Economic Development 2024: STEPHANIE LANDRUM

Landrum has led the Alexandria Economic Development Partnership since 2015. She joined the partnership nearly 20 years ago, serving as acting executive director for two years before stepping up to senior vice president. Before coming to AEDP, Landrum was a project coordinator at Southeast Fairfax Development Corp.

The site of Alexandria’s shuttered Landmark Mall is being redeveloped in a multibillion-dollar project that will include new housing units and an Inova Health System hospital. Also under construction is the first academic building of Virginia Tech’s $1 billion Innovation Campus, which is expected to open in spring 2025.

The city also claimed the headquarters for burger restaurant chain Five Guys, which in summer 2023 moved its 250 employees back to Alexandria, where it opened its first restaurant in 1986.

In March, Alexandria lost a controversial $2 billion arena proposal touted by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, when the Washington Wizards and Capitals NBA and NHL teams reached a deal to stay in Washington, D.C.

Landrum earned her bachelor’s degree in city and regional planning from the University of Virginia and her MBA from UVa’s Darden School of Business.

FAVORITE TEAM: Washington Capitals