Paul P. Skoutelas is president and chief executive officer of the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). His entire career has been in public transportation, with more than 40 years spent in both the public and private sectors. He served as CEO of public transit systems in Pittsburgh and Orlando and as senior vice president for WSP USA, one of the world’s largest architectural and engineering firms.
Skoutelas has also served in leadership positions on numerous boards and committees for transportation organizations, including on APTA’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee, the Transportation Research Board, National Transit Institute, Pennsylvania Transportation Institute, and the Transit Cooperative Research Program.
Most recently, he was national director of WSP USA’s Transit & Rail Technical Excellence Center where he provided strategic direction with a focus on growing the firm’s transit and rail business, enhancing marketing capabilities and strengthening client relationships.
Prior to WSP, Skoutelas was the chief executive officer at two prominent public transportation agencies — the Port of Authority of Allegheny County, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and the Central Florida Regional Transportation Authority (LYNX), Orlando, Florida. His achievements at these agencies include the successful implementation of major capital programs including the South Hills Stage II Light Rail Program, the North Shore Rail Connector, a comprehensive rail station improvement program, major rail rolling stock acquisitions and three Bus Rapid Transit projects; the Airport/West Busway, the Martin Luther King, Jr. East Busway Extension and the Orlando/Lymmo BRT.
Skoutelas received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering from Penn State University and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Pittsburgh. He is a licensed professional engineer.