Seal of the Governor
For Immediate Release: September 4, 2020
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 Public Safety and Homeland Security

Shawn Talmadge, Assistant Secretary for Public Safety and Homeland Security and Homeland Security Advisor
Shawn Talmadge has been appointed Homeland Security Advisor and will continue to serve as Assistant Secretary for Public Safety and Homeland Security, a position he has held since April 2018. Previously, Shawn served as Director of the Response Programs Division at the Virginia Department of Emergency Management and Director of Homeland Security and Resilience during the McAuliffe Administration. He is a former Deputy Commander for the Virginia National Guard’s Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and High Yield Explosive (CBRNE) Enhanced Response Force Package (CERFP) and former Battalion Chief of the Hanover County Fire-EMS Department. Shawn holds a bachelor’s degree in human nutrition from Virginia Tech, and earned a master’s degree in Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Secretariat of the Commonwealth
Board Appointments

Advisory Board on Polysomnographic Technology

  • Hannah Tyler of Chesterfield, Polysomnographic Technologist, VCU Health Center for Sleep Medicine

Board of Historic Resources

  • Colita Nichols Fairfax, PhD* of Hampton, Professor, Norfolk State University
  • W. Tucker Lemon of Roanoke, President, Martin, Hopkins & Lemon, P.C.

Board of Trustees of the Science Museum of Virginia

  • David Mills* of Richmond, Consultant, Dave Mills LLC
  • Cristina Domínguez Ramírez* of Richmond, Professor and Library Manager, Henrico County

Board of Visitors for Gunston Hall

  • Ed Graber* of Fairfax, Principal, Edmund Graber Government and Public Affairs Consulting
  • Eileen Cassidy Rivera* of Alexandria, Director, Government Services Cerner Corporation
  • Tim Sargeant* of Fairfax County, Government and Community Relations, Dominion Energy

Commonwealth Council on Aging

  • Carla V. Hesseltine of Virginia Beach, Senior Care Advocate
  • Diana Paguaga* of Woodbridge, Independent Health Insurance Broker, DeSeguros, LLC
  • Erica Wood* of Arlington

Criminal Justice Services Board

  • Bennie L. Evans, Jr. of Alexandria, Police Officer and Crisis Intervention Trainer, Alexandria Police Department
  • Paul Taylor of Richmond, Community Activist Consultant, Taylor Paul Taylor, LLC

Joint Leadership Council of Veterans Service Organizations 

  • Monti G. Zimmerman of Manassas, Retired Colonel, United States Army

State Emergency Medical Services Advisory Board 

  • Dr. Rebecca Branch-Griffin of Chester, Retired Director of Health and Counseling Services, Virginia State University
  • Dreama Chandler* of Rural Retreat, Retired
  • R. Jason Ferguson* of Amherst, Board of Directors, Blue Ridge EMS Council and Associate Vice President, Central Virginia Community College
  • Patrick McLaughlin, MD, MS of Midlothian, Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
  • Benjamin Nicholson of Richmond, Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine
  • Jeremiah O’Shea, MD* of Chesterfield, Chief Medical Officer, HCA Healthcare Capital Division
  • Valerie Quick, MSN, RN, TCRN, EMT-1* of Albemarle County, Representative, Thomas Jefferson Emergency Medical Services Council
  • Matthew Rickman of Roanoke, Deputy Chief, City of Salem Fire-EMS Department
  • Lisa Simba of Fort Washington, Maryland, EMS Captain, Alexandria Fire Department
  • Torie Smith of Dinwiddie, Clinical Team Lead, Duke Life Flight

Virginia Health Benefit Exchange Advisory Committee 

  • Chiquita Brooks-LaSure of McLean, Managing Director, Manatt Health Strategies, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP
  • Elizabeth Cunningham of Halifax, Healthcare Outreach Manager and Medicaid Application Specialist, Virginia Legal Aid Society
  • Ikeita Cantú Hinojosa of McLean, Former Senior Deputy Director, DC Health Benefit Exchange Authority
  • Starla Kiser of Clintwood, Physician, Dickenson County Behavioral Health Services
  • Jane Norwood Kusiak of Richmond
     

Virginia Spirits Board

  • Jeff Bloem of Charlottesville, Founder and Maltster, Murphy & Rude Malting Co.
  • Joshua Chandler of Bland, Plant Manager, Speyside Bourbon Cooperage, Inc.
  • David Cuttino of Richmond, Co-Founder and CEO, Reservoir Distillery
  • Scott Harris of Purcellville, General Manager, Catoctin Creek Distilling Company, LLC
  • Bill Karlson of Haymarket, Owner, KO Distilling
  • Kara King of Newport News, Creative Director, Ironclad Distillery
  • Gareth H. Moore of Charlottesville, CEO, Virginia Distillery Co.
  • Brian Prewitt of Fredericksburg, Master Distiller, A. Smith Bowman Distillery

*denotes reappointment

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