Ann M. Vallandingham is the Director for the Architect of the Capitol's (AOC) Office of Legislative and Public Affairs. As Director, Vallandingham oversees the agency's strategic communications and interactions with Congress, agency employees, the media and the public. She is responsible for the development of congressional testimony, reporting requirements, briefings and legislative analysis. She also manages the AOC's press relations, external and internal websites, and internal communication initiatives.

Professional Experience

Prior to joining the AOC in December 2024, Vallandingham served as a member of the Senior Executive Service as the Acting Assistant Director for the Office of Public and Governmental Affairs (PGA) at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). While at ATF, she served as the Acting Assistant Director of PGA from October 2023 until December 2024 and previously as the Deputy Assistant Director from December 2022. She has over 25 years of military experience as a judge advocate with the U.S. Navy and serves in the Reserves at the rank of Captain/06 as the Commanding Officer for a unit responsible for providing legal services for the East Coast. She served as Senior Policy Advisor and Confidential Assistant to the Office for Victims of Crime Director within the Department of Justice, overseeing legislative affairs, from 2015 until 2018 when she was recalled to active duty as the Deputy Director for the Navy Reserve Law Program (NRLP). As the Deputy Director and then Director of the NRLP, Vallandingham served as a senior advisor to the Deputy Judge Advocate General for Reserve Affairs. Previously, Vallandingham served with the U.S. Senate as a counsel for the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee and as a Senior Policy Advisor and Legislative Assistant for Senator Jim Webb.

Vallandingham began her military career as a prosecutor in Pensacola, Florida and then served as the Assistant Staff Judge Advocate on board the USS Constellation (CV-64) and completed a Western/Pacific Arabian Gulf deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Her military positions while on active duty included: Officer in Charge of the Naval Justice School, Detachment San Diego; Department of Defense Legislative Fellow for Senator John Warner; and Legislation and Regulations Branch Head at Code 13, Administrative Law Division with the Office of the Judge Advocate General. She also served over four years as a legal advisor for Special Operations units with deployments to Iraq, Africa and the Philippines. After nearly 12 years of active duty service, Vallandingham affiliated with the Navy Reserves. Her positions have included working as an international lawyer with U.S. Southern Command and with the U.S. Naval War College.

Education

Vallandingham earned her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from the University of Maryland, College Park, and her Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland School of Law. She is also a graduate of the U.S. Navy War College's Joint Professional Military Education (JPME Phase I). She is a licensed attorney in Maryland.