Creators and Guests

Paul Katool joined the Mississippi Department of Transportation Public Affairs Division in 2016 as the agency’s first Social Media Strategist. In 2019, he was promoted to Digital Media Manager, where he led the creation of MDOT’s nationally award-winning Extra Mile Podcast. In 2022, Paul assumed the role of Deputy Director of Public Affairs, which includes helping to run the day-to-day operations of the division.

Will Craft joined MDOT in 2018 after serving on Senator Thad Cochran’s and Senator Hyde Smith’s staffs. Beginning in the Government Affairs role at MDOT, Will assisted executive leadership in matters of policy, stakeholder engagement, legislative affairs, and external communications. Since joining the Public Affairs team in 2023, Will is most often recognized as one of the “podcast guys”. The Award Winning Extra Mile Podcast is hosted by Will and Paul Katool, and produced by Drew Hall.

Secretary to the Mississippi Transportation Commission

MDOT Executive Director: Brad White held various positions in politics and government before being appointed Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Transportation in July, 2021 and was subsequently confirmed by the Mississippi Senate in early 2022. As MDOT Executive Director, Brad has worked alongside the Transportation Commission and MDOT’s Executive Management Team to successfully address employee retention through a series of agency-wide salary adjustments, as well as pursue additional recurring revenue for MDOT Highway and Bridge projects, as well as the state’s multimodal system. A former President of the Southern Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (SASHTO), Brad is a member of First Baptist Church of Madison where he has served on the Personnel Committee. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from Belhaven University in Business Management. He and his wife Colby reside in Madison with their two sons, Barrett and Jack.

Drew Hall is a media producer with experience in video production and journalism. He currently works in the Public Affairs Division of the Mississippi Department of Transportation, where he shoots and edits a range of content, including producing the award-winning podcast The Extra Mile. Drew holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Mississippi State University and has received industry recognition, including an AASHTO Best Audio Production Award. Previously, Drew worked as a photojournalist for News Channel 12 and Fox 40 News, developing his skills in visual storytelling and news production. Drew is married to Courtney Ann Hall, of Corinth, MS, and has one son, Jackson.