Rosa De Léon Park has been helping the Stanislaus Council of Governments develop transportation strategies that benefit both local communities and the region as a whole for the past six years and will now take on a bigger role for the agency as its new executive director.

De Léon Park was appointed as the executive director of StanCOG Wednesday night following a closed session meeting of the Policy Board. Park will replace the retiring Carlos P. Yamzon. Park will be responsible for guiding regional transportation planning, program administration, budget and finances, and overall management of the agency.

“We are very pleased to have Rosa as our new executive director,” said Chairman Vito Chiesa. “She has the experience and the abilities vital to running StanCOG, and will be a great asset to the agency.”

As deputy director, Park has been instrumental in the development and adoption of the agency’s Regional Transportation Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy. She has also served as project manager for the South County Corridor Feasibility Study and the State Route 132 West project.

"Rosa has been a wealth of information in the past and a good friend of Turlock," said Mayor Gary Soiseth, Turlock's representative on the StanCOG Policy Board.

Before coming to StanCOG, Park worked for the San Joaquin Council of Governments and was also a transportation planning consultant to municipal and Metropolitan Planning Agencies through Interwest Consulting Group. She is involved at the state and federal level in a variety of transportation planning organizations.

“I am looking forward to building on the great work Carlos did for our communities and helping our region achieve its long-term vision for transportation improvements,” said Park. “We have a lot of work to do.”

A native of Stockton, Park received her Bachelor of Arts degree from California State University, Sacramento.