Momoko Tamaoki has been serving as the Deputy Director of Planning, Grants, and Programming at San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission since 2023. In her current role, she leads and oversees all planning activities for the Rail Commission. She is also responsible for securing grant funding to deliver the Rail Commission’s Valley Rail Capital Improvement Program to expand the commuter and intercity rail service to Sacramento and Merced. Prior to joining the Rail Commission, Momoko garnered 17 years of invaluable experience at the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), where she held various management roles including Deputy Division Chief of Rail and Mass Transportation, Office Chief of Assets and Equipment, and Branch Chief of Rolling Stock Procurement. Her tenure at Caltrans equipped her with extensive expertise in overseeing capital project delivery, rail and transit planning, rolling stock procurement, transportation funding programming, and state and federal grants management. Notably, Momoko spearheaded the development of Caltrans Intercity Rail Zero Emission Strategy, demonstrating her innovative leadership and commitment to fostering sustainability within the nation's transportation sector.
