RICHMOND—Governor Ralph Northam announced additional appointments to his Administration today.
Secretariat of Education
Jenna Conway, Chief Deputy, Virginia Department of Education
Jenna Conway has been appointed Chief Deputy at the Virginia Department of Education. Prior to her appointment, Jenna served as the Assistant Superintendent of Early Childhood at the Louisiana Department of Education, where she led a first-of-its-kind effort to unify and improve the state's child care, Head Start, and pre-kindergarten systems since 2012.
Jenna has also previously held roles as Director of Strategic Planning and Enterprise Program Management at the New York City Housing Authority and Director of Project Management at Ashoka’s Changemakers in Washington, DC. Jenna is a native of Charlottesville and holds a degree in American Studies from Yale University and a Master of Business Administration from Stanford University.
Secretariat of Commerce and Trade
Robby Demeria, Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Trade for Technology
Robby Demeria has been appointed Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Trade for Technology. Prior to his appointment, he served as Executive Director of the Richmond Technology Council, known as RVATECH, a business association in the technology industry representing over 26,000 practitioners and nearly 300 businesses as the voice of technology in the greater Richmond region. He also served as Vice President of Government Affairs for the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce and held legislative positions with former Congressman Jim Moran and Delegate Bob Brink. Robby obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication from George Mason University.
Larry Wilder, Confidential Policy Assistant, Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity
Larry Wilder has been appointed Confidential Policy Assistant for the Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity. Prior to his appointment, Larry served as Advisor for Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the Secretariat of Commerce and Trade. He has also held positions in the Office of the Governor, serving as Assistant Secretary of Education and Special Assistant on Reentry Education in the Secretariat of Education. Larry has previously worked in urban development, marketing and finance, and as an attorney at the Richmond firm Harrell & Chambliss.
Larry is graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law and the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business, where he received a Master of Business Administration in Finance. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Virginia.
Secretariat of the Commonwealth
Board Appointments
Advisory Board on Genetic Counseling
Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Commission
Aquaculture Advisory Board
Board for Barbers and Cosmetology
Board of Social Work
Capitol Square Preservation Council
State Executive Council for Children’s Services
Virginia Interagency Coordinating Council
*denotes reappointment
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