Shannon Harcum

Harcum joined VAAAC in May of 2021 as Director of Finance and Administration and was promoted to Senior Director of Finance and Administration in 2023. She was promoted to Chief Operating Officer (COO) at VAAAC and Executive Director of the Visit Annapolis Anne Arundel County Foundation in January 2025, becoming the first Black female COO of the organization in its 35-year history and first Black female Executive Director of the Foundation.

As COO, Harcum oversees the organization’s strategic financial and operational functions, including human resources, finance, and visitor experience. With extensive experience in financial management, she is skilled in optimizing organizational performance, strategic planning, and nonprofit budgets. She ensures compliance with state and federal regulations while streamlining operations to align with the organization’s goals. Her commitment to excellence extends to her roles as treasurer on the Arts Council of Anne Arundel County Board and as a member of the Maryland Tourism Coalition Workforce Development Board, BWI Community Development Foundation (Partnership Foundation) Board, Pretty Girl Academy Board, and the advisory committee for Anne Arundel Community College’s Hospitality, Culinary Arts, and Tourism Institute. In 2025, Harcum was selected to the Baltimore Region Workforce Leadership Academy.

Additionally, Harcum is the Executive Director of the VAAAC Foundation, a nonprofit charitable arm that works to invest in and sustain the tourism and hospitality industry through mission-adjacent work focused on workforce development, education, and training programs that cater to the evolving and emerging needs of our destination while prioritizing sustainability. With a strong passion for workforce development, Harcum leverages her expertise in financial planning and community partnerships to advance the Foundation’s mission.

Prior to joining Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County, Harcum served as the Executive Director at North Country Community College Association, where she oversaw the College Bookstore, food service operations, residence hall management, and outsourced contracting services for three separate campuses. She also spent nine years at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in various roles, including Administrative Assistant, Housing Coordinator, Assistant Director of Residence, and ultimately serving as Director of Residence Life. Harcum’s work primarily focused on providing a safe and inclusive learning environment while supporting the holistic development of residential students and serving as the primary liaison between Residence Life and the campus community. She also created and executed diversity programs, and academic and social initiatives, aimed at enhancing recruitment, retention, leadership development, and student development.

A native of Delaware, Harcum earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a master’s in business administration from the University of Maryland Global Campus and is a graduate of the Leadership Anne Arundel Class of 2023. She enjoys hiking with her husband, shopping with her daughter and watching anime with her son.

Among her favorite places to visit within Anne Arundel County is Luna Blu, Red Red Wine Bar and Rams Head!