Shannetta Griffin

Shannetta R. Griffin, P.E., was appointed Associate Administrator of Airports for the Federal Aviation Administration on June 7, 2021, by U.S. President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. and U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and served until January 2025.

Griffin has more than 40 years of experience as a professional engineer and small business advocate within the private and public sectors of the transportation industry with an emphasis on aviation. She is a leader with expertise in airport management, operational performance, project engineering and client relationship management.

 As the Associate Administrator of Airports, she led a team of more than 700 employees around the country and managed an annual budget of $3.35 billion, which includes an operating budget of about $112 million. She administered more than $30B dollars’ worth of grants through the Airport Improvement Program, Covid Relief funds and the historic Bi-Partisan Infrastructure Grants. She was also responsible for two major research programs and for administering national airport safety and standards, planning, engineering, environmental processing, financial assistance and compliance programs for more than 3,300 public-use airports nationwide

Prior to her tenure in the federal government, she also served in Executive Airport Management roles for both the Indianapolis Airport Authority and Columbus Regional Airport Authority.

Griffin has received numerous professional accolades and awards by transportation and civic organizations to include Woman in Aviation Excellence – Legacy Award by the Airport Minority Advisory Council, Women Who Move the Nation by the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials, Distinguished Alumni by the University of Toledo College of Civil Engineering, Corporate Professional of the Year by the National Forum for Black Public Administrators, Achievement in Business and Industry Award by the Indianapolis Center for Leadership Development and Strathmore Who’s Who.

A graduate of the University of Toledo, Griffin was the first African-American woman to graduate from the College of Civil Engineering. She is also a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

She was proud to serve not only as the first African American, but as the first African-American woman to hold the position of Associate Administrator of Airports. Griffin continues to be a trailblazer and model of providing opportunity and growth for others.