Christopher J. Murphy, GHSA Immediate Past Chairman

Christopher J. Murphy
Immediate Past Chairman, Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA)
Director, California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS)

From September 2006 through September 2008, Christopher J. Murphy served as Chairman of the Executive Board of the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), where he continues to serve as Immediate Past Chairman. GHSA is the nonprofit association representing the highway safety program managers of the states and the territories. The Association plays a key role in the development of national highway safety policy. Congress, the federal agencies, and the national media frequently call upon its opinions and expertise. He served as GHSA Vice Chairman from 2005-2006.

Murphy is also a faculty member of the GHSA Executive Training Seminar for states with new Governor's Highway Safety Representatives. Active in the traffic safety community, Murphy is also a member of the Governor's Alcohol Policy Council, California Older Driver Task Force, California Illegal Street Racing Task Force and the AASHTO Highway Transportation Safety Committee on Safety Management.

Murphy was appointed Director of the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), and the Governor's Highway Safety Representative for the State of California by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in August, 2005. Murphy previously served as Deputy Director since March 2003. Murphy is responsible for administering the California Traffic Safety Program, which includes preparing an annual comprehensive highway traffic safety plan to reduce victims killed and injured in traffic crashes and publishing an Annual Performance Report that details the accomplishments and progress of the California Traffic Safety Program. He also serves as co-Leader of California's Strategic Highway Safety Implementation Plan.

Within his role, Murphy oversees the day-to-day operations of the office, and is responsible for the administration, distribution and management of $87 million in traffic safety grants on an annual basis. As Director, Murphy is also responsible for setting the department's annual strategic goals that include working collaboratively with Agency and other identified departments to extend reach of programs and promote new leadership, proactively looking to address and resolve emerging traffic safety trends and issues, building winning partnerships with private sector entities, funding evidenced-based and results-driven programs, and evaluating and improving policies and procedures by applying future-oriented concepts of technology and management.

Please contact Jonathan Adkins at 202-789-0942 or via email: jadkins@ghsa.org if you have any questions or would like more information.