Changes will strengthen alignment of D.C. area communications and marketing work
In a move to support Virginia Tech’s growing presence in the greater Washington, D.C., metro area, Shannon Andrea has been named director of communications and marketing for the D.C. area.
Effective June 10, Andrea will expand her role to serve as the lead communications advisor for the D.C. area, providing strategic guidance to align universitywide communications, marketing, and branding initiatives. She will supervise and lead daily operations of the D.C. area communications and marketing team, part of the integrated Advancement Division.
As a member of the Northern Virginia Steering Committee, Andrea has worked closely with Julie Ross, the Paul and Dorothea Torgersen Dean of Engineering, who leads the group charged with developing a cohesive vision and organizational plan for Virginia in the region.
“Strategic alignment of D.C. area communications and marketing is an outcome of the charge from President Tim Sands and Senior Vice President for Advancement Charlie Phlegar to align messaging across campus,” said Tracy Vosburgh, vice president of communications and marketing. “This change comes at a critical time as Virginia Tech prepares to open the first building of the Innovation Campus in Alexandria and further defines its presence in the region.”
Andrea, who currently serves as the director of media relations and D.C. area communications for Communications and Marketing, will join the Communications and Marketing executive team, reporting to Mark Owczarski, who becomes interim vice president of communications and marketing on July 1.
Andrea joined Virginia Tech in 2017 to launch a Media Relations office in the Washington, D.C., area. She will continue to be based in the Advancement offices at the Virginia Tech Research Center — Arlington. Andrea has more than 20 years of public relations and strategic communications experience working in Washington, D.C. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communication studies from Canisius College in Buffalo, New York and a master’s degree in public communication from American University in Washington, D.C.
Margaret Ashburn has been promoted to associate director of media relations, also effective June 10. In her new role, Ashburn will supervise and lead daily operations of the Media Relations team, which has a universitywide focus on elevating Virginia Tech via national media and high-impact regional and local media. Ashburn will report to Michael Stowe, senior director of news and information for Communications and Marketing.
Ashburn came to Virginia Tech in 2023 as assistant media relations director. Before joining Virginia Tech, Ashburn was an award-winning journalist with over a decade of experience creating content for local, state, and national news coverage, including as news director at WSLS in Roanoke. She has a bachelor's degree in broadcast news from the University of Georgia.
