Long-time Veteran of Baltimore City Government to Return to City to Take Lead Role at DPW

BALTIMORE, MD (Tuesday, March 12, 2023) – Today, Mayor Brandon M. Scott announced his intent to nominate Khalil Zaied as the new Director of the Department of Public Works (DPW). Zaied, who most recently led the Department of Public Works in Champaign, Illinois, will join DPW on March 18, 2024. Previously, he was a nearly 20 year veteran of Baltimore City Government, serving as Deputy Mayor of Operations and Director of Transportation, among other roles.

“As Baltimore’s Department of Public Works enters a new era after bringing back weekly recycling and making significant progress in numerous other areas, now is a perfect time to welcome a tested and transformational leader like Khalil Zaied to take the department to new heights," said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. “Ensuring DPW was strengthened with the staffing and resources it needs to continue providing Baltimoreans with the essential services they deserve has remained a top priority of my Administration. With more than 25 years of engineering and public works experience in both the private sector and municipal government, including right here in Baltimore City, Mr. Zaied is absolutely the right public works leader for this time in our city’s history. I am excited to welcome him back to Baltimore, and look forward to the difference he’ll make in our residents’ lives.”

Zaied is a dedicated public works leader with a track record of success. Prior to his time as the Public Works Director in Champaign Illinois, Zaied spent five years in the private sector as Vice President for Special Projects with KCI Technologies, one of the top engineering firms in the world, out of Sparks, Maryland. He has also served as the Deputy City Manager for Public Works and Transportation for the City of El Paso. 

In Baltimore, Zaied served as Deputy Mayor for Operations for the City of Baltimore for five years. While serving as Deputy Mayor of Operations in Baltimore, Zaied oversaw multiple City agencies, including the Department of Public Works. He also served as Department of Transportation Director and Department of General Services Director, after beginning in city government at an entry level role. 

“Like Mayor Scott, I am committed to building cleaner, healthier communities and utilizing every tool at the city’s disposal to reduce waste, improve air and water quality and provide Baltimoreans with dependable routine services,” said Khalil Zaied. “It is an honor of a lifetime to return to the City I love and lead the Department of Public Works into the future.”

Zaied has extensive experience managing a wide variety of public works and transportation operations, including: engineering and construction, mass transit, parking, permitting, fleet, snow removal, water distribution, stormwater management, sewers, traffic safety, parks and recreation, facility maintenance, environmental services, conduits, streetscape, and energy conservation. He has experience managing large capital projects ranging from bridges and highways to schools, and recreational facilities.

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland.  

Zaied will begin serving as Acting Director of DPW, beginning on March 18, 2024, until he is fully confirmed by the City Council.

Mayor Scott thanked outgoing Interim Director Richard Luna for his steadfast leadership since July 2023. Luna will remain with DPW as Deputy Director. Under his tenure as Interim Director, the agency successfully returned to weekly recycling, implemented salary increases for the division of water and wastewater workers, and successfully covered the reservoirs at Ashburton and Druid Lake.