Michael Lestingi is the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Executive Director.  As the Senior Career Official, Michael a key advisor to FRA’s Administrator; leads the career staff in the Office of the Administrator; and provides executive leadership and strategic planning agencywide.  

Previously, Michael held the positions of Director, Office of Policy and Planning; Chief of the Passenger Rail Policy Division; and Railroad Security Staff Director in FRA’s Office of Railroad Safety.  During his time in the Office of Railroad Safety, Mr. Lestingi also served as the Acting Director of the Office of Safety Assurance and Compliance, and as the Acting Regional Administrator for FRA’s Southwest Region, headquartered in Ft. Worth, Texas.  

Michael holds degrees from Lafayette College in Mechanical Engineering, International Studies, and Russian and Eastern European Studies.  He also studied transportation, economics and government at the Russian State University for the Humanities in Moscow as a Fulbright Fellow.