AUGUSTA — Deborah Dunlap Avasthi of Durham has been elected president of the Maine Better Transportation Association.

Avasthi is the third generation of Dunlaps to serve as president of the organization. Her grandfather, Malcolm Dunlap, was president of the organization from 1957 to 1958; her father, Steven Dunlap, served two terms at the head of the organization from 1976 to 1978.

The MBTA is a statewide member organization representing 700 businesses, municipalities and individuals committed to advocating for investments in safe, efficient transportation infrastructure for Maine.

Avasthi graduated from the University of Vermont in 1986 with a bachelor of science degree in psychology and a minor in economics. She began her insurance career working with Cigna Insurance in Philadelphia, Pa. In 1990, she joined Bose Corporation in Massachusetts, where she advanced to manager of corporate staffing.

In 1998, she joined HRH Northern New England (formerly The Dunlap Corporation, founded by her family), where she was involved with agency operations, surety, marketing and information services support. Since January 2003, she has dedicated her time to the surety department, servicing new and long-term clients’ bonding needs.