Rico, Irene Associate Administrator for Civil Rights On October 30, 2016, Irene Rico was appointed to the Senior Executive Service position of Associate Administrator for Civil Rights in the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).  In this capacity, Irene serves as the agency's top policy advisor on all civil rights and equal opportunity matters.  She oversees the Office of Civil Rights in developing civil rights policy and program guidance, and implementing action plans to further improve stewardship and oversight of the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), Americans with Disabilities Act, and Title VI programs.   Prior to her current position, Irene served from 2010 to 2016 as the FHWA Virginia Division Administrator.  While serving in that position, Irene championed numerous innovations and fostered creative solutions in advancing the delivery of the Commonwealth's $900 million Federal-aid highway program. Her career with FHWA began in 1985 and has included other leadership positions in FHWA Headquarters as the Special Assistant to the Executive Director, and in FHWA Division Offices as Assistant Division Administrator in Virginia, and Director of Planning and Program Development in Texas.      Irene holds a Master's Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of New Mexico and a Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Texas El Paso.