Paul Feenstra

Paul Feenstra serves as Senior Vice President for Government and External Affairs at the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America), where he oversees the organization’s policy priorities, legislative outreach and communications strategy.

Feenstra rejoined ITS America in January 2013 after spending most of 2012 as Executive Vice President of Keystone Public Affairs, where he was a media consultant on former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum’s Presidential campaign and represented clients in the transportation, technology and energy industries. Prior to joining Keystone Feenstra served nearly four years as Vice President for Government and Public Affairs at ITS America where he worked to raise the industry’s profile, educate key policy and decision makers, and advocate for smart technology solutions in the surface transportation reauthorization process.

Feenstra previously served as policy advisor to U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters where he helped advance the Secretary’s surface transportation priorities in coordination with the White House, U.S. DOT leadership and other Federal agencies. In this position he served as the Secretary’s liaison to the Federal Highway Administration, Federal Transit Administration, Federal Railroad Administration, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Paul was one of four White House appointees to the Research and Innovative Technology Administration (RITA), where he served for three years as Director of Governmental, International and Public Affairs. Appointed just after RITA’s creation in 2005, Feenstra provided political leadership during the early formation of U.S. DOT’s newest agency which is charged with coordinating over $1 billion in research and technology programs including the ITS Joint Program Office, University Transportation Centers, Volpe National Transportation Systems Center, and Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

He previously served as Communications Director to former U.S. Congressman John Peterson (PA-5), a member of the House Appropriations and House Resources Committees, during which time he managed media strategy for the 140-Member Congressional Rural Caucus including successful campaigns to preserve Essential Air Service and increase reimbursement rates for rural hospitals. While in Peterson’s office Feenstra also coordinated media outreach for the 50-Member House Western Caucus which led efforts to increase domestic energy production and reform federal environmental regulations.

Feenstra started his Washington career with U.S. Senator Rick Santorum where he served as Deputy Press Secretary through the Senator’s first re-election and successful campaign to become the third ranking Republican leader in the U.S. Senate. He has worked on numerous political races including Senator Santorum’s Presidential and Senate races, President Bush’s 2004 re-election, and several House races.

Feenstra holds a Masters degree in International Commerce and Policy from George Mason University and a Bachelors degree in Finance and Business Management from the Pennsylvania State University.