Coleen Clementson

Deputy CEO
San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG)

Coleen Clementson is the incoming Deputy CEO for the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) overseeing the work on a transformational transportation plan for the region as part of the 2021 Regional Plan and plans for a Grand Central Station that will connect to the San Diego International Airport

SANDAG is the Metropolitan Planning Organization responsible for planning and developing the San Diego region’s multimodal transportation network. The region serves nearly every mode of freight between its two commercial land ports of entry, an international airport, major interstates and arterials, freight rail lines, and a seaport. The region is also home to the largest concentration of military assets in the world, which rely heavily on our goods movement system so critical to national security and resiliency. As a member of the California-Baja California megaregion, SANDAG brings the influence of cross border travel and bilateral trade to the CAGTC Board of Directors and champions binational cooperation, equity, climate, and air quality, as well as economic competitiveness in discussion with our federal partners.

Coleen’s work includes oversight and implementation of the Regional Plan, which sets forth a strategy for the region’s future growth and development that will provide more housing and transportation options while preserving important open space and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with California Climate Change legislation.

In addition, she leads work to integrate health, housing, social equity, sustainability in regional transportation efforts along with on-going performance monitoring.

Coleen has more than 20 years of experience in the public sector land use and transportation planning in the San Diego region. She has extensive experience in public involvement through preparation and implementation of several large-scale long-range planning and policy documents and smaller-scale neighborhood revitalization plans.