Tiffany Shackelford (Age 46)  
A leader of communications, policy, and journalism organizations, died December 27, 2020, after contracting COVID-19. The Alexandria, VA, resident leaves her husband of 14 years, Aaron Castelo; son Sam, 9; and a wide network of friends and relatives. At the time of her death, Tiffany was executive director of the Society for News Design, a nonprofit organization for media leaders and visual journalists. She was also associated with the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, having served as executive director of its Voter Communications Task Force and as head of outreach for its 50-state election cybersecurity project before the recent election. From 2016 to 2019 she was the chief strategy officer and communications director for the National Governors Association. Previous career highlights included leading the Association of Alternative Newsmedia and the publishing practice for Phase2 Technology, and serving as assistant managing editor of Stateline, a news site funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts that pioneered online-only content delivery in 1999. In the latter role, she helped found and served as executive director of Capitolbeat, an association of statehouse reporters and editors. She also started and ran the Online News Association's first local group in Washington, DC. Tiffany was born in Jacksonville, Fla., on July 31, 1974, part of a Navy family that had several duty stations before settling in Fairfax County, Va., in the early 1980s. She graduated from West Potomac High School in 1992 and East Carolina University in 1996. Tiffany's magnetic energy and warmth attracted a huge network of lifelong friends, whom she charmed with her razor-sharp wit, spot-on observations and storytelling. She had a unique gift for helping people make connections in her private and professional life, and a rare combination of both vision and attention to the finest detail. She delighted in passing on to Sam her trademark sense of humor and sarcasm. She was preceded in death by her parents, Brenda Logan Shackelford and Harry Shackelford, Jr.  A Celebration of Life will be held online at 7 p.m. Friday, January 15, 2021; register in advance at Tiffanyshackelford.com. Online condolences also may be sent by visiting https://www.dignitymemorial.com/.