Barbara Harsha, GHSA Executive Director
Since April 1988, Barbara Harsha has been the Executive Director of the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA)—the nonprofit organization that represents state highway safety offices. GHSA members are charged with implementing their governors' highway safety plans and administering federal behavioral highway safety funds. Harsha is responsible for directing the organization's Washington Headquarters office, serving as the association's chief liaison with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), representing the organization in numerous other capacities and administering federal grants.
Harsha frequently represents the states' views on highway safety solutions in a variety of forums. Congress, federal agencies, industry and the media have all called upon her expertise. Media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, USA Today and Chicago Tribune frequently seek her opinion on the highway safety issues of the day.
Prior to joining GHSA, Harsha spent ten years at the National League of Cities, one of the major public interest groups in Washington. She served as a senior policy analyst for the League's transportation committee and later as the director of policy development. Before coming to Washington, she was a transportation planner with the Southern California Association of Governments in Los Angeles.
She holds a Master's Degree in urban planning from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Washington University in St. Louis.
Media inquiries should be directed to Jonathan Adkins, GHSA Deputy Executive Director, at 202-789-0942, ext. 130 or jadkins@ghsa.org.