The office of Gov. Greg Gianforte announced Thursday that Chris Dorrington, a longtime state official who has led the Montana Department of Environmental Quality since 2021, will be taking the helm at the Montana Department of Transportation.
DEQ, which among other duties regulates water quality, mining and some aspects of subdivision development, will be led by current Air, Energy and Mining Division Administrator Sonja Nowakowski.
Both appointments take effect July 1, the governor’s office said. Gianforte’s prior MDT director, Mack Long, announced his retirement in March.
Dorrington previously served as the Air, Energy and Mining Division administrator under former Gov. Steve Bullock, a Democrat. When Gianforte, a Republican, named Dorrington DEQ director shortly after taking office in 2021, the appointment was lauded by both industry and environmental groups.
In Thursday’s announcement, Gianforte praised Dorrington’s tenure at DEQ, where his work has included chairing the governor’s housing task force.
“Chris Dorrington is a changemaker,” Gianforte said. “Bringing his previous experience at the agency and exceptional ability to lead, I have total confidence in him as he takes the reins at MDT. I appreciate his willingness to serve in this new capacity after his successful tenure at DEQ.”
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The announcement notes that Dorrington previously spent a decade, from 2006 to 2016, leading MDT’s Planning Division, and that he holds a mechanical engineering degree from Gonzaga University and a master’s degree in transportation policy, operations and logistics from George Mason University.
“I am grateful to Governor Gianforte for this new opportunity,” Dorrington said in a statement. “While I have enjoyed my time at DEQ, right now I can make the biggest difference at MDT, where I first started my career. I look forward to continuing to serve Montana in this new role.”
Nowakowski has held the DEQ division administrator job since 2021, and previously spent 15 years as a policy analyst with the state’s nonpartisan Legislative Services Division. According to the governor’s office, she grew up in north-central Montana and holds a journalism degree from the University of Montana.
“Sonja is the right person to lead DEQ,” Gianforte said in a statement. “With her vast experience at the agency and with the legislature, she will be ready for the job on day one. I’m grateful to Sonja for stepping up to serve as the head of this important agency.”
“I am honored to step into this role to serve Montanans,” Nowakowski said in a statement. “My life experience is reinforced by the laws that govern natural resources, protect Montana’s environment, and our way of life. I look forward to working with our staff to deliver the high-quality customer service Montanans expect.”
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