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.
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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
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