The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) has announced the promotions of several new division directors within the agency. These promotions come on the heels of several staff changes and organizational restructuring as part of the agency’s continued focus on efficiency. Jessica Dilley, P.E., will serve as Director of the Alternative Program Deliveries Division; Don Drake will serve as Director of the Right of Way Division; Trung Trinh will serve as Director of the Ports and Waterways Division; and Mitchell Young, P.E., will serve as State Local Public Agencies (LPA) Engineer, leading the LPA Division.
“MDOT is fortunate to have talented individuals within the agency who already possess a wealth of institutional and technical knowledge needed to successfully manage a division,” said Brad White, MDOT Executive Director. “I have great confidence in the leadership abilities of Jessica, Don, Trung and Mitchell. They each possess not only the skills needed to perform the job but also a passion for public service and a tacit understanding of how MDOT’s work impacts all Mississippians.”
Jessica Dilley, P.E., of Madison, received her B.S. degree in civil engineering in 2008 and her master’s degree in environmental engineering in 2010, both from the University of Mississippi. She then began her career with MDOT in the Planning Division, where she served in various roles, including Assistant State Planning Engineer. Her accolades include being named Mississippi Engineering Society’s 2017 Young Engineer of the Year. Dilley started her role as Director of the Alternative Program Deliveries Division on July 1, 2023. This newly formed division administers alternative delivery, including design-build projects, and oversees MDOT grant applications, digital delivery and the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Program.
Don Drake, of Wiggins, started his career with MDOT in 2010 as a Right of Way Agent in the Right of Way Division. After serving in various positions within the division, he was promoted to Right of Way Deputy Director. Prior to working at MDOT, Drake worked in the field of real estate investments in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. He graduated with a B.B.A. in Administrative Management from North Texas State University in 1976. Drake started his new role as Director of the Right of Way Division on Jan. 1.
Trung Trinh, of Jackson, began his career in MDOT’s Planning Division in 2003 after graduating with a degree in mathematics from Mississippi College. After working in the Statewide Traffic Analysis Program, he transitioned to the role of Freight Coordinator for the Statewide Planning Freight Program in 2012. In that role, he worked with various freight stakeholders and organizations inside and outside the state. Trinh began his new role as Director of the Ports and Waterways Division on Jan. 1.
Mitchell Young, P.E., of Brandon, started his career with MDOT in 2012 at the Whitfield project office after graduating with a B.S. in civil and environmental engineering from Mississippi State University. He was promoted to Resident Engineer of the Whitfield Project Office in 2016. In 2020, he was named the Mississippi Engineering Society’s Young Engineer of the Year. In that same year, he was promoted to Assistant State LPA Engineer in the LPA Division, which provides support to local communities for their infrastructure projects. Young started his new role as State LPA Engineer on Jan. 1.
