BWI’s new CEO talks about what’s in store for the airport’s future
By Morgan Simpson – Reporter , Baltimore Business Journal
Dec 4, 2025
Shannetta Griffin stepped into her new role as leader of the Maryland Aviation Administration at a time when BWI Airport is completing major capital projects — and has more on the horizon.
Griffin, the executive director and CEO of the MAA, took the state’s top aviation job in April after former CEO Ricky Smith left to lead Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. She oversees the state’s aviation activity, including Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, which sees around 27 million passengers travel through each year.
She started the job at a time of major improvements for the state’s busiest airport. A $135 million Southwest Airlines maintenance facility opened there this year, a $450 million A/B concourse connector project is nearing completion and the airport just re-upped a 20-year concessions contract with Fraport Baltimore Partnership, capping a years-long procurement process.
Griffin most recently served as the associate administrator for the Federal Aviation Administration under the Biden-Harris Administration. There, she oversaw national airport safety and standards, planning, engineering, federal compliance and financial assistance programs.
As BWI continues to grow, Griffin plans to make necessary updates to the aging airport, which turned 75 this year, and ensure it carries on its role as an economic engine for the area. She spoke with the Baltimore Business Journal about the work ahead. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
