longer-term goal is to help create a vision for the San Diego region that includes the best transportation system in the world.” Following a nationwide search that yielded multiple candidates, the SANDAG Board chose Ikhrata, the former head of the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG).
“We are looking forward to working with Hasan, who has had many years of planning transportation systems for our neighbors to the north,” said SANDAG Board Chair-Elect and Poway Mayor Steve Vaus. “This is a new era for the agency and the Board. We’ve got a lot to look forward to and a lot on our plate. I’m confident that Hasan and our team will successfully tackle any challenges facing our region.”
For the last 10 years, Ikhrata served as executive director of SCAG, after holding a variety of leadership roles at the organization. SCAG is the largest metropolitan planning organization in the nation, covering six counties (Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, Imperial, and Ventura), 191 cities, and 19 million people.
Ikhrata holds a master’s degree in Civil and Industrial Engineering from UCLA and is a PhD candidate in Urban Planning and Transportation from the University of Southern California.
As the new executive director, Ikhrata is responsible for leading a SANDAG staff of approximately 375 people.
Ikhrata will oversee a $1.3 billion annual budget. He reports directly to the Board of Directors, which is composed of 21 elected officials from the region’s 18 cities and the County of San Diego (two each from the County Board of Supervisors and the City of San Diego).
Under the agreement approved by the Board, Ikhrata has a three-year contract. His annual salary is $414,149, matching his former SCAG salary.
Former SANDAG Executive Director Gary Gallegos, who led the agency starting in 2001, retired in August 201
