The Office of the Governor of the State of Virginia

03/18/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/18/2026 12:56

Governor Spanberger Announces Board Appointments

For Immediate Release: March 18, 2026
Office of the Governor Contact: [email protected]

Governor Spanberger Announces Board Appointments

RICHMOND, VA - Governor Abigail Spanberger today announced board appointments.

"When I think about the more than 100 Virginians we've appointed to boards and commissions in just 60 days, I think about what they represent - wide-ranging professional experience, an unwavering commitment to their communities, and a willingness to serve their fellow Virginians at the highest standard," said Governor Abigail Spanberger. "I know these leaders will always put the Commonwealth first as we continue to focus on building a stronger future for Virginia students, families, and communities."

ADMINISTRATION

State Board of Elections

  • Sally Hudson of Charlottesville, Practitioner Fellow, University of Virginia

Citizens' Advisory Council on Furnishing and Interpreting the Executive Mansion

  • Dorothy French Boone, MD, MPH of Barboursville, Public Health Physician
  • Siobhan Deeds of Lexington, Owner, Pumpkinseeds
  • Leonard Lacey of Stafford, Senior Pastor, United Faith Christian Ministry
  • Julia Marsden of Burke, Retired, Balmar Printing & Graphics
  • Justin Sarafin of Dinwiddie, Executive Director, Historic Petersburg Foundation
  • James Schuyler of Richmond, Retired, Virginia Community Action Partnership
  • Gayle Jessup White of  Charlottesville, Public Relations & Community Engagement Officer, Thomas Jefferson Foundation

AUTHORITY

Fort Monroe Authority

  • Eola Dance of Hampton, Founder, VISION Collective LLC
  • L'Allegro Smith of Arlington, Federal Public Policy Manager, TikTok USDS JV

COMMONWEALTH

LGBTQ+ Advisory Board

  • Kristi Black of Prince William, Interim CEO, Prince William Chamber of Commerce
  • Christopher Gordon of Hopewell, Chief Financial Officer, North Carolina Dept. of Health and Human Services-NC Medicaid
  • Aneesah Smith Main of Chesterfield, Equity & LGBTQ+ Advisor, City of Richmond
  • Stephanie Merlo of Henrico, Vice President, Collaborative Arts Initiative
  • Paige Reed of Staunton, Program Director & Associate Professor of Criminal Justice & Director of LGBTQ+ Resources, Mary Baldwin University
  • Alexsis Rodgers of Richmond, Managing Director of Strategy and Impact, Black Futures Lab
  • Ruben Valle of New Kent, Platform, Data, and Cybersecurity Division Chief, US Department of Defense
  • Reed Williams of Virginia Beach, Director of Communications, Equality Virginia

COMPACTS

Breaks Interstate Park Commission

  • Richard Mullins of Dickenson, Retired, Newell Smokeless Coal

Interstate Commission on Potomac River Basin

  • Justin Carl of Alexandria, General Manager and CEO, AlexRenew
  • Mark Peterson of Loudoun, Chief, Stakeholder Relations, Loudoun Water

EDUCATION

Board of Education

  • Kimberly Bridges of Richmond, Associate Professor, Virginia Commonwealth University
  • Beth Rhinehart of Bristol, President & CEO, Bristol Chamber of Commerce
  • William Robinson of Crozet, Executive Director, UVA Partnership for Leaders in Education
  • Jamelle Wilson of Hanover, Dean, University of Richmond

Norfolk State University Board of Visitors

  • Michael Thornton of Virginia Beach, Retired, Surry County Public Schools
  • Harold Watkins of Richmond, Clinician, Nexus

Old Dominion University Board of Visitors

  • Robert Corn of Springfield, President, Landmark Strategies LLC
  • Peter Decker of Norfolk, Partner, Decker Law
  • Mark Fleming of Norfolk, Genitourinary Oncologist, Virginia Oncology Associates
  • Charlene Morring of Suffolk, Principal Owner & Attorney, Morring Law PLLC
  • Keith Newby of Norfolk, Chair of Cardiology, Bon Secours Mercy Health
  • Kenneth Plum of Reston, Retired, Fairfax County Public Schools

Richard Bland College Board of Visitors

  • Shawn Avery of Poquoson, President and CEO, Hampton Roads Workforce Council
  • Peter Blake of Richmond, Retired, State Council of Higher Education
  • Kevin Masengill of Dinwiddie, County Administrator, Dinwiddie County
  • Perry Miller of Henrico, President & CEO, Capital Region Airport Commission
  • Jennifer Montague of Richmond, President & CEO, Columbia Gas of Virginia
  • Penny Parayo of Petersburg, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Live! Casino Virginia
  • Amanda Rusell of Carson, Physician, Southern Dominion Health System
  • Joanne Williams of Prince George, Director of Communications, Tourism, Marketing & Government Relations, City of Petersburg
  • Deborah Young of Prince George, Retired, Honeywell International

State Council of Higher Education for Virginia

  • Raymond Haynes of Hampton, Superintendent, Hampton City Schools
  • Thaddeus Holloman of Newport News, Retired, Old Point National Bank

Virginia Commonwealth University Board of Visitors

  • Heidi Schlicher Cook of Chesterfield, Senior Vice President, Old Dominion Public Affairs
  • Alexis Swann of Hampton, Regional President, Towne Bank
  • Harry Thalhimer of Richmond, President, Thalhimer Headwear

College of William & Mary Board of Visitors

  • John Rathbone of Virginia Beach, Retired, Norfolk Southern

HEALTH & HUMAN RESOURCES

Board of Health

  • Pamela Cipriano of Charlottesville, Professor Emerita, University of Virginia
  • Julie Henderson of Richmond, Retired, Virginia Department of Health
  • Thomasena Wicker of Carrollton, Adjunct Professor, Hampton University
  • Saquib Samee of Henrico, President, Commonwealth Vein Center

Board of Nursing

  • Tauna Gulley of Dickenson, Professor of Nursing, University of Pikeville
  • Kathleen Ware of Williamsburg, Vice-President of Nursing, Bon Secours Health System
  • Yesenia Nunez of Winchester, Advance Practice Nurse Practitioner, Valley Health

NATURAL & HISTORIC RESOURCES

State Air Pollution Control Board

  • Avi Garbow of Arlington, Founder, Fiery Run Environmental Strategies PLLC
  • Roy Hoagland of Moseley, Attorney, HOPE Impacts
  • William Shobe of Albemarle, Research Professor Emeritus of Public Policy, University of Virginia
  • Sharon Shutler of Arlington, Retired, U.S. Department of Justice

PUBLIC SAFETY & HOMELAND SECURITY

Board of Juvenile Justice

  • Montell Brown of Manassas, School Administrator, Fairfax County Public Schools
  • Travis Burns of King George, Principal, King George High School
  • Celvin Richardson of Chesterfield, Tester & Evaluator, Virginia Department of Corrections
  • Neville Welch of Dumfries, CEO, Lemmas Consulting, LLC

TRANSPORTATION

Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority

  • Roderick Hall of Prince William, Senior Policy Advisor, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP

VETERANS & DEFENSE AFFAIRS

Joint Leadership Council of Veterans Service Organizations

  • Richard Lane of Alexandria, Contractor, Blinded Veterans Association

# # #

The Office of the Governor of the State of Virginia published this content on March 18, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on March 18, 2026 at 18:56 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]