Prince George’s County executive replaces public works director

Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy on Monday announced that she is appointing Oluseyi Olugbenle as acting director of the county’s Department of Public Works and Transportation.

In a statement, Braveboy’s administration said that Olugbenle, currently the department’s deputy director, will begin leading the agency on July 3. She will replace Michael Johnson, who has been with the county since 2022.

“I want to thank Director Johnson for his leadership and unwavering commitment to public service,” Braveboy said in the statement. “Throughout his tenure, he has worked tirelessly to strengthen our transportation network, improve critical infrastructure, and better serve the residents of Prince George’s County.”

Earlier this year, Johnson faced scrutiny over the agency’s response to a winter snowstorm that hobbled county roads for several days.

According to the statement, the county will begin a regional search for a permanent director of the agency, which Braveboy described as “one of the most important agencies in our government.”

The Department of Public Works and Transportation is responsible for maintaining stormwater infrastructure and more than 2,000 miles of county roadways while also managing transit operations and capital improvement projects.

In the meantime, Braveboy said she has “complete confidence” in the acting director.

“Her experience, institutional knowledge, and proven record of leadership make her uniquely qualified to guide the department during this transition,” Braveboy said.

Prior to joining the county government in 2022 as deputy director, Olugbenle was the director of the Office of Planning and Capital Programming at the Maryland Department of Transportation and the Maryland Transit Administration, according to the statement.

She holds a Bachelor of Science in architecture and urban design and a Master of Science in community planning, both from the University of Maryland, the statement said.

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