Pioneers in Health Episode 21, April 10, 2025 – Julie Lorenz, Senior Managing Consultant, 1898 & Co.

After leading the Kansas Department of Transportation for four years, Julie joined 1898 & Co., the business and technology consulting arm of Burns & McDonnell, where she serves as a senior managing consultant. With more than 25 years of experience, she’s known as a national leader in policy development, collaboration and implementing vision initiatives.

Julie was appointed Secretary of KDOT and Director of the Kansas Turnpike Authority in January 2019. While at KDOT, she spearheaded the development and passage of the $10 billion Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program and led the Kansas Recovery Office, responsible for administering over $1 billion in CARES Act COVID-19 relief funding in six months. She was honored to receive the George S. Bartlett Award for leading development of a national vision for transportation for state DOTs, which was unanimously approved by all 52 state and territory departments of transportation in October 2022.

Julie was appointed as a Commissioner for the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority, representing Johnson County, Kansas in 2024. She received a 2024 Mid-America Regional Council (MARC) Regional Leadership Award for “exemplary leadership at KDOT, advancement of regional transportation goals and commitment to engaging local governments in positively transforming the systems that form the backbone of our economies and communities”.

With the need to move the vision of the Kansas Water Plan to implementation, Governor Kelly’s administration engaged Julie and her team to support the development of an additional funding package proposal, draft new water policies and programs and streamline existing water programs and services. Julie has led statewide engagement in all regions of the state with public and private stakeholders, and facilitated investment scenario tradeoff discussions to build understanding of the interconnected nature of water in the state where the Ogalla aquifer is rapidly being depleted but is needed for irrigation and to support the agriculture economy.

Julie recognized the need for and led the development of the first statewide infrastructure hub in the US to support generational infrastructure investment opportunities through the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) grants. The Kansas Infrastructure Hub brings state agencies, including water programs, together to collaborate on and match community needs and grant opportunities. The Hub also provides a clearinghouse of resources to help Kansas communities and organizations make the most of federal grants available under BIL.

Lorenz holds a master's degree in organizational planning and bachelor's degrees in business administration and psychology.