WASHINGTON, DC -- The National Safety Council announced the appointment of Zachary M. Radford as vice president of government affairs. A transportation and safety expert as well as a former staffer on Capitol Hill, Radford will bring more than two decades of law, policy and communications experience to America’s leading nonprofit safety advocate.

“We are thrilled to welcome Zach to NSC, where his experience will help position us for additional connection and engagement with federal and state government partners,” said Mark Chung, executive vice president of safety leadership and advocacy at NSC. “Every year, the United States experiences hundreds of thousands of preventable deaths and millions of injuries. Government plays a key role in working toward the shared goal of reducing and ultimately eliminating these tragedies. We look forward to leveraging Zach’s expertise to continue advocating for the safety of all, on and off the job.”

In his role as vice president of government affairs, Radford is responsible for leading federal and state advocacy efforts to advance safety in the workplace, on the roads and everywhere in between, as well as working with government partners across the country to advance legislation and policies that put safety first. 

Prior to joining NSC, Radford served on the leadership team at the American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association where he developed and executed the group’s strategic direction on policy and legislative efforts, built and oversaw the association’s congressional affairs team, and created a dense web of bipartisan relationships, all of which he will continue to do in his new role at NSC.

Previously, Radford helped establish the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission. He has also held various other government affairs and external relations roles, including on Capitol Hill, and earlier in his career, practiced complex commercial litigation with a boutique law firm and clerked for a trial court judge. Radford earned his juris doctor degree from Washington University in St. Louis’ School of Law and a bachelor of arts degree from Georgetown University.

“I’m excited to join NSC and leverage my experience to advance safety on the job, on our roads and in our communities,” Radford said. “Keeping people safe – from the workplace to anyplace – is an incredible mission, and I am committed to ensuring the NSC voice is heard at all levels of government so that injuries are prevented and lives are saved.”