The MBTA’s chief of Integrated Transit Programs, Desiree Patrice, of Dorchester, has received the 2024 Women Making Transportation History Award from the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials’ Boston chapter.

Patrice was honored this month during an event at the State Transportation Building in Boston that featured remarks by MassDOT Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt, MBTA General Manager and CEO Phillip Eng, and other industry leaders.

“This award amplifies the power of refusing to accept ‘no.’ ‘No, you can’t,’ or ‘No, you don’t belong in this position, field, or at this table,’” said Patrice. “It also amplifies the power of ‘refusing to accept ‘no’ as my truth.’”

Patrice, with more than two decades of construction and civil engineering experience, was recognized for her leadership of transformative programs to improve the T’s Red, Orange, Green, and Mattapan lines, overcoming inherent challenges associated with historic infrastructure, and developing creative strategies to navigate complex issues.

Throughout her tenure at the MBTA, Patrice has been dedicated to various projects, including the design and management of the Fairmount Commuter Rail Line’s Blue Hill Avenue Station.

Originally from the Commonwealth of Dominica, Patrice holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in civil engineering from Wentworth Institute of Technology.