Politics & Government

Chopra, Fisette, Lopez Among McAuliffe's Transition Team

Governor-elect puts together bipartisan group to help build 'strong and diverse' administration.

Northern Virginia is heavily represented on Gov.-elect Terry McAuliffe's transition team, and Arlington County in particular.

Former White House Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra, Arlington County Board Vice Chairman Jay Fisette and Democratic state Del. Alfonso Lopez are all part of the team. Rounding out Arlington's representation are Jaime Areizaga-Soto, a JAG attorney and former deputy director for Hispanic affairs for the Democratic National Committee, and Leni Gonzalez, a founding member of the Shirlington Employment and Education Center.

That representation alone offers a potential snapshot of priorities for the McAuliffe administration.

Find out what's happening in Arlingtonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Chopra, for instance, has been heavily involved in the local startup scene and is an advocate for opening up government data to better inform the public and to create opportunities for entrepreneurs. Fisette, who is in line to be the next chairman of the local county board, champions clean energy and sustainable building practices. And Lopez has worked hard on Virginia DREAM Act legislation, which McAuliffe said on the campaign trail this year he would sign into law if and when it is passed.

"Having been on the staff for the transition team for Governor-elect Kaine, I have seen first hand how important this process is to the success of an administration. I look forward to assisting the team in any way I can" Lopez told Patch in an email.

Find out what's happening in Arlingtonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The 53-person body is a mix of state officials and business leaders, including Republicans from the state House of Delegates and Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms.

"The challenges we face require leaders who will put old battles aside and find common ground to move us forward together," McAuliffe said in a statement. "I have no doubt that this transition committee will help me build an administration that is ready to hit the ground running on the issues that matter most to Virginia families.”

McAuliffe also announced Thursday that he will put his wealth into a blind trust and sell his stake in GreenTech Automotive and McLean-based Capital Management International, according to The Washington Post.

The full committee will consist of:

Stephen Adkins
Chief, Chickahominy Tribe of Virginia
Charles City

Nancy Howell Agee
President & CEO, Carilion Clinic
Roanoke

Jaime Areizaga-Soto
Military Attorney
Arlington

Robert Blue
Senior VP, Dominion
Richmond

Mark Bowles
Executive VP, McGuire Woods Consulting
Goochland

Sharon Bulova
Chairwoman, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors
Fairfax

Vince Callahan
Former member, Virginia House of Delegates
Alexandria

Aneesh Chopra
Co-Founder & EVP, Hunch Analytics
Arlington

Karen Conchar
Secretary-Treasurer, SEIU Virginia 512
Midland

Frank M. "Rusty" Connor, III
Managing Partner, DLA Piper
Alexandria

Jim Corcoran
President & CEO, Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce
Fairfax

Doris Crouse-Mays
President, Virginia AFL-CIO
Vinton

H. Benson Dendy, III
President, Vectre Corporation
Richmond

Linda DiYorio
Former District Director, Office of Congressman Rick Boucher
Wytheville

Eileen Filler-Corn
Member, Virginia House of Delegates
Springfield

Jay Fisette
Member, Arlington County Board
Arlington

Paul Fraim
Mayor, city of Norfolk
Norfolk

W. Heywood Fralin
Chairman, Medical Facilities of America
Roanoke

Leni Gonzalez
President, Board of Director, Shirlington Employment and Education Center
Arlington

Marco Grimaldo
CEO & President, Virginia Interfaith Center
Richmond

Lori Haas
Virginia State Director, Coalition to Stop Gun Violence
Richmond

Eva Hardy
Former State Director, Office of Senator Mark Warner
Richmond

Joni Ivey
Office of Congressman Bobby Scott
Newport News

Ken Johnson
President & CEO, Johnson Inc.
Richmond

Meg Gruber
President, Virginia Education Association
Chesterfield

Mike Kennedy
District 17 Representative, United Mine Workers of America
St. Paul

Anne Leigh Kerr
Attorney, Troutman Sanders
Richmond

Babur Lateef, MD
Physician
Manassas

John LaVoie
Attorney, Cooley LLP
Alexandria

Alfonso Lopez
Member, Virginia House of Delegates
Arlington

Boyd Marcus
Former Chief of Staff, Office of Governor James Gilmore
Richmond

Donald McEachin
Member, Senate of Virginia
Henrico

Jeff Painter
Executive Director, Virginia League of Conservation Voters
Richmond

Chris Peace
Member, Virginia House of Delegates
Mechanicsville

Phillip Puckett
Member, Senate of Virginia
Lebanon

Linwood Rose
President Emeritus, James Madison University
Harrisonburg

Karen Schultz, MD
Director, Center for Public Service and Scholarship, Shenandoah University
Winchester

Will Sessoms
Mayor, City of Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach

John Sherman
Former CEO & Vice Chairman, Scott & Stringfellow
Richmond

Knox Singleton
CEO, INOVA Health System
McLean

Cianti Stewart-Reid
Executive Director, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia
Richmond

Terrie Suit
CEO, Virginia Association of REALTORS
Virginia Beach

Susan Swecker
President, Dividing Waters Public Affairs, LLC
Richmond

Robert G. Templin, Jr.
President, Northern Virginia Community College
Centreville

Adam Thiel
Fire Chief, Alexandria Fire Department
Alexandria

Warren Thompson
President  & Chairman, Thompson Hospitality
Reston

Edmond Turner
Disability Consultant, Turner and Associates
Richmond

Katherine Waddell
Former Member, Virginia House of Delegates
Richmond

Jeion Ward
Member, Virginia House of Delegates
Hampton

Jody Wagner
President, Jody's Popcorn
Virginia Beach

Ryant Washington
Sheriff, Fluvanna County
Palmyra

Judy Ford Wason
Former VP for University Advancement, Christopher Newport University
Williamsburg

John Watkins
Member, Senate of Virginia
Powhatan


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here