Seal of the Governor
For Immediate Release: September 13, 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.

Office of the Governor

Matt Mansell, Acting Policy Director
Matt Mansell has been appointed Acting Policy Director and will continue to serve as Legislative Director. Prior to joining the Northam administration, Matt served as Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs for the Virginia Health Care Association-Virginia Center for Assisted Living. He also previously led the government relations team at the Medical Society of Virginia and served as Executive Director for the Virginia House Democratic Caucus. A graduate of Georgetown University, Matt is a native of Pulaski.

Janice Underwood, Ph.D., Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Dr. Janice Underwood has been appointed Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Prior to her appointment, Dr. Underwood served as Old Dominion University’s Director of Diversity Initiatives and as the chair of the President’s Task Force on Inclusive Excellence. She previously served as the Executive Director and Co-Principal Investigator for the Old Dominion University Teacher in Residence master’s program. Dr. Underwood also served for a number of years as a national board certified teacher for students with exceptionalities, and has extensive expertise in the cultural contexts of the public education system. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Hampton University in 1998 (B.A. Psychology) and 2002 (M.A. Learning and Behavior Disorders). In 2015, she earned her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Old Dominion University.

Read more about Governor Northam’s announcement of Dr. Underwood as Virginia’s first-ever Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion here.

Secretariat of Commerce and Trade

Mary Broz-Vaughan, Director, Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation
Mary Broz-Vaughan has been appointed Director of the Virginia Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR), where she has served as Acting Director since February. Mary joined DPOR in 2002 and has served as a Deputy Director since 2017. She previously worked as legislative aide to State Senator Emily Couric. A product of Arlington County Public Schools, Mary earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Virginia and a Master of Public Administration degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. She is also a graduate of the Virginia Executive Institute.

Secretariat of the Commonwealth
Board Appointments

Board of Trustees of the A.L. Philpott Manufacturing Extension Partnership (Genedge Alliance)

  • Peter Bale of Wallops Island, CEO, Sentinel Robotic Solutions, LLC
  • Matthew Clarke of Wytheville, CEO, Clarke Precision Machine, Inc.
  • Douglas Frost, PE* of Purcellville, Senior Vice President, Dewberry Engineers Inc.
  • James S. McEwan of Dulles, President and CEO, Technology Advancement Group, Inc. (TAG)
  • Dr. Jacqueline Gill Powell of Danville, President, Danville Community College

Board of Trustees of the Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia

  • Kevin J. Callanan, MA, CFRE* of Stephens City, Retired Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army and Business Owner, CES LLC
  • The Honorable Frank W. Nolen, PE* of New Hope, Former State Senator and Registered Professional Engineer and Farmer
  • Richard Ned Ruby of Staunton, Retired Structural Engineer
  • Peggy Sheets* of Staunton

Citizens’ Advisory Council on Furnishing and Interpreting the Executive Mansion

  • Sunita Gupta of Glen Allen, President, eHealthObjects Inc.
  • Margaret Richardson* of Delaplane, Consultant
  • C. Parke Richeson of Richmond, Executive Director, Maymont Foundation

Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority

  • Edward Bolton of Alexandria, Retired Major General, U.S. Air Force
  • James (Jim) D. McArthur, Jr.* of Suffolk, Retired Vice Admiral, U.S. Navy

Virginia Port Authority Board of Commissioners

  • John C. Asbury of Richmond, President and CEO, Atlantic Union Bankshares
  • Captain J. William Cofer* of Virginia Beach, President, Virginia Pilot Association
  • Deborah C. Waters* of Norfolk, Attorney at Law and Proctor in Admiralty, Waters Law Firm

*denotes reappointment

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