Dan Tangherlini was appointed director of the new District Department of Transportation in November 2002, having served as acting director of the former division of transportation in the Department of Public Works starting in May 2000. Previously he was chief financial officer of the Metropolitan Police Department (November, 1998-May 2000).

In the executive office of the mayor, Tangherlini was the leader of the short-term action team (January 1999-April, 1999) that developed high-visibility short-term initiatives for the new Williams Administration. He also served as MPD deputy chief financial officer (March, 1998-November, 1998).

Before joining the District Government, Tangherlini was a senior program analyst (August, 1998-November, 1998) in the office of the Secretary of Transportation where he helped negotiate a landmark Amtrak labor settlement and worked on the development of innovative approaches to infrastructure finance. In the Office of Management and Budget (July, 1991-August 1997), he was a special assistant, a program examiner and a budget preparation specialist. Of particular note is his service on the core staff that developed the National Capital Revitalization and Self-Government Improvement Act.

For the Chicago Park District, Tangherlini was a consultant/intern (1990-1991). Before that, he began his transportation career as a seasonal laborer repairing potholes, cleaning highways and painting lines on asphalt for the Massachusetts Department of Public Works (1983, 1984).

Tangherlini has a BA and MPP from the University of Chicago and an MBA from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Tangherlini lives on Capitol Hill with his wife and two children where he is a member of the Capitol Hill Restoration Society, the Stanton Park Neighborhood Association, St. Joseph's of Capitol Hill and other community groups.