Shaz Umer is a global transportation policy leader and strategist currently serving as Director of Strategic Initiatives for Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy’s Research and Technology Office at the U.S. Department of Transportation. In this role, he drives policy frameworks for the United States of America and high-impact deployments on autonomous vehicles, digital infrastructure, and advanced air mobility, shaping how innovation and regulation converge in the future of mobility. He has been at the forefront of advancing the Trump Administration’s largest funding programs for intelligent transportation systems and automated vehicle deployment, including the SMART Grants program.