In October 2023, Joey Hopkins became the secretary of the N.C. Department of Transportation. As transportation secretary, Hopkins manages one of the largest state-maintained highway systems in the nation, and all modes of transportation, including aviation, ferries, rail, public transit and bicycle and pedestrian transportation, as well as the Office of Civil Rights and Division of Motor Vehicles.  
     
Hopkins is a registered professional engineer and has worked at NCDOT for more than 30 years in a variety of roles. Before being named secretary, Hopkins served as NCDOT’s chief operating officer. He has also served as deputy chief engineer and has held the roles of division engineer, deputy division engineer, division maintenance engineer and division operations engineer in Division 5.  
     
He was a member of NCDOT’s Transformation Management Team and was instrumental in developing the Strategic Prioritization Process, the forerunner of the Strategic Mobility Formula. This data driven process is used to help prioritize transportation projects in North Carolina.  The Strategic Transportation Investments Law passed in 2013 allows NCDOT to use existing funding more efficiently and effectively to enhance North Carolina’s infrastructure, while supporting economic growth, job creation and improved quality of life. 
     
Hopkins is a graduate of N.C. State University.