VDOT names new Bristol District engineer

VDOT Chief Deputy Commissioner Robert Cary announced that Tabitha Crowder has been selected as the agency’s new Bristol District engineer.

“Tabitha’s expansive range in engineering and government experience, paired with her strong ties to the Bristol District, will be of tremendous benefit to the agency and residents of this region,” says Chief Deputy Commissioner Rob Cary, P.E., L.S. “She has been a key leader for the local teams, and I expect her impact to only strengthen as she leads the district.”

Crowder will be responsible for the construction, maintenance, operations, project development and business functions of more than 7,400 road miles in the Bristol District’s 12 counties: Lee, Scott, Wise, Dickenson, Russell, Buchanan, Washington, Smyth, Wythe, Grayson, Tazewell and Bland.

“I am honored to continue to serve the Bristol District as district engineer,” said Crowder. “I have lived in this region the majority of my life, and have a profound respect for the hard work and commitment to service that I see every day. I look forward to collaborating with our teams, the district and our community to keep Virginia moving.”

Most recently, Crowder served as the deputy district engineer in the Bristol District, where she led district operations with a focus on maintenance, project development and project delivery. Crowder has more than 25 years of progressive engineering experience and more than 10 years of experience working in the city of Bristol.

Prior to joining VDOT in 2017, Crowder served as the city manager for the city of Bristol, where she managed the daily operations and oversaw preparation of the annual operating and capital budgets and coordinated with state elected officials on legislative needs, constituent complaints and economic development projects.

Crowder holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Virginia and a master’s degree in civil engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. She is a licensed professional engineer in the Commonwealth of Virginia.