Danny Plaugher serves as Executive Director of both Virginians for High Speed Rail (VHSR) and the Virginia Transit Association (VTA). He joined VHSR in 2007, where he played a key role in establishing the Virginia Intercity Passenger Rail Operating and Capital Fund (IPROC), helping position Virginia as one of the first states in the nation with a dedicated funding source for passenger rail. In 2019, he joined VTA to lead policy and outreach efforts advancing public transportation across the Commonwealth; and in 2020 he helped to lead the state level advocacy campaign that successfully increased transit and passenger rail funding 25 percent. In 2002, Danny was appointed by Governor Mark R. Warner to the Advisory Committee for Juvenile Justice and was reappointed in 2003, becoming one of the youngest appointees in the administration. Danny is actively engaged in regional and community leadership. He serves on the Megaregion Institutional Council for RVA757 Connects; participates in legislative and transportation committees with the Virginia Conservation Network; and contributes to the Capital Region Rail Vision Advisory Committee with the Greater Washington Partnership. He is also a fellow and treasurer of the Virginia Rail Policy Institute and a member of the Virginia Commonwealth University Alumni Association. His prior public service includes roles on the planning committee for Senator Mark R. Warner’s 2013 Virginia Young Professionals Summit, Terry McAuliffe’s 2014 Transition Transportation Council, and several statewide initiatives, including the Smart Scale Workgroup (2023), Transportation Sustainability Workgroup (2019), and Rail Enhancement Task Force (2015). He is a former president of the Rotary Club of Richmond and a past board member and co-founder of RVA Rapid Transit. Danny is a graduate of Leadership Metro Richmond (2014), the Henrico Citizens Academy (2014), and the Henrico Citizens Fire Academy (2016). His recognitions include being named one of Richmond’s Top 40 Under 40 by Style Weekly in 2011 and one of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Top 10 Graduates of the Last Decade in 2016. In 2018, he became the first honorary member of VCU’s Pi Sigma Alpha honor society in its 30-year history. A graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, Danny lives in Henrico’s West End with his wife, son, and two dogs.