5Q: Celia J. Blue

IN TRANSIT: Celia Blue, right, the new chief of staff at the R.I. Department of Transportation, speaks with Cynthia Parker, assistant to the chief operating officer. / PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO
IN TRANSIT: Celia Blue, right, the new chief of staff at the R.I. Department of Transportation, speaks with Cynthia Parker, assistant to the chief operating officer. / PBN PHOTO/MICHAEL SALERNO

1 Can you share some of your professional background?

I have more than 25 years of experience working in both the private and public sectors, 18 of which include leading and managing high-performing teams and business units, including CEO experience reporting to a public state government board. … I was first appointed as a commissioner for the former Massachusetts Aeronautic Commission, later appointed assistant secretary for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and eventually promoted to the position of registrar, or CEO, of the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles.

2 How will your tenure at MassDOT help in this new position?

I believe my experience leading and managing in senior-level positions, implementing new programs and systems … managing multiple high-profile priorities and managing people at multiple levels will help me in my new role here at RIDOT.

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3 What are your responsibilities in the reorganization of RIDOT?

I serve as the senior manager leading RIDOT’s reorganization – ensuring that all of the phases are implemented effectively. We’re on the second phase of the reorganization, hiring senior-level managers, and working with staff and our union.

4 How will performance management help RIDOT in this transformation?

When done right, performance management helps us to better understand our business and helps us to be transparent. It is a method of continuous improvement, and it helps us to be transparent and accountable to the public for getting the job done. Along with adopting project management – an industry best practice for managing our projects – our goal is to have these systems embedded in the organization, so it becomes the way of doing things.

5 What’s challenging about implementing performance-management metrics?

It’s about understanding what we’re trying to accomplish and having the right metrics and data to measure our progress. In addition, changing the culture of an organization is a major challenge. There will be a certain percentage of folks that will want to hang on to the old way of doing things. We have to be able to reach these folks. … Our mission through all this is to move the department forward and help us achieve our goal of becoming the best DOT in the country. n

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