Governor McAuliffe Announces Administration Appointments

Sandy Adams. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

RICHMOND – Governor Terry McAuliffe announced additional appointments to his administration today. The appointees will join McAuliffe’s administration focused on finding common ground with members of both parties on issues that will grow Virginia’s economy and create more jobs across the Commonwealth.

Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Sandra “Sandy” J. Adams, Commissioner, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

Sandy Adams most recently served as Acting VDACS.  This was Adams’ second time serving as Acting Commissioner. Prior to leading VDACS in an acting capacity, Adams served for three and a half years as the agency’s Deputy Commissioner.  In her new role as VDACS Commissioner, Adams is responsible for managing an agency that promotes the economic growth and development of agriculture, provides consumer protection, and encourages environmental stewardship.  Prior to serving as Deputy Commissioner, Adams served ten years as VDACS Director of Administrative & Financial Services and three years as the agency’s Financial Director.  In addition to her almost 20 years at VDACS, Adams served 12 years in a number of positions at the Department of Taxation.  Adams received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Mary Washington College and a post-baccalaureate Certificate in Accounting from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Secretariat of the Commonwealth

Board Appointments

Administration

Citizen’s Advisory Council on Furnishing and Interpreting the Executive Mansion

·         Susan Alefantis of McLean, Interior Designer, Alefantis & Associates

·         Leslie Greene Bowman of Charlottesville, President, Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello

·         Cynthia Conner of Alexandria, Community Volunteer

·         Beverly B. Davis of Henrico, Chief Operating Officer, Davis Brothers Construction Company

·         Will Paulsen of Charlottesville, Fine and Decorative Arts Appraiser, Appraisal Service/Will Paulsen

·         Jane M. Plum of Reston, Pre-School Director, United Christian Parrish of Reston

·         Monica Rao of Henrico, President/Owner, Graphoria, Inc.

·         Alexander G. Reeves, Jr. of Richmond, Fine and Antique Arts Consultant, Alexander Reeves Fine Arts

·         Davis C. Rennolds of Richmond, Assistant Vice President, McGuireWoods Consulting

·         Brownie Beahm Ritenour of New Market, Retired Public Educator, Community Volunteer

Commerce and Trade

Board of Accountancy

·         Andrea M. Kilmer, CPA, CFF, CGMA* of Virginia Beach, Vice President and CFO, The ESG Companies

Virginia Asian Advisory Board

·         Imran Akram of Great Falls, Chief Executive Officer, NuAxis Innovations

·         Natalie T. Nguyen of Alexandria, WIA Youth Employment Counselor, Fairfax County Department of Family Services

·         Kirtesh D. Patel of Salem, CEO, Omma Management Company

·         J.R. Smith of Glen Allen, Partner, Hunton & Williams LLP

Finance

Debt Capacity Advisory Committee

·         The Honorable Ronald L. Tillett* of Midlothian, Managing Director, Public Finance, Raymond James & Associates, Inc.

Joint Advisory Board of Economists

·         Christine Chmura, Ph.D.* of Glen Allen, President and Chief Economist, Chmura Economics & Analytics

·         Stephen S. Fuller, Ph.D. of Arlington, Dwight Schar Faculty Chair and University Professor, Director, Center for Regional Analysis, George Mason University

·         Alice Louise Kassens, Ph.D. of Fincastle, John S. Shannon Chair of Economics, Roanoke College

·         Tu T. Le of Midlothian, Senior Vice President, SunTrust Bank

·         Ann Battle Macheras, Ph.D. of Richmond, Vice President, Research Department, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond

·         A. Fletcher Mangum, Ph.D.* of Richmond, Managing Partner, Mangum Economics

·         Dan C. Messerschmidt, Ph.D.* of Lynchburg, Professor of Economics, Lynchburg College (retired)

·         Roy L. Pearson, Ph.D. of Williamsburg, Professor Emeritus, Mason School of Business, College of William and Mary

·         Michelle Albert Vachris, Ph.D. of Virginia Beach, Professor of Economics, Christopher Newport University

·         Mark P. Vitner* of Charlotte, Managing Director, Senior Economist, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC

·         Roy H. Webb, Ph.D.* of Richmond, Senior Economist and Policy Advisor, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond

·         Gilbert R. Yochum, Ph.D.* of Virginia Beach, Dean, College of Business & Public Administration, Old Dominion University

Health and Human Resources

Board of Counseling

·         Scott Johnson, Ph.D. of Blacksburg, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Associate Professor and Director, Virginia Tech Marriage and Family Therapy Ph.D. Program

·         Sandra Malawer*, LCP, LMFT of Great Falls, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Director,  The Family Therapy Center

·         Joan Normandy-Dolberg, LPC of Fairfax Station, Director, Family Counseling of Springfield

·         Vivian Sanchez-Jones of Roanoke, School and Community Liaison for Immigrant Families, Commonwealth Catholic Charities

·         Holly J. Tracy, LMFT, LPC of Norfolk, Owner, Peace by Piece Psychotherapy, Ltd.

Family and Children’s Trust Fund, Board of Trustees

·         Frank Blechman of Fairfax Station, Organizational Consultant, state and local projects

·         Betty Wade Coyle* of Norfolk, Executive Director, Emeritus, Prevent Child Abuse Hampton Roads

·         Pamela F. Kennedy of Winchester, Intensive In-home Therapist, Northwestern Community Services

·         Kay Kovacs of Bristol, Past Executive Director, Children’s Advocacy Centers of Virginia

·         Judy Kurtz, PT, MPH of Virginia Beach, Independent Consultant, Past Executive Director, Virginia Beach Court Appointed Special Advocate Program, Inc.

·         Andria McClellan of Norfolk, Commissioner, Norfolk Planning Commission

·         Nikki Nicholau of Richmond, President, Nicholau & Associates, Past Director, Virginia Office on Volunteerism and Community Service

·         Lisa Specter-Dunaway*of Richmond, President/CEO  CHIP of Virginia

Independent

Virginia College Savings Plan

·         The Honorable Ross A. Mugler of Hampton, Commissioner of the Revenue, City of Hampton and President, Virginia Commissioners of the Revenue Association

Veterans

Virginia Military Advisory Council

·         Vivian W. Greentree, Ph.D. of Alexandria, Senior Vice President, Military and Veteran Affairs, First Data Corporation

·         Michael J. McCalip of Woodbridge, Fleet Master Chief (retired) and Owner/Principle, Modern World Technology

·         Terron Sims, II of Arlington, Sr Partner, Doug Pollard, LLC

*Denotes reappointment

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Governor McAuliffe Announces Recipients of the 2014 Governor’s Volunteerism and Community Service Awards

Virginia Governor Democrats Terry McAuliffe 095 (Photo credit: mdfriendofhillary)

Richmond, Va. (April 10, 2014) – Today during an awards ceremony held at the Governor’s Mansion, Governor McAuliffe announced the seven winners of the 2014 Governor’s Volunteerism and Community Service Awards. These awards recognize individuals and organizations for their extraordinary volunteer efforts that make an impact on the lives of citizens throughout the Commonwealth.  

“Building a better Virginia isn’t just about what elected officials do here in Richmond – it’s about the work that devoted volunteers are doing every day in their own neighborhoods and communities,” said Governor McAuliffe. “Each of these awardees has given of their time to make life better in their corner of the Commonwealth. It is my honor to celebrate these exceptional groups and individuals, who should be an example for all of us of what Virginians can achieve when we work together for the common good.”

Virginia Department of Social Services Commissioner Margaret Schultze continued, “The impact that one person or group can make on an entire community is commendable and should be celebrated. It’s important that we recognize those who have made significant contributions to those in need by volunteering right in their own communities.”

Fran Inge, Director of the Virginia Department of Social Services’ Office on Volunteerism and Community Service added, “Each year, the Commonwealth recognizes those who have demonstrated a commitment to serving their communities.  These individuals and organizations are among the 1.79 million Virginians who made a difference in the lives of others by volunteering last year. Virginians on average contributed more than 221.7 million volunteer hours annually, equaling $5.1 billion of service to the Commonwealth.

The awards ceremony was organized by the Office on Volunteerism and Community Service at the Virginia Department of Social Services, in partnership with the Governor’s Advisory Board on Service and Volunteerism. These organizations are charged by the Governor with saluting Virginians who have significantly contributed to the life and welfare of the Commonwealth and its citizens.

Winners of the 2014 Governor’s Volunteerism and Community Service Awards are:

Outstanding Community Organization Award: Newport News Community Emergency Response Team (Newport News)

Serving a community of 187,000, the Newport News Community Emergency Response Team (NN CERT) has become a model for excellence for others in the region. Comprised of citizen volunteers committed to building community preparedness through outreach and emergency shelter response, NN CERT volunteers have donated more than 3,100 hours in 2013 alone.

Outstanding Educational Institution Volunteer Program Award: VCU ASPiRE (Academic Scholars Program in Real Environments) (Richmond)

Virginia Commonwealth University’s (VCU) ASPiRE program enrolls undergraduates who commit to complete nine hours of academic coursework and at least 100 hours of off-campus service for at least four semesters. Between August and December 2013 alone, ASPiRE students contributed more than 7,500 service hours to the Richmond community.

Outstanding Family Volunteer Service Award: The Frank G. Castelvecchi, III Family of Montpelier (Montpelier)

For six generations, the Castelvecchis have served their neighbors through the life-saving role of firefighting. Today in Montpelier, if there’s an emergency -- chances are a Castelvecchi will be there when the alarm sounds. For the Castelvecchi family, service to the community isn’t something you do with your extra time left over at the end of the day; It is a daily way of life.

Outstanding Small Business Award: Williams Bakery of Mechanicsville (Hanover County)

Ronnie and Cathy Williams, owners of Williams Bakery, a Richmond area fixture since 1911, have been giving back through donations of food and service throughout their history. Twice each month, the family-owned bakery donates enough bread, cookies, and pastries to the Western Hanover Emergency Action Team (WHEAT) food pantry to serve up to 100 families.

Outstanding Adult Volunteer Award: Nicole Paige Muller of Charlottesville (Charlottesville)

Through the Neighbors-4-Neighbors National Food Drive Initiative she started when she was just 16, Nicole has raised donations of more than 650,000 pounds of food. A full-time University of Virginia student, Nicole still personally organizes two annual campaigns, one local and one national. Her campaigns are responsible for food donations feeding more than half a million hungry Americans and monetary contributions providing more than 220,000 meals.

Outstanding Senior Volunteer Award: Jim George Smith, Jr. of Dahlgren (King George County)

A retired attorney, Jim George Smith, Jr., travels approximately 20,500 miles per year to mediate with families in crisis because he believes they deserve a chance to reach a resolution without costly litigation. Mr. Smith has dedicated his retirement years working with families on cases referred by the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts of Fauquier, Culpeper, and Stafford Counties.  Through his efforts, he has worked through more than 250 cases per year.

Outstanding Youth Volunteer Award: Unity Bowling of Henrico (Henrico)

In middle school, Unity created the Read Along with a Pal Program (RAPP), recruiting students to mentor others needing reading help and worked with teachers to develop study plans. All RAPP program students passed their SOL tests that year. At 14 years old, Unity has collected more than 6,000 books for children and families across the Commonwealth. She has even had international impact, due to her networking abroad sustaining a children’s library established in 2011 in the village of El Calejon in the Dominican Republic.

# # #

The Governor’s Volunteerism and Community Service Awards are presented by the Governor’s Advisory Board on Service and Volunteerism and VDSS’ Office on Volunteerism and Community Service on behalf of the Office of the Governor. These awards have recognized exceptional volunteer service in Virginia for more than 20 years. Additional information about the program and full bios on this year’s recipients can be found online at http://www.vaservice.org/go/volunteer/governors_volunteerism_awards/

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Governor McAuliffe Announces 2014 Governor’s Challenge Champions in Economics and Personal Finance

Map of Fairfax County and neighboring jurisdictions (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Three Virginia High School Teams Crowned State Champions at Competition of Economics and Financial Skill

Richmond – Governor Terry McAuliffe today announced the winners of the 2014 Governor’s Challenge in Economics and Personal Finance.  Preliminary online rounds attracted a record number of participants, almost 3,000 high school students from across Virginia.  161 students qualified for the day-long championship competition at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) on April 9th where the following teams prevailed:

Adam Smith Division (advanced economics)

  1^st place: Chantilly High School, Fairfax County;  teacher: Joe Clement

  Runner up:  St.Stephen’s/St.Agnes School, Private;  teacher: Theresa Cullen Hill

David Ricardo Division (economics)

  1^st Place: Dominion High School, Loudoun County;  teacher: Gregory Welling

  Runner up:  Appomattox Regional Governor’s School, Multi-Divisions;  teacher: Emily Hardesty

Personal Finance Division

 1^st Place: Rappahannock High School, Richmond County;  teacher: Brent Brown

  Runner up: Charlottesville High School, City of Charlottesville;  teacher: Katie Baugher

“Equipping Virginia students with real-world financial skills and an understanding of their role in a dynamic and global economy is crucial to their future success,” said Governor McAuliffe. “The Governor’s Challenge highlights the excellent job that teachers are doing relaying the scope and relevance of economic education to their students.  These students will lead the way in strengthening Virginia’s workforce and are prepared to make informed financial decisions that will lead to stronger communities and a stronger economy.” 

The Governor’s Challenge is conducted in partnership with the Virginia Council on Economic Education (VCEE), a nonprofit public-private partnership focused on enhancing economics and financial education in grades K-12.  Students who graduate in 2015 will be the first class required to earn a credit in economics and personal finance in order to graduate.  VCEE has been a key partner in providing professional development and creative classroom resources to assist teachers who are teaching this new course.  The Governor’s Challenge is part of the Virginia High School Initiative designed to support teachers and school divisions with implementation of the new high school course.

“The knowledge level and engagement of our students is quite impressive,” said Virginia Secretary of Education Anne Holton.  “It is clear these students will leave high school better prepared for the jobs of the 21st Century and be more effective consumers, savers, and investors.” 

“Congratulations go to all the teachers who prepared their students and made the extra effort to provide them the opportunity to participate in the online and ‘live’ Governor’s Challenge,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Patricia I. Wright.

Thanks go to lead sponsor Capital One, and additional sponsors BCG Companies, Dominion Resources, and Virginia Credit Union who provided financial support to make the Governor’s Challenge possible.

Visit  http://www.education.virginia.gov/Initiatives/EconomicAndFinancialLiteracy/index.cfm andwww.vcee.org to learn more about the Governor’s Challenge and other efforts to promote economic and financial education for Virginia’s students.

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Governor McAuliffe Announces Administration Appointments

Terry McAuliffe by David Shankbone,(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

RICHMOND – Governor Terry McAuliffe announced additional appointments to his administration today. The appointees will join McAuliffe’s administration focused on finding common ground with members of both parties on issues that will grow Virginia’s economy and create more jobs across the Commonwealth.

Secretariat of Natural Resources

Kaci Easley, Confidential Assistant to the Secretary of Natural Resources

Kaci Easley previously served in several positions at the U.S. Department of Agriculture including as a Program Analyst and Project Manager at the National Finance Center, and an administrative officer at the Natural Resources Conservation Service. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in business marketing from Hampton University.

Secretariat of the Commonwealth

Board Appointments

Bill Leighty, Board of Trustees of the Virginia Retirement System

From January of 2002 until September of 2007, Bill served as Chief of Staff to Governors Warner and Kaine. In 2005, Governing Magazine named Virginia the “Best Managed State in the Nation” and in 2007, Governing Magazine named him one of the nine “Public Officials of the Year.”  For seven years, Bill was the Director of the Virginia Retirement System, where he led the agency to three consecutive U.S. Senate Productivity Awards. Upon retirement Bill joined DecideSmart, LLC consulting.  In April of 2008, he served as Senior Advisor to the Scottish Executive advising the government on how to design and implement Scotland Performs, a national performance management system.  In July of 2008, Bill conducted a performance review of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund, a $52 billion pension system.  In 2011, at the request of the National Governors Association, Bill led a 5 person delegation to Nigeria to conduct a “new governors” seminar for the newly elected governors of Nigeria. Bill joined state government after serving in the United States Marine Corps.  Bill graduated from Mary Washington College in 1978, and holds an MBA from Virginia Commonwealth University.

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