Seal of the Governor
For Immediate Release: April 12, 2019
Contacts: Office of the Governor: Alenaa Yarmosky, Alena.Yarmosky@governor.virginia.gov

Governor Northam Announces Administration Appointments

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

Secretariat of Transportation

John W. Lawson, Acting Deputy Secretary of Transportation
John Lawson has been appointed Acting Deputy Secretary of Transportation. John has served as Chief Financial Officer for the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) since 2010 and has worked for the agency since 1987. In his role as Chief Financial Officer, John was responsible for the execution of the agency’s financial planning, capital investment, fiscal management, and tolling programs, and was instrumental in establishing the Virginia Transportation Infrastructure Bank and Virginia’s Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicles (GARVEE) program. John received an Associate of Arts and Sciences degree from Rappahannock Community College and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Christopher Newport University, where he studied accounting. John is also a graduate of the Virginia Executive Institute.

Secretariat of the Commonwealth
Board Appointments

Board of Trustees of the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center

  • Hannah Ingram of Abingdon, Resident Company Actor, Barter Theatre
  • Keith Perrigan, Ed.D.* of Bristol, Superintendent, Bristol Virginia Public Schools
  • Sandy Ratliff of Washington County, Assistant Vice President and Community Impact Advisor, Virginia Community Capital

Virginia Coastal Land Management Advisory Council

  • Joseph Valentine of Onancock
  • Jay C. Ford* of Bell Haven, Voices Coordinator, Chesapeake Bay Foundation

Virginia Latino Advisory Board

  • C. Alexander Guzmán of Richmond, Director of Fair Housing, Housing Opportunities Made Equal of Virginia, Inc.

*denotes reappointment

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