Khattab Shammout Named County’s Director of Public Works

Following a thorough recruitment process, Prince William County hired Khattab Shammout as the county's Director of Public Works. The Board of County Supervisors made the appointment during their July 2 meeting. The appointment was effective starting on Saturday, July 6.  

Shammout has more than 33 years of experience working in the public and private sectors managing complex capital infrastructure projects. He has extensive experience permitting and preserving environmentally sensitive areas, such as wetlands, Resource Protection Areas and FEMA floodplains. He also understands the importance of operating a streamlined land development permitting process. 

Before being named Acting Public Works Director in March 2024, Shammout worked in the county's Department of Transportation as the Assistant Director of Transportation Capital Projects Design and Construction since 2018. Prior to that, he worked for Loudoun County for two years as the Department of Transportation and Capital Infrastructure’s Deputy Director for capital projects design and construction. He also worked for Parsons Brinkerhoff as the construction and logistics director; and he previously worked for Prince William County in the Department of Transportation from 1990-2014, serving in several different roles, including the division chief of capital projects.  

County Executive Chris Shorter expressed his excitement about the appointment of Shammout as the new Director of Public Works, stating, "I am so excited for Khattab to take on this role and am confident that his extensive experience and proven track record in managing complex infrastructure projects will bring valuable leadership to the Public Works Department. I look forward to working closely with Khattab as he takes on this important position." 

"I am truly excited to start my new position as the Director of Public Works. Public Works is a department that provides critical services to our citizens and contributes to the quality of life in Prince William County,” said Shammout. “I look forward to contributing to the betterment of our community through this important role." 

Shammout has a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from West Virginia Institute of Technology, as well as a graduate certificate in Construction Project Management from the University of Florida. He is also a graduate of the Construction Management Institute of Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University. He is a registered professional engineer in Virginia and certified as a Designated Design-Build Professional by Design Build Institute of America. He is a member of the National Society of Professional Engineers and the Design Build Institute of America.