Tyra is Acting Director – Office of Small & Disadvantaged Business Utilization at the US Department of Transportation, where she creates policies and promotes the inclusion of a diverse range of businesses, including minority, women-owned, small, and disadvantaged, ensuring a fair and inclusive environment to support a more diverse landscape.

Formerly, Tyra served as Senior Advisor to the Director of the Departmental Office of Civil Rights for the Department of Transportation, where she led implementation of initiatives related to civil rights compliance, monitoring, and cross-cutting equity commitments in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Tyra coordinated with the Office of Transportation Policy to deliver DOT-wide technical assistance to states, Tribal governments, metropolitan planning organizations, and local communities. She ensured the infusion of equity in the business of transportation, making sure the community work on the bill created wealth so there is generational wealth in historically excluded communities.

As Regional Vendor Diversity Director for multinational construction and development company Skanska, Tyra led the DEI educational focus group as part of the company’s four-year strategic planning and built a regional supplier diversity program, including a training program.

Prior to Skanska, Tyra served as Transportation Equity and Inclusion Officer at the District Department of Transportation (DDOT), where she led agency-wide initiatives resulting in 25% increase in women new hires and promotions and 50% representation of women in mid-management and senior management roles. Tyra integrated equity and inclusion initiatives in all DDOT programs, services and activities and had oversight of the agency’s Federal Disadvantage Business and Small Business inclusion programs. 

Tyra spent 6 years as a defense attorney practicing employment and civil rights litigation in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.  She began her career in the transportation industry as Executive Director of the Office of Civil Rights and Small Business Development at the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet spearheading the civil rights compliance and minority-owned business participation for the Louisville Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project.

Tyra sits on the Board of Directors of Girls Inc. Washington, is an advisory board member for the Enterprising Women of Color DMV Business Center, is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc, and was recently appointed to the LEED Equity Working Group for the United States Green Building Council (USGBC).  She formerly volunteered for Big Brothers Big Sisters and past Board roles include Maryland CASA Association and the Philadelphia Chapter of Professional Women in Construction.

Tyra holds a bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism from the University of Kentucky and a J.D. from the University of Kentucky, College of Law.  She completed an Executive Certificate program in Strategic Diversity and Inclusion Management and Project Management at Georgetown University.  She is a Certified Diversity Executive (CDE®).