Commissioner Diana Irey Vaughan, Chair

Diana Irey Vaughan


Diana Irey Vaughan, elected in 1995, is the longest serving Commissioner, now serving her seventh term of office, and is the only woman to have ever served in Washington County.

Diana is a leader in economic development, establishing a public-private partnership in 1999 with the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, to develop a “one-stop shop” creating a unified delivery system for economic development efforts. She has been instrumental in the progress of Starpointe Business Park and California Technology Park, and played a key role in the development of Southpointe I and II, having co-chaired the Western Center Land Reuse Task Force.
Through her insistence on long-range planning, low tax rate, and a unified economic delivery plan, Diana has helped to foster an environment that brought more than 6,000 new jobs, ranking Washington County third in the nation in job growth by U.S. Department of Labor in 2010.

As a mother, Diana recognizes a crucial part of county government is the service rendered to children and youth. She has been outspoken in her quest to ensure that services are delivered in a competent and caring manner. Because of her passion for these matters, she has served on the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania Human Services Committee and on the National Association of Counties’ Human Services and Education Committee. In 2011, she formed the Washington County Children and Youth Task Force with members of CYS, courts representatives, local legislators, law enforcement and local child protection services, in an effort to improve services for child and youth in Washington County.

Personal Life

Diana is the mother of three adult children and is married to Colonel Robert Vaughan, who has served in seven mobilization with the U.S. Army Reserves. In 2012, Diana launched her own business, SucSeed, which offers a curriculum designed to help other women succeed. Diana volunteers her time in the Washington County Correctional Facility working with female inmates in a re-entry program. The program is designed to prepare incarcerate individuals for success when released back into society.

Honors


Most recently, she was the recipient of the 2014 Athena Award by the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, 2017 Mon Valley Hospital Gibbons Award for Dimensions in Community Service, and 2017 World Class CEO by the Southpointe CEO Association.


Previous economic and community boards:


  •   American Cancer Society
  •   County Commissioners Association of PA (Dist II Rep)
  •   Monongahela Women’s Club past president
  •   Mon Valley Friends of the NRA
  •   Mon Valley United Way past president
  •   Pittsburgh Regional Alliance
  •   Pittsburgh TODAY Government Committee
  •   Port of Pittsburgh Commission
  •   Southwestern Pennsylvania Corporation
  •   Southwestern Pennsylvania Growth Alliance
  •   University of Pittsburgh Institute of Politics Board of Fellows
  •   Washington County United Way and Board of Directors
  •   Western Center Land Reuse Task Force Co-Chair

Current board member:


  •   Pennsylvania Fix the Debt Advisory Board
  •   Pennsylvania Minimum Wage Advisory Board
  •   Program Advisory Committee for Penn Commercial Business and Technical School (2014)
  •   Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission
  •   Washington County Chamber of Commerce
  •   Washington County Opiate Task Force
  •   Women’s Mentoring Project of Southpointe CEO Association

Current membership:


  •   BPW Club of Canonsburg
  •   Dormont – Mt. Lebanon Sportsman’s Club
  •   FOAC (Firearm Owners Against Crime)
  •   Mon Valley Chamber of Commerce
  •   NRA (Lifetime Member)
  •   Pennsylvania Society
  •   Peters Township Chamber of Commerce
  •   POWER of Southpointe
  •   Roscoe Sportsman’s Association
  •   Washington County Chamber of Commerce
  •   Washington Health and Wellness council
  •   WOMEN of Southwestern PA

Community involvement:


  •   Celebrity Night performances for Wash Arts
  •   Co-chaired March of Dimes walk and Washington County Heart Walk
  •   Dancing for a Cause for Watchful
  •   Danced for the American Cancer Society dinner dance
  •   Guest Panelist for Chatham University’s Ready to Run Campaign
  •   Guest Speaker for Canonsburg BPW, Power of Southpointe and Women’s Energy Network
  •   Mentor at the Women Mentoring Symposium hosted by the PA Commission for Women
  •   PA Trolley Museum fundraiser roast
  •   Raised $100,000 for City Mission’s Patriot House and Avis Arbor homeless shelters

Honors and recognition:


  •   2017 World Class CEO – Southpointe CEO Association
  •   2017 Mon Valley Hospital Gibbons Award for Dimensions in Community Service
  •   2017 Spirit Award –Washington Health System Teen Outreach
  •   2016 -2017 Pittsburgh Business Times – Who’s Who in Energy for government
  •   2015 American Legion Medal of Honor
  •   2014 Washington County Athena Award
  •   2012 Washington County Fireman’s Association President’s Award
  •   1999 Pennsylvania State Correction for Furlough In Service program
  •   1999 Named one of the top “60 Pittsburghers of the Year” by Pittsburgh Magazine
  •   1998 National Society of American Veteran’s Americanism Merit Award
  •   1998 Distinguished Ethics speaker for the Beard Center for Leadership in Ethics at Duquesne  University
  •   1997 Observer Reporter Open Door Award
  •   1996 Vince and Larry Award
  •   Zonta Rose Day recipient
  •   Mon Valley YMCA Body, Mind, and Spirit Award recipient