Gaffney is a 30-year industry professional who has been with HNTB for nine years, including nearly two years as Deputy Office Leader for Northern California. She also has served as Operations Manager for the office since 2019 and held other leadership roles. Gaffney joined HNTB in 2014 after spending the previous two decades in both private and public sector positions, including working for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency and the City of Palo Alto, California.
“Shannon brings both technical excellence and an impressive track record of team and office leadership as well as an extraordinary client focus,” Watson said. “Northern California has long been one of HNTB’s key geographies, and I’m thrilled that Shannon will take the reins and continue to make an impact for our communities and clients.”
As Office Leader, Gaffney will be responsible for managing HNTB’s operations in Northern California and Nevada, including overseeing project delivery, client relations, business development, and employee development. She will work closely with HNTB’s senior leadership team.
Gaffney will be based in the firm’s Oakland, California, office. She is a graduate of the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) Leadership APTA program and remains active in the organization. Gaffney earned a Bachelor of Arts in U.S. history from the University of Chicago and a master’s degree in public policy from the University of California, Berkeley.
