Transportation Secretary Craig Thompson Resigning For UW Madison Job

The head of Wisconsin’s transportation systems is leaving for a new job.

Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) Secretary Craig Thompson will resign on Sept. 11, Governor Tony Evers announced in a press release Friday. Thompson, who has served as Evers’ only transportation secretary since his 2018 election, is taking an undisclosed job with the University of Wisconsin Madison.

Evers announced he will appoint Kristina Boardman, the current deputy secretary, to the top post at one of the state’s largest agencies.

“Craig has done a tremendous job at the helm of the Department of Transportation, and I could not be prouder of all the work we’ve been able to do together,” said Evers. “From fixing thousands of miles of roads and bridges—enough [to] drive from Wisconsin to Key West, Florida, and back, twice—to celebrating the launch of the first new passenger rail train in Wisconsin in over 20 years to making critical headway on building the 21st-century infrastructure we need to compete in the 21st-century economy, Craig has been part of this work every mile of the way. Craig has always brought a genuine good nature to every meeting, event, and the many hours spent traveling across the state, which has made him a welcomed friend who will be greatly missed. We cannot thank him enough for his years of dedicated service to the state, and we wish him all the best in this next chapter.”

Thompson’s experience is in road building and government relations. He was previously the executive director of the Transportation Development Association of Wisconsin. Before that he was the legislative director for the Wisconsin Counties Association. Thompson is the 2024 president of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

“I joined this administration five years ago with clear a directive from the top to ‘fix the darn roads,’ and I am proud to see how far we’ve come as a state toward that goal in just a short time,” said Thompson. “I have also been incredibly privileged to learn from and lead a group of dedicated, talent public servants at the WisDOT that I couldn’t be prouder of. No matter where they live, the people of Wisconsin deserve roads and transportation systems they can trust, and I know that under Gov. Evers and the Evers Administration, this work will continue in the months and years ahead just as it has from the beginning. I am incredibly grateful to Gov. Evers for his friendship and the trust and confidence he’s placed in me. I know Kristina is going to do a great job in her new role, and I am excited to see all of the good work she and the Evers Administration will do moving forward.”

Boardman will be the first woman to hold the role. She is a veteran of the department, having worked for the department since 2005. She previously led WisDOT’s Division of Motor Vehicles. Prior to her WisDOT work she was a Wisconsin State Assembly aide and holds a political science degree from Augustine College. In June, she participated in a civic exchange between Milwaukee, Madison and Chicago leaders that was covered by Urban Milwaukee.

“I have had the pleasure of working with and learning from Secretary Thompson and know I have important shoes to fill,” said Boardman. “This is an incredibly exciting opportunity, and I am thankful to Gov. Evers for his confidence in me to take over this new role. We have made some incredible progress these last several years to build transportation systems the people of Wisconsin can rely on, and I am excited to continue building upon that momentum as secretary at the department.”

She will serve as acting secretary under Evers’ appointment and is subject to Wisconsin State Senate confirmation.

WisDOT has more than 3,200 employees and an $8 billion biennial budget. While it is primarily known for major highways, it also oversees the state passenger rail lines, railroads, waterways, DMV and Wisconsin State Patrol. The department administers several grant programs, many of which are federally backed, that provide aid for local roads, harbors, public transportation and bridges.