Clarelle DeGraffe,
Director/General Manager
PATH, Port Authority of NY & NJ
Clarelle DeGraffe is the Director/General Manager of the Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH) rail transit system. PATH is a Federal Railroad Administration (FRA)-regulated commuter railroad, where Clarelle carries out its critical mission of safely and effectively across the Hudson River to lower and mid-town Manhattan, NY. Clarelle oversees PATH’s daily operation, as well as its $3.5 billion ten-year capital program to upgrade a legacy system, which encompasses the rebuilding of tunnels severely damaged by Superstorm Sandy (2012) and the completion of the signal program modernization. Additionally, Clarelle has spearheaded PATH’s $1 billion Improvement Plan, which was rolled out in June 2019 that will boost system capacity, reliability, and enhance the customer experience.
A 30-year veteran of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANY&NJ), Clarelle served as the Deputy Director of the PATH Rail Transit System from 2015 until March 2019, managing day-to-day operations and supported the Director of PATH. Prior to this position, Clarelle was responsible for the development, funding and delivery of the multimillion dollars Sandy Recovery Capital Program. She has also held project and program management roles in the World Trade Center (WTC) Construction and the Priority Capital Programs Departments. Clarelle possesses broad technical knowledge in the design and construction of transportation infrastructure, combined with outstanding leadership ability and creative problem-solving skills. She is a proven, valuable asset who establishes rapport with diverse groups ranging from executive management to field laborers and maintenance staff.
Clarelle has received numerous accolades including the 2020 Leadership Award from the Newark Regional Business Partnership and the 2020 “Women of the Year” Award from Women Transportation Seminar’s (WTS) Greater New York Chapter. Clarelle has been with the Port Authority for over 30 years and has held the position of Director/GM of PATH about 3.5 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ and was born on the West Indian island of Haiti.