Nick Benson, Chief Communications Officer and Deputy Commissioner
Nick Benson joined the New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) in 2023 with a clear vision: to strengthen the way the nation’s largest municipal transportation agency tells its story. As Chief Communications Officer and Deputy Commissioner of Communications, he leads a wide portfolio of press, strategic communications, creative services, and customer engagement functions—work that shapes how millions of New Yorkers understand the city’s commitment to safer, better, and more sustainable streets.
From his first days at NYC DOT, Mr. Benson has focused on building a more proactive and innovative communications culture. Under his leadership, NYC DOT has achieved record levels of earned media coverage, established city government’s most creative and fastest-growing social media presence, and expanded the ways it communicates with New Yorkers. These efforts include launching the agency’s first podcast, Curb Enthusiasm; significantly growing in-house multimedia capacity; and strengthening relationships with community and ethnic media—ensuring the agency reaches all New Yorkers, no matter where they live or the languages they speak. His work reflects a belief that effective government requires not only sound policy, but also the ability to communicate its impact with clarity and purpose.
Before joining NYC DOT, Mr. Benson served as Executive Director of Communications and Public Affairs at the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services, where he revitalized communications for the City’s chief administrative agency. He also served as Press Secretary for the NYC Department of Small Business Services, helping New Yorkers access good jobs, launch and grow small businesses, and strengthen their neighborhoods.
Mr. Benson’s approach to communications is shaped by earlier experiences outside city government. As Senior Deputy Press Secretary in the New York State Attorney General’s Office, he managed media strategy on complex and high-profile legal matters—from criminal enforcement to consumer fraud. Prior to that, he worked on political campaigns, including as a Regional Field Director for U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown’s successful 2012 re-election campaign. He began his public-service career in Ohio state government as an aide to Richard Cordray during his tenures as Ohio Attorney General and Ohio Treasurer.
Raised in a working-class family in Appalachian Ohio and the son of a third-generation firefighter, Mr. Benson brings a deep appreciation for how public institutions can expand opportunity and strengthen communities. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Master of Arts in City and Regional Planning from The Ohio State University.
Mr. Benson lives in Upper Manhattan with his partner, Lauren, and their two cats, Fitzy and Ellie.