
About Us Office of the Administrator Office of the Chief Counsel Maritime Administration at a Glance Policy Initiatives Gateway Offices Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) International Activities Budget Information Virtual Office of Acquisition Contact Us Freedom of Information Act Employment with the Maritime Administration Recovery Act Business Education State Maritime Academies MTSA Course Certification Adopt A Ship Program K-12 Maritime High Schools Maritime Day Mariners Mariner Medals Women on the Water Re-employment Rights for Mariners Military to Mariners Environment & Safety Asian Carp Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet Ballast Water and Aquatic Invasive Species Office of Safety Arctic Transportation Ports Port and Cargo Security Infrastructure Development and Congestion Mitigation Port Conveyance Deepwater Ports Licensing Emergency Preparedness and Response Marine Transportation System National Port Readiness Network Ships & Shipping National Security National Security Cargo Preference Domestic Shipping American Fisheries Act Marine Highway Program National Maritime Resource and Education Center Ship Disposal Program NS Savannah Project Ships History Title XI Construction Reserve Fund Capital Construction Fund Small Shipyard Grants Program Resources Data and Statistics Policy Papers & Factsheets Public Forms Publications Related Links Video/Pictures/Audio Presentations News Items Maritime Advisories News Items News Releases Calendar of Events Speeches Photo Gallery

Home > About Us > Office of the Administrator > Key Personnel

Cheron Wicker

Director, Office of Strategic Communications and Public Engagement

Cheron Wicker

Cheron Wicker was sworn in to the U.S. Department of Transportation by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood on April 26, 2010, to serve as the Maritime Administration’s Director of Congressional and Public Affairs. She was named Director of Strategic Communications and Public Engagement in June 2011.

Mrs. Wicker is a media relations and corporate communications professional. Her career history includes a professional background in technology, energy, government contracting, and state government.

From 2003 until her appointment to the Maritime Administration, Ms. Wicker was Deputy Director of Communications with the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA), one of six Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) agencies and the eleventh-largest multimodal public transit agency in the United States.

At the MTA, Ms. Wicker managed an award-winning media and communications department. She developed numerous communication strategies, led media and outreach initiatives and maintained strong relationships with the media and elected officials. She managed large transit-security grant projects, resulting in the development and implementation of the “Transit Watch” multi-modal awareness and regional emergency-preparedness campaigns. Her advocacy efforts resulted in the adoption of the Words on Wheels program, a collaboration between area middle schools and the Maryland Institute College of Art and the production of a train safety campaign. She also directed all aspects of feature-film production logistics for Ladder 49, XXX State of the Union, Invasion, Step Up, Step Up 2:The Streets and for the DIY Network’s Project Xtreme. Her efforts resulted in increased revenues, lower production costs, and positive national visibility for the State of Maryland as a film-friendly partner. As chair of a leadership task force for the American Public Transit Association Communications Committee, she developed a transit industry crisis communications plan.

Prior to her MTA service, Mrs. Wicker was Director of Media Relations at the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration (MVA). While at the MVA, Cheron Victoria was instrumental in working with the State legislature and the media. She developed award-winning campaigns on safety, security, new license plates, teen driving, distracted driving, and the expansion of online services.
Before entering State service, Ms. Wicker was an award-winning corporate communications and public relations professional in the private sector having worked for Digital Equipment Corporation, BGE, and a government contractor.
She served on the board of directors of the American Heart Association where she assisted with rebranding and development of the Red Dress pin and Go Red for Women program.

Mrs. Wicker earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing from the Metropolitan State College in Denver, Colorado. She is a member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSSA), and a graduate of Leadership Howard County. She currently resides in Columbia, Maryland with her family.