Thea Walsh leads the transportation planning efforts for both the agency’s Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Rural Planning Organization.

Walsh is a 17-year public servant focused on transportation, economic development, and community planning. She has worked at county, regional, and state levels of government. Thea has a BA in Public Administration and Urban and Regional Planning from Miami University and a Masters of Public Administration from Wright State University.

In 2017, Thea was selected by Columbus Business First as one of the Forty Under 40 Honorees for being a “mover and shaker” in the Central Ohio community –most notably for her role in Smart Columbus, the Hyperloop Midwest Connect proposal, and a Downtown Employee Bus “C-Pass” Program. She is in the American Institute of Certified Planners, in the Ohio Association of Commodores, and is the current chair for Clean Fuels Ohio.