Candidate Bio
Terry R. Short, Jr., AICP – BIO
Elected in May 2016, Mr. Short is the Mayor of the City of Waynesboro. Professionally, he is the District Planning Manager for the Virginia Department of Transportation in the Staunton District. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Northeastern Illinois University, and a Master’s degree in Urban Planning and Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago. He also holds a Professional Project Management certification from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, and is a credentialed member of the American Institute of Certified Planners.
Mr. Short has over 20 years of both public and private experience in the planning and political arena. As the VDOT District Planning Manager, he is responsible for overseeing the operation of three Metropolitan Planning Organizations and transportation planning, project development, and project prioritization for 11 counties, and 35 jurisdictions. He was the recipient of the 2014 and 2016 VDOT Commissioner’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Innovation and Quality Improvement and Teamwork, the 2019 Commissioner’s Award nominee for Environmental Stewardship, and is the recipient of the 2016 Governor’s Award for Public Service.
He serves as the Community Foundation COVID-19 Local Representative Committee Member, Vice Chair of the Human Development and Education Committee of the Virginia Municipal League, Treasurer for the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission Board of Directors, past-president of the Waynesboro Lions Club, various committees at First Baptist Church Waynesboro, and is the President of the Waynesboro Arts and Culture Initiative, a local 501(c)(3) organization, which hosts the Virginia Chili, Blues and Brews Festival in Downtown each year that has raised over $100,000 for the benefit of local not for profits over the last 12 years. He and his wife Heather reside in the Tree Streets with their two children, Molly and Joshua.