Governor-elect Ralph Northam has selected Shannon Valentine of Lynchburg to be his next Secretary of Transportation. Valentine has represented the Lynchburg region in recent years on the Commonwealth Transportation Board. She also served two terms in the House of Delegates.
News release: Governor-elect Ralph Northam today announced at the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce annual luncheon his selection of Shannon Valentine of Lynchburg as Virginia’s next Secretary of Transportation. Shannon Valentine currently sits on the Commonwealth Transportation Board for the Lynchburg District, having previously served as Co-Director for Governor-Elect Terry McAuliffe’s Transition Council for Transportation Policy previously.
Shannon was elected to represent the 23rd district in the House of Delegates in 2006. During her time in the House of Delegates, 2006-2010, Shannon’s legislative priorities included transportation, economic development, ethics and education. She led the bipartisan, legislative effort to invest in intercity passenger rail service for the first time in Virginia’s history and worked to expand clean energy production. Prior to her election to the House of Delegates, Shannon worked to revitalize inner-city communities as the Neighborhood Coordinator with the Lynchburg Neighborhood Development Foundation. She worked in non-profit community development and corporate marketing and public relations in the late 1980s and 1990s. Shannon currently serves on serval private and non-profit groups across the Commonwealth, including: the Board of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership, Lynchburg City School Foundation, GO Virginia, OneVirginia 2021, Converge Virginia, Habitat for Humanity Advisory Council, and Beacon of Hope, an organization dedicated to inspiring and preparing students for post-secondary education. Shannon earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Virginia, holds an Education for Ministry certificate from Sewanee University, and is a graduate of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership. Shannon is from Lynchburg, Virginia.