Tristan Brown

Tristan Brown is the Deputy Administrator of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), a role he has held since November 2021. In this capacity, he oversees a team of nearly 600 employees and manages an annual budget exceeding $500 million, focusing on the safety of approximately 3.4 million miles of hazardous material pipelines and 1.2 million shipments of hazardous materials transported daily across the United States.12

Background and Education

Brown has a diverse background in law and public policy. He earned a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) from the University of Cambridge as a Gates Cambridge Scholar, and a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) from the Lee Honors College at Western Michigan University, where he was recognized as a Morris K. Udall Scholar.13

Before his current position, Brown served as counsel to U.S. Senator Gary Peters and as an advisor to U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar on various issues including transportation and environmental policy. He also held roles at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as Deputy Associate Administrator for Congressional Affairs and practiced law in private firms focusing on transportation and public utilities.23

Current Responsibilities

In addition to his primary role at PHMSA, Brown participates in several high-level councils and task forces, including:

• The White House Council on Environmental Quality’s Carbon Dioxide Capture, Utilization, and Sequestration Task Forces.
• The Department of Transportation’s Nontraditional and Emerging Transportation Technology Council.
• The National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Transportation Research Board Executive Committee.12

Personal Background

Born in rural Michigan and raised near Detroit, Brown's family background includes his father working in automotive management and his mother as a social worker. His early experiences have shaped his commitment to public service.1

For further details about his professional journey, you can view his LinkedIn profile under the username tristan-brown-4b1b424.3