WASHINGTON, D.C.—Jane Garvey, former head of the Federal Aviation Administration, has joined APCO Worldwide as executive vice president and chairman of the firm’s transportation practice.

“Jane’s experiences in senior government positions, her strong knowledge of the issues and current trends, and her undisputed expertise in the transportation arena will serve APCO’s clients well,” says APCO president and chief executive Margery Kraus. “There are few people who have the depth of knowledge and understanding of the industry.”

Garvey will provide strategic counsel to APCO clients globally, focusing on government relations and policy and communications advice. In the transportation practice she will work alongside Peter Goelz, an APCO senior vice president who served as managing director of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and Maggie FitzPatrick, also senior vice president.

As head of the FAA, Garvey ran an organization with 50,000 employees and a $13 billion annual budget. Under her leadership, the agency successfully navigated the year 2000 transition, established a risk management approach across the entire aviation community to improve aviation safety, and expanded the capacity and capabilities of the air traffic control system.