Seal of the Governor
For Immediate Release: July 27, 2018
Contacts: Office of the Governor: Ofirah Yheskel, Ofirah.Yheskel@governor.virginia.gov

Governor Northam Announces Administration Appointments

RICHMOND—Governor Ralph Northam announced additional appointments to his Administration today.

Office of the Governor

Caroline Corl, MSW, Confidential Assistant to the Governor
Caroline Corl has been appointed Confidential Assistant to the Governor. Prior to her appointment, Caroline served as Executive Assistant to the Secretary of the Commonwealth since May 2017. Caroline holds a Bachelor of Social Work and a Master of Social Work degree with a concentration in Social Work Administration, Planning, and Policy Practice, both from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Alexa Pinzon, Assistant Mansion Director and Assistant Chef
Alexa Pinzon has been appointed Assistant Mansion Director and will continue serving as Assistant Chef, a position she has held since September 2015. Alexa is a native of Richmond and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Baking and Pastry Arts from Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island.

Secretariat of Administration

Emily Elliott, Director, Department of Human Resource Management
Emily Elliott has been appointed Director of the Department of Human Resource Management. She has served as Human Resources Director at the Virginia Department of Transportation since 2010, holding several leadership positions in human resources and personnel management at the department since 1994. A native of Isle of Wight County, Emily has held multiple national committee roles with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, and is an inaugural steering committee member of the Southeastern Transportation Workforce Development Center at the University of Memphis. Emily obtained a Master of Arts in Education and Human Development from George Washington University and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Christopher Newport University.

Rueyenne White, Chief Deputy, Department of Human Resource Management
Rueyenne White has been appointed Chief Deputy of the Department of Human Resource Management, where she has served as Acting Director since April 2018. In her prior role, she directed state policy, employment, talent management, employee compensation, salary administration, workforce and succession planning, management consulting, workforce analytics, and a central fee-for-service Shared Services Center. Rue has extensive state government experience in the design, development, and implementation of large-scale workforce programs and initiatives that drive organizational success. Throughout her career she has served in diverse human resource roles with the Governor’s Office of State Personnel, the Medical College of Virginia, the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services, and the Department of Human Resource Management.

Carlos Rivero, Chief Data Officer
Carlos Rivero has been appointed Chief Data Officer. Prior to his appointment, Carlos served as Chief Data Officer and Chief Enterprise Architect for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration in Washington, D.C. Carlos has also worked at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Southeast Fisheries Science Center in Miami, Florida, as a physical scientist and as a Research Associate at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, where he developed a passion for geospatial information systems, ecological modeling, and data. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Studies from Florida International University and a Master of Science in Business Intelligence and Analytics from Saint Joseph’s University, focusing on database design, data management, business intelligence, big data, and data analytics.

Secretariat of Agriculture and Forestry

Brandon Hatcher, Executive Assistant to the Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry
Brandon Hatcher has been appointed Executive Assistant to the Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry. Prior to his appointment, Brandon worked as a Special Assistant in the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth. He is a native of Buckingham, Virginia, and served as a Governor’s Fellow in the McAuliffe administration in the Health and Human Resources secretariat. He earned an undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice and Psychology, a post-baccalaureate certificate in Public Management, and a Master of Public Administration degree from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). A former deputy sheriff for Henrico County, he is also a graduate of the VCU Student Basic Jailor Academy.

Secretariat of Commerce and Trade

Jay DeBoer, Director, Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation
Jay DeBoer has been reappointed Director of the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR). He was appointed DPOR Director by Governor Terry McAuliffe in the spring of 2014. Immediately prior to joining DPOR, he worked with the Virginia Association of Realtors® in legal and public policy areas. He previously served as the Director of DPOR from 2006–2010 in the administration of Governor Tim Kaine, and as the Commissioner of the Virginia Department for the Aging from 2002–2006 during the administration of Governor Mark Warner. He was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 1982, and from 1983 until 2002, representing the 63rd House District in the General Assembly. He served as Co-Chair of the Health, Welfare and Institutions Committee, was a member of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC), and member and past Chair of the Joint Commission on Health Care and the Virginia Code Commission. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government from the College of William and Mary and a Doctor of Jurisprudence from the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William and Mary.

Secretariat of the Commonwealth

Courtney Wynn, Executive Assistant to the Secretary of the Commonwealth
Courtney Wynn has been appointed Executive Assistant to the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Courtney is a proud member of the Chickahominy Tribe of Charles City County, Virginia. She previously worked as a Data Analyst for Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, and is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Economics.

Board Appointments

Advisory Board for the Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing

  • Shantell D. Lewis, AuD* of Richmond, Audiologist, Virginia Professional Hearing Healthcare Center
  • Colin Wells, MS of Midlothian, Teacher for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing, Chesterfield County Public Schools; Adjunct Professor, American Sign Language, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College

Board of Pharmacy

  • Glenn Bolyard of Glen Allen, District Leader, CVS Health
  • Melvin L. Boone, Sr.* of Chesapeake, Retired Physical Scientist
  • Cheryl H.  Nelson, DPh* of Richmond, Henrico Doctors’ Hospital
  • Kristopher S. Ratliff, DPh of Marion, Pharmacist in Charge/Owner, Food City Pharmacy
  • Patricia Lynn Richards-Spruill, RPh of Suffolk, Assistant Professor, Pharmacy Practice and Director of Experiential Education, Hampton University School of Pharmacy

Board of Veterinary Medicine

  • Ellen G. Hillyer, MPH, DVM* of Richmond, River Equine Veterinary Services

Council on Women

  • Margie Del Castillo* of Alexandria, Director of Field and Advocacy, National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health 
  • Jill Gaitens, EdD of Virginia Beach, Director, The Military Child Education Coalition
  • Diana Gates of Alexandria, Native American Program Analyst
  • Aisha Johnson of Roanoke County, Assistant to the City Manager/Enterprise Zone Administrator, City of Roanoke
  • Noor Khalidi of Charlottesville, Business Development Associate, Apex Clean Energy
  • Chrystal Neal of Richmond, Executive Vice President, ChamberRVA
  • Holly Seibold of Vienna, Founder and Executive Director, BRAWS 

Virginia Board of Workforce Development

  • Lynne Bushey of Arlington, Senior Vice President, Business Unit Leader, CGI – Fairfax
  • Joan B. Peterson of Williamsburg, Executive Director, Literacy for Life
  • Becky Sawyer of Virginia Beach, Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for Sentara Healthcare
  • Raheel Sheikh of Manassas, President, Manassas Auto and Tire
  • Travis W. Staton of Abingdon, President and Chief Executive Officer, United Way of Southwest Virginia
  • Zuzana Steen of Manassas, Academic and Community Relations Manager, Micron Technology, Inc.

Virginia Commission for the Arts

  • Terry Emory Buntrock of Williamsburg, Founder and President of the Triangle Arts & Culture League, Inc.
  • Asa Jackson of Hampton Roads, Artist and Founding Member/President of The Contemporary Arts Network, Board Member of The Peninsula Fine Arts Center
  • Ashleigh Smith Maggard of Cape Charles, Executive Director of Eastern Shore’s Own Arts Center
  • The Honorable Laurie Naismith of Norfolk, former Secretary of the Commonwealth
  • The Honorable David Trinkle, MD of Roanoke, Associate Dean for Community and Culture, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine; former member, Roanoke City Council

Virginia Solar Energy Development and Energy Storage Authority

  • Paul Duncan of Oakton, Consultant, GSD Energy Consultants and ICF International Inc.
  • Cody Nystrom* of Richmond, Managing Director, SJF Ventures
  • Damian Pitt of Richmond, Associate Professor, Virginia Commonwealth University

Virginia Public Building Authority

  • Ann Shawver of Roanoke, Owner/Consultant, Ann Harrity Shawver, Certified Public Accountant, PLLC

*denotes reappointment

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