He began serving in this new role Aug. 30, after spending more than 26 years in New York City government, most recently as chief technology officer at the city's Department of Transportation.
“I look forward to supporting the work of Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Deputy Secretary Polly Trottenberg and the entire Biden-Harris administration to Build Back Better to provide greater equity when improving the nation’s infrastructure,” Schachter told Government Technology in an email.
The U.S. Department of Transportation is expected to take a leading role in carrying out President Biden’s infrastructure initiative, which will focus heavily on overhauling the nation’s roads, bridges and other forms of transportation infrastructure, including public transit.
As New York City began its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the NYC Department of Transportation was integral in planning and implementing outdoor dining setups on sidewalks and other right-of-way areas, locations previously serving pedestrians, and any number of vehicles. The team there helped to create a streamlined application process for outdoor dining, said Schachter said.
As CTO, Schachter led the city’s IT and telecom division, and projects functioning at the center of safety, mobility and infrastructure. It’s not clear who will serve as interim CTO in New York City, as officials declined to comment.
Schachter also served as associate commissioner and chief project officer for New York City’s Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications, and as central operations coordinator and assistant chief of technical services for the Department of Parks and Recreation.
