Dr. Catherine L. Ross, nationally recognized transportation expert, is the Director of Georgia Tech's Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development (CQGRD). Ross is also the college's first endowed faculty member – the Harry West Chair for Quality Growth and Regional Development. Ross is no stranger to Georgia Tech, where she first in 1976 was an assistant professor in the Graduate City Planning Program, associate professor in 1984, then a full professor in 1990. She has held a variety of important leadership positions at Georgia Tech, including vice provost for academic affairs, associate vice president for academic affairs, co-director of the Transportation Research and Education Center , and director of the College of Architecture 's Ph.D. program.

Previously, Ross was the first executive director of the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA). This innovative regional state agency was created by the Georgia Legislature in 1999. GRTA was created to help 13 counties out-of-compliance with clean air standards develop new transportation plans and initiatives to help them meet or exceed federal requirements. GRTA encompasses a new paradigm representing a more comprehensive approach to regional planning

In addition to teaching at Georgia Tech and her leadership of GRTA, Ross founded a consulting company that has conducted research for numerous government transportation agencies. She has published extensively in the fields of urban planning, transportation planning, and public participation.

At the national level, Ross previously served on the Executive Committee as a senior policy adviser to the National Academy of Sciences' Transportation Research Board. She also is past president of the National Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning and served on the Board of Directors for the ENO Transportation Foundation. Locally Ross serves on several boards/committees including the ULI – District Council Steering Committee, Metro Atlanta Quality Growth Task Force, Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, Ferst Center Advisory Board, High Museum of Art (Education Department Board Committee), and Westminster Strategic Plan Committee. She is a past board member of the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA).

Ross earned a bachelor's degree from Kent State University in 1971, followed by a master's degree in regional planning from Cornell University in 1973. She earned her doctorate in city and regional planning from Cornell in 1979 and did post-doctorate work at the University of California , Berkeley .

Ross lives in northwest Atlanta with her husband. Their son and daughter are away at college.