Carolyn Flowers is a distinguished transportation leader who served as the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Acting Administrator under President Barack Obama, where she led a staff of over 500 across headquarters and 10 regional offices, managing an annual budget exceeding $10 billion in federal grants programs. Her deep expertise encompasses federal funding and financing programs, including Capital Investment Grants, RAISE, Bus and Bus Facilities, and TIFIA programs.

With more than 30 years of transportation expertise, Carolyn has held several high-impact leadership positions, including Chief Operating Officer at Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LA Metro) and CEO of the Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS). At LA Metro, she managed a $1 billion operating and capital budget for bus and rail operations, while at CATS she successfully steered the agency through significant budget constraints while expanding light rail and streetcar systems through strategic partnerships.

In 2023, Flowers was inducted into the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) Hall of Fame, recognizing her exceptional industry leadership. She has served on numerous prestigious boards including the Eno Foundation, APTA, Transportation Research Board (TRB), and the Women's Transportation Seminar (WTS) International Board.

Throughout her career, Flowers has received numerous accolades, including being named one of UCLA Anderson School of Business's 75 most Inspirational graduates in their first 100 years, the 2018 Friends of Eno Award, and the 2007 Tom Bradley Alumnus of the Year by the UCLA Black Alumni Association. She was also recognized as Woman of the Year by the Los Angeles Chapter of WTS in 2008.

Her community involvement extends to serving on various boards including Johnson C. Smith University Board of Visitors, the Foundation for the Carolinas Charlotte-Mecklenburg Fund, and the Institute for Transportation Research and Education (ITRE) Board. She is also an active member of the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO).

Flowers holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science and a Master of Business Administration from the UCLA Anderson School of Management. Her career trajectory has included participation in prestigious professional development programs, including the 2003 APTA Transportation Leadership Class and executive development programs sponsored by the Eno Center for Transit Leadership.