Shannon Flanagan-Watson
Deputy County Manager
Shannon Flanagan-Watson was appointed as Deputy County Manager in May 2018, with oversight responsibility for Arlington Economic Development (AED) and the Department of Community Planning, Housing and Development (CPHD). She is also responsible for Constituent Services and Legislative Affairs.
Shannon served as an Assistant County Manager with Arlington from 2005-2018 leading a variety of highly visible special projects and served as the Business Ombudsman working in partnership with the Arlington business community. She also served as Acting Director of the Department of Parks and Recreation, from July 2012-January 2013.
She is an appointed member of the Boards of Directors with the Ballston BID (Business Improvement District), National Landing BID and Rosslyn BID. She currently serves as an ex-officio Board member of the Arlington Sister City Association.
Shannon brings 28 years of combined experience working in and with local governments on a range of professional local government management and policy issues.
Prior to joining the County, Shannon served as the Director of Business Development for the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). She is an active member of ICMA and has held several leadership positions as past Chair of the Alliance for Innovation Board of Directors and as the Secretary-Treasurer for the National Association of County Administrators. She is also a member and past executive committee member of the Virginia Local Government Management Association.
She is a former member of the adjunct faculty at the Virginia Tech Center for Public Administration and Policy, teaching in local government management.
In January 2012, she earned the designation of an ICMA Credentialed Manager. Shannon holds a Master of Public Administration degree from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, and a B.A. in Communications from the University at Buffalo, the State University of New York.
Shannon is a graduate and lifetime member of Leadership Arlington and a past member of its Board of Regents. She volunteers her time with several organizations in the community and resides in Arlington with her family.
Contact
County Manager’s Office
2100 Clarendon Blvd., Suite 302
Arlington, VA 22201
TEL: 703-228-3120
TTY: 703-228-4611
FAX: 703-228-3218
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