Kathryn Garcia (Image/Facebook)
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) on Dec. 10 nominated Kathryn Garcia, the state’s chief operating officer, to be the next chief executive of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, citing her management track record and experience overseeing large infrastructure programs.
The announcement follows the revelation that Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton will retire in January 2026 after leading the bi-state agency since 2017.
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In a statement, Hochul said Garcia has been instrumental in the administration of major capital efforts across transportation and public facilities.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has yet to issue a statement, and the Port Authority board, which must formally approve the appointment, has not released a transition timeline.
Garcia previously served as New York City’s sanitation commissioner and was named state chief operating officer in 2022, a role that put her in charge of multiple emergency management and infrastructure initiatives across the state.
Cotton said in a separate notice from the agency that he would help ensure an orderly delivery of the agency’s multibillion-dollar capital program. The latest ten-year capital plan will begin in 2026 and will continue and expand on work done under Cotton’s tenure, including transformative airport redevelopment underway at all major airports in the region, PATH modernization and major interstate bridge and tunnel work.
