Kendal Theisen was named the State Traffic Engineer for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation in October 2025. In that position, she will develop and implement traffic-related engineering, enforcement, education, safety, and operations programs designed to improve the safety and mobility of the transportation system.

Kendal began her career at ODOT in 2015 as part of the Oklahoma State University Design Squad. She later transitioned to construction management at the Tulsa Residency, where she oversaw the first phase of the I-44/US-75 interchange project—the largest highway construction contract in Tulsa at the time. Her leadership led to subsequent roles as the Stillwater Resident Engineer and Assistant State Traffic Engineer before stepping into her new position.

Kendal is a member of ODOT’s Engineering Development Council, where she helps mentor and recruit the next generation of engineers while supporting professional growth across the department.

She holds both a bachelor’s and a master’s in Civil Engineering from Oklahoma State University. Kendal and her husband live in Stillwater.