As the director of safety & security technology for Amtrak, Patrick Butler ’07 leads the team that keeps thousands of devices running smoothly across the country and makes the national transportation network safer.

Butler completed a bachelor’s degree in computer information technology: data communications & networking concentration, and an associate degree in computer information systems: networking & technical support.

Among his accomplishments with Amtrak is his team’s role in launching the NextGen Acela, the fastest train in North America. The trains, which can reach 160 mph, were launched in August 2025.

Tell us about your work as director of safety and security technology:

Amtrak is America’s railroad; our 20,000 employees support the operation of 300-plus daily trains to over 500 destinations across 46 states and three Canadian provinces. In my current role, I lead the staff, financial planning and strategic direction for information technology that supports the mission of Amtrak’s Police and Security departments. My direct team of 13 professionals leads project management, technology engineering, and operational maintenance and support for thousands of devices across Amtrak’s nationwide network. We develop solutions for everything from police dispatch, radio and camera technology, to bridge and tunnel security and on-board train security systems.

What do you enjoy most about your career?

No two days are ever the same. One day I may be working on planning budgets and projects for next year, and the next day I may travel on our national network to a meeting with the train car manufacturer of the next generation of Amtrak trains. My team and I are constantly responding to the needs of train operations, with the goal of delivering our customers to their destination both safely and on time.

How are you using your Penn College degree with Amtrak?

Penn College gave me the technical foundation to be a great IT practitioner. Through my extracurricular activities, I also learned how to be a leader. I learned the skills necessary to make me qualified to serve in a variety of system administrator and network engineering roles. These skills are still relevant and applicable to my work today, as I know how to lean into the technical details but also back away and see how those details relate to the larger business objectives.