About
Shannon Valentine served as Virginia’s Secretary of Transportation (2018 to 2022), overseeing an $8 billion transportation system with nearly 10,000 employees that includes rail, transit, Metro, aviation, Virginia Space, Port of Virginia and the third largest network of highways – a multimodal network that serves as the platform Virginia’s economy.
During her tenure, Virginia led an historic multi-state agreement for Metro; successfully negotiated and launched the $3.7 billion investment in Transforming Rail in Virginia; finalized a 90-mile integrated network of express lanes in northern Virginia; expanded capacity at the Port of Virginia; delivered the Comprehensive Agreement for the largest infrastructure project in Virginia’s history, the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel Expansion; created the Commonwealth Transportation Fund to finance multimodal transport with greater transparency; and safely completed seven resupply missions to the International Space Station.
In May of 2014, Shannon was appointed to the Commonwealth Transportation Board. She served on the Rail and Technology subcommittees and created the first Regional Connectivity Study that correlated transportation decisions with workforce, business expansion, recruitment, and investment. From 2018 to 2022, she served as Chair of the Board.
Shannon is a former member of the Virginia House of Delegates representing the city of Lynchburg and parts of Amherst County, and served on House Transportation, Courts of Justice, and Science & Technology committees. Her public policy priorities included economic development, transportation, education, health and ethics. She led the bipartisan legislative effort to invest in intercity passenger rail service for the first time in Virginia’s history, established tools for economic expansion, and created the first comprehensive study of autism in the Commonwealth.
For more than 25 years, Shannon helped to create opportunities for families and children through safe housing, education and economic development with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Neighborhood Development Foundation, Lynchburg City School Foundation,
E.C. Glass Foundation, and Beacon of Hope.
Key Accomplishments
Shannon was named Transportation Woman of the Year in 2021 and 2017 by Women in Transportation International (Central Virginia), awarded the inaugural Covington-Richards Legislative Achievement Award by Virginians for High Speed Rail, and named the 2020 Distinguished Public Official Award by the Virginia Transit Association. She was a founding member and first President of OneVirginia2021 Foundation. Shannon has been honored with the Humanitarian Award by the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities; Democracy in Action Award by the League of Women Voters; Freedom Fighter Award by the NAACP; Distinguished Woman of the Year in Government by the YWCA; and the Commonwealth Autism Services Award.
Shannon was recognized as a Gold Star wife when her first husband, a Navy pilot, died in a night training mission in 1985.
Industries and Areas of Expertise: bipartisan strategies; public policy, legislation and budgeting; infrastructure investments; long-term planning; effective board development and leadership; multilateral negotiations; public-private partnerships; risk assessments; communications; sustainability.
Education
Shannon received her BA in Economics from the University of Virginia (1981), elected Phi Beta Kappa. She graduated from the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at UVA (2005), and completed Education for Ministry, a four-year certification through the Sewanee University School of Theology (2000). Valentine received an honorary doctorate in law from the Virginia University of Lynchburg (HBCU), and an honorary doctorate in rocket science from NASA and Virginia Space Authority.
Personal Background
Shannon is married to Dr. Michael Valentine and has three children, Catherine (Zack), Jack, and Brooke. Today, Shannon serves on the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy Advisory Board at UVA and is a fledgling writer.