Vanessa L. Allen Sutherland is Executive Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of Norfolk Southern Corporation, a major transporter of industrial products.
Before joining Norfolk Southern in 2018, Allen Sutherland was appointed by President Obama as Chair and CEO of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board.
Prior to that, she served as a presidentially appointed Chief Counsel to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
Before her public service, Allen Sutherland gained extensive industry experience, having served as Senior Counsel for Altria Client Services, Inc. and for Phillip Morris International Inc. Earlier in her career, she served as Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, Digex, Inc., a subsidiary of MCI Telecommunications Corporation.
Allen Sutherland received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Art history from Drew University. She received her J.D. and MBA from American University.
