Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam appointed 21 people to the Virginia LGBTQ+ Advisory Board last Friday
Those appointed are:
- University of Virginia Assistant Vice Provost Matt Banfield
- Virginia Beach City Councilman Michael Berlucchi
- Virginia Housing Government Relations Manager Demas Boudreaux
- Casa BruMar Foundation Executive Director Evelyn I. Brumar
- Black Transmen Virginia Program Director Charley Burton
- LGBTQ Victory Institute Presidential Appointments Manager Jonathan Dromgoole
- Amanda Goehring, Kevin Han of NAKASEC VA
- Borealis Consulting RVA founder Aurora Higgs
- Capital One Managing Vice President of Human Resources Rob Keeling
- Joanna Keller, Virginia Commonwealth University
- Doctoral student Kyle Mason
- Eldementals Executive Director Karen Mullen McPhail
- Minority Veterans of America Chapter Leader Stephanie Merlo
- Former Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles Technical Service Supervisor Tracy L. Monegain
- Dr. Monica Motley of Virginia Tech
- University of Virginia Cancer Center Research Assistant for Community Outreach Bryan Price
- Retired Longwood University faculty member Dr. Jes Simmons
- Patty Smith of the Appomattox Regional Governor’s School for the Arts and Technology
- Michael Thorne-Begland of the Altria Group
- LPAC Executive Director Lisa A. Turner to the board
Northam signed the legislation creating the 26-members Commission in April to advise him on issues “regarding the economic, professional, cultural, educational, and governmental links between the Commonwealth and the LGBTQ+ community in Virginia.”
The board is composed of the 21 people above — including at least 15 who identify as LGBTQ — and five members of the governor’s Cabinet, or their designees.
Northam said the advisory board, which will remain in place even after his term is over and “will ensure the LGBTQ+ community has a permanent voice in Virginia’s executive branch — no matter who is governor.”
