Candidate Profile: Dann Nash For Vienna Town Council

VIENNA, VA — Dann Nash, an executive in commercial construction, is seeking election to Vienna Town Council in the Nov. 4, 2025 general election.

All six Vienna Town Council seats and mayor are up for election in 2025. Before 2023, Town Council seats had staggered two-year terms with elections in May.

There are seven candidates for six Vienna Town Council seats, and Vienna Mayor Linda Colbert is unopposed in her re-election bid.

Nash is running for Town Council, along with incumbents Sandra Allen, Chuck Anderson, Roy Baldwin, Jessica Ramakis and Howard Springsteen and newcomer Doug Francis. Councilmember Ray Brill is not seeking re-election.

SEE ALSO: Vienna Town Council Forum Set Before November 2025 Election

In addition to the town elections, Town of Vienna voters will have Virginia governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and Virginia House of Delegates 12th District on the ballot. There are also Fairfax County public school bonds up for a voter referendum.

Early voting for the general election began on Friday, Sept. 19. More information on how to vote is available from the Fairfax County Office of Elections.

Patch asked candidates for Vienna Town Council to fill out a candidate questionnaire with the same questions. Here are Nash's responses:

Name

Daniel R. "Dann" Nash

Office Sought

Town Council

Campaign Website

nashfortowncouncil on Instagram

Age (As of Nov. 4 election)

60

Education

BA-Architecture from Virginia Tech; Juris Doctorate and LL.M - Real Estate from University of Illinois, Chicago

Occupation

Chief Operating Officer - Commercial Construction

Family

I have been married to my wife, Diana, for 29 years, and we have three children: two in college; and one who is a senior in high school. And we have a wonderful dog named Bear.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Previous public office positions or appointments

Board Member Town of Vienna Board of Zoning Appeals

Why are you seeking this office?

My wife and I moved to Vienna a little over 21 years ago and raised our three children here. We’ve been fortunate enough to experience the great schools: Vienna Elementary, Thoreau, and Madison. I’ve had the opportunity of getting involved with many of Vienna’s outstanding organizations, such as scouting, sports (VYI – football, basketball, VLL, and VYS), and philanthropy (YMSL and JVL), so my family and I know why Vienna is such a special place to call home.

I care deeply about this town, and I want to bring my perspective and experiences to the decision-making process to help Vienna preserve the qualities that make it so unique – a strong sense of community with a small-town feel – all while allowing for growth and improvement.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidate(s) seeking this post?

As a new candidate for Town Council, I can bring a fresh set of eyes and an independent voice as we manage the inevitable change that comes with the passage of time. Although I’m not an incumbent council member, I have served on the Town of Vienna Board of Zoning Appeals for the past five years, serving one year as the Chair, so I am familiar with how the Town works.

My professional background is diverse – I’ve worked as an architect, lawyer and general contractor. Each profession requires problem-solving, but each approaches challenges in very different ways. I often draw upon all of these varied methods as I set about trying to find solutions, and I think this will be a benefit to the Town Council in the future.

And while I have lived in Vienna for the past two decades, I have lived in other areas, both rural and urban, which provides me with a distinctive perspective on the challenges the Town will face going forward. Unexpected issues are going to come up that we’re not even thinking about today. That’s why I believe it’s imperative to vote for the best decision-makers rather than those who may stand for only on a few specific issues. I have the ability to build consensus amongst people with differing points of view in order to produce better ideas, and I strongly believe that is exactly what we need now.

What do you see as the top issues facing your locality, and how do you address them in your campaign platform?

A top issue facing Vienna is the large number of business vacancies. These vacancies negatively impact tax revenue, weaken town vitality, and affect the quality of life for all residents. We need to make it easier for businesses to succeed in Vienna. Too many business owners choose other locations rather than deal with the hurdles of establishing a business here. To address this issue, I propose creating a Business Development position, or adding these duties to an existing position. This person will be responsible for outreach, reviewing internal processes and procedures for starting a business in Vienna, identifying areas of improvement and making recommendations to the Town Council. Additionally, the town should consider offering tax incentives to attract new businesses.

Another town challenge is funding capital improvements, maintenance, and Town operations…expenses that are currently paid for almost exclusively from property taxes and the meals tax. Instead of relying on tax increases, we must aggressively and creatively look for other revenue streams. Options include naming rights to buildings/parks/ball fields, and seeking philanthropic donations, such as the sidewalk project. When I was working on the $1.5B Terminal Modernization Program at Pittsburgh International Airport the Airport Authority hired a person who successfully found alternative sources of revenue like the ones listed above. I’m confident something very similar could be done here in Vienna.

Finally, in today’s environment we need to improve visibility on the Town’s decision making. While there are many wonderful things being done to help disseminate information, e.g., Town Newsletter, town hall meetings, and meet-the-mayor outings. We need to do more. We must fill the information void with accurate information to squash disinformation. One approach would be for Town Council members to routinely meet with business leaders, volunteer organizations, faith communities, etc. so that residents hear firsthand why certain decisions are being made.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

During my professional career, I’ve led companies and associations, managing budgets similar in size to the Town of Vienna’s (approximately $54M) with Profit & Loss responsibility. While the Town is a nonprofit corporation under state law, we must balance our budget and ensure fiscal responsibility as trusted stewards of residents’ tax dollars.

Equally important is my experience on numerous boards and committees, which is more relevant to being a council member. As a group we will only be able to accomplish what we can agree on, and I have a lot of experience bringing people together, increasing engagement to achieve common goals.

For example, when I became president of the Heavy Construction Contractors Association, we had very low membership, apathy, negativity towards decision making and serious budget issues which threatened its survival. Over the years, I’ve found over the years the best way to curb negativity and build engagement is to make sure as many people as possible have skin in the game. It’s difficult to criticize something you have ownership in. I required every board member to serve as a liaison to at least one committee, ensuring information flowed both ways. I also encouraged board members and committee chairs to bring guests to our monthly dinner meetings, and all new members were asked to join a committee. Within a year, our membership increased by 50%, committees became active and productive, and consequently revenue grew.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I’m not a politician, and that’s exactly why the nonpartisan nature of the Town Council appeals to me. I want to work hard to address local issues to improve all of our daily lives. I want to foster unity so that “together” we can continue to improve Vienna for every resident and visitor.