Christa Newmaster, a maintenance services executive for PennDOT's Harrisburg-based District 8 maintenance unit, is a legacy to the department — a real-life wonder woman.
As a second generation PennDOT employee, Newmaster has dedicated 22 years to a variety of positions. She fondly remembers visiting her father at work and watching him design at his drafting desk. She credits those experiences as her motivation to follow in her father's footsteps.
"To me, it just seemed like art, but there are times when I see old plans and I can see my dad's handiwork and it always brings a smile to my face," she said. "District 8 has always felt like home to me."
Starting as a clerk typist in the Fleet Management Division, Newmaster is now in her 12th position within PennDOT. In her current role, she comes up with strategies and training for safety initiatives, handles customer care complaints, and develops training for county staff, among many other responsibilities.
She enjoys the constant change that comes with working for maintenance. She never knows what kind of new challenges or tasks a day could hand her. She cites the people who surround her every day to be a great motivator.
"We have such a diverse workforce and it is a great experience to work with everyone, learn what they do and how they impact your work, as well as how you impact their work," she said. "It is great to be part of such an amazing team.".jpg)
Newmaster has had many mentor figures at PennDOT over the years. One of the lessons she learned early on was to ask questions and be open to learning as much as possible. Her mentors provided ways for her to get involved in tasks outside of her area or work and challenged her to grow and learn.
"I am so thankful for all of my employees and how hard they work each and every day," she said. "Someone once told me that you are only as good as your team, and I want you all to know I have an amazing team."
Outside of her work family, Newmaster has been married for 26 years to her husband Chuck. She has passed on her wonder woman characteristics to her two daughters, Kyra and Alicia. She enjoys outdoor activities and going to the lake on the weekends.
"To me, PennDOT is more than a job, more than a career, it is family and it is my home," she said. "My hope now is that I will have the opportunity to give back to others what has been shared with me over the past 22 years working for the department."
For more information on what Newmaster and PennDOT are doing in southcentral PA, visit our page for
District 8.
UPDATE: Christa Newmaster was promoted to the position of Highway
Administration Program Manager 3 for the Bureau of Maintenance, effective September 3, 2022.