Kyra Stewart
Department of Transportation
2018 fellow
Kyra M. Stewart serves as the Director of Innovation at the US Department of Transportation. In this role, she leads the Department’s IdeaHub Program, an on-line ideation platform where DOT’s 55k employees submit ideas on proposed process improvements at the Department. As an enterprise-level program, IdeaHub is the largest ideation platform in the Federal sector. The program has been credited with positioning DOT as a Top 10 Best Places to Work in the Federal Government, an assessment performed by the Partnership for Public Service. Additionally, IdeaHub was recognized as a Top 25 innovation in government by Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
Prior to joining the IdeaHub program, Kyra worked with DOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). After being hired as an Economist, supporting the development of cost-benefit analyses, she went on to lead the Hazardous Materials Grants Programs as the Acting Chief. There, she monitored the efficiency of the grant program policies and processes, overseeing budget formulation, IT systems, federal personnel and contract support. Kyra also worked directly with grantees and represented the agency in the Federal grant-making community.
While at PHMSA, Kyra also served as the Ombudsperson. Ms. Stewart was appointed to the position by the PHMSA Administrator and advised leadership on issues related to employee engagement and high-performing organizations. Ms. Stewart facilitated employee and management discussions and led the development of relevant PHMSA-wide trainings. She was also a member of Coalition of Federal Ombudsmen.
Prior to her work in the Federal sector, Ms. Stewart was a Senior Consultant with the Strategy, Finance and Economic Solutions division of Arthur Andersen, LLP. There, Kyra performed cost-benefit analyses for Fortune 500 companies, assisting in valuations, market research and the development of evidentiary portfolios.
Ms. Stewart holds a Master of Public Administration from American University and earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Virginia. She was an INROADS scholar. Kyra lives in Washington, DC with her husband, son, daughter, and two dogs.
