FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 12, 2026
CONTACT: Sam Bowden Akbari, PhD [email protected]
Award Recognizes Garcia’s Leadership and Outstanding Contributions to New York’s Built Environment and Transportation Excellence
NEW YORK, NY — Regional Plan Association announced today that Kathryn Garcia, Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ), is the 2026 John Zuccotti Award recipient. Garcia was recently confirmed to her current role with the PANYNJ, yet she brings more than three decades of experience across government, most recently serving in the administration of New York Governor Kathy Hochul as Director of State Operations and Infrastructure.
Named after John E. Zuccotti, a long-serving member of the RPA Board of Directors and Executive Committee, the award recognizes leaders who have made exceptional contributions to the built environment of the city and the region. Garcia joins the ranks of esteemed past recipients of the award, including President Joe Biden; Governor Wes Moore (MD); Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer; and Governors Kathy Hochul (NY), Ned Lamont (CT), and Phil Murphy (NJ).
“Kathryn Garcia’s longstanding leadership as a public servant has distinguished her as impactful and collaborative. As she takes the important helm of the PANYNJ, her tenure promises to be one of continued distinction as she sets an example for generations,” Raymond J. McGuire, Chair, Regional Plan Association.
“Kathyrn Garcia, a long-time friend and ally of Regional Plan Association, has been a steadfast partner in vital initiatives we have supported for years, including the revitalization of JFK airport, the widely successful implementation of congestion pricing, and the Hudson Tunnel Project. We look forward to supporting her work to build a world-class Port Authority Bus Terminal and other regional priorities. Her leadership on a wide range of issues, including housing opportunity, transit investment, technology and innovation, and congestion pricing make her an outstanding recipient for this award,” said Tom Wright, President & CEO, RPA.
“Kathryn Garcia, like John Zuccotti, uses her unique, wide-view lens to shape the infrastructure of our region for the better. I know John would have been proud to see her carry the torch and receive the award that bears his name,” Howard Milstein, Chairman & CEO, Emigrant Savings Bank and Chair of RPA’s Committee on Critical Infrastructure.
Appointed in September of 2021, Kathryn Garcia served as New York Governor Kathy Hochul’s Director of State Operations and Infrastructure, where she oversaw more than 70 state agencies and authorities, including the MTA and Port Authority. Garcia also managed major initiatives on behalf of the State such as the launch of New York City’s congestion pricing program, New York’s nuclear power moonshot, the Interstate 81 Viaduct project in Syracuse, N.Y., the Gateway Hudson Tunnel Project, the Interborough Express, and the redevelopment of John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Previously, Garcia served in senior roles in New York City government, including as commissioner of the city Department of Sanitation, interim chair of the New York City Housing Authority, and as the city’s COVID-19 food czar, where she distributed 130 million meals to New Yorkers during the pandemic. Garcia also previously served as interim chair and CEO of the New York City Housing Authority. In that role she focused on improving lead paint compliance, safety, and quality assurance, as well as long-term financial stability.
Garcia will be presented with the Zuccotti Award at the 2026 Regional Plan Association Assembly, held at Pier 60 on Friday, May 1. More information about the Assembly is available on RPA’s website.
