Shannon L. Watson ’89
Shannon graduated from William & Mary with a B.A. in government and minor in French. She earned an M.A. in social and public policy from Georgetown University. While at W&M, she was involved in student government, serving as Yates Hall’s representative to the Student Association Council and as vice president of her sophomore class. She was an active member of Delta Gamma and also raised funds for the Office of Development. Shannon was awarded the Ewell Award (now Cypher Award) for her outstanding service.
Most recently, Shannon chaired the nominating committee of the William & Mary Libraries Board. She is a past president of the W&M Alumni Association’s Metro D.C. network, during which it earned Outstanding Chapter. Shannon is a class ambassador and has served on the ’89 Class Gift and Reunion Committees.
Shannon has enjoyed an exciting career in public service and legislative affairs. She served as legislative assistant to Senator John Glenn (D-OH). Upon the senator’s retirement, President William J. Clinton appointed her as a senior advisor in the Office of Governmental Affairs at the U.S. Department of Transportation. Later, she led the Office of Congressional Affairs at DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration until the secretary appointed her to the president’s Gulf Coast Rebuilding Office following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Presently, as senior advisor for policy for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Shannon leads its advisory committees, including launching the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Women of Trucking Advisory Board and the Truck Leasing Task Force, earning the Secretary’s Gold Medal, DOT’s highest award.
Active in her community, Shannon is a trustee of the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria, which has provided more than $20 million in need-based college scholarships to 5,900 students at Alexandria City High School, which Shannon attended.
“Throughout my career, William & Mary has supported me, fostering enduring connections with alumni across generations. Through alumni service, I have come to appreciate that the Tribe extends beyond one’s classmates — it is a diverse, multigenerational network that shapes the university’s future.”