CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger named two key appointees in her upcoming administration Tuesday, one of whom will be Counsel to the Governor and the other named Chief Diversity Officer and Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Both selections harken back to previous Democratic administrations, positions where outgoing Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin made changes to early in his tenure.
Spanberger announced Matt McGuire to serve as Counsel to the Governor and member of her senior leadership team.
“Mr. McGuire brings a broad record of experience across public and private practice, including his service to the Commonwealth as Principal Deputy Solicitor General in the Office of the Attorney General,” said Spanberger in a statement. “He will help ensure my administration works effectively across the executive branch to put Virginians first, secure wins for the Commonwealth, and achieve my goals of lowering costs for families, growing Virginia’s economy, and strengthening Virginia’s public schools.”
Most recently with the Washington, DC “boutique” law firm, as it describes itself, Arktouros pllc, McGuire previously served as Principal Deputy Solicitor General & Executive Division Counsel under former Attorney General Mark Herring.
Current Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares defeated Herring in 2021.
“While in private practice, Matt has advised clients around the world with respect to civil and criminal matters,” Spanberger’s statement said. “His clients are diverse with wide-ranging legal issues, including some of the largest global companies, emerging technology startups in crypto and AI as well as local governments and individuals.”
Later Tuesday morning, the Spanberger transition released her selection of Richmond native Sesha Joi Moon as the next Chief Diversity and Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, renaming the post Gov. Youngkin had changed to Chief Diversity, Opportunity, and Inclusion Officer.
This position was first established in 2019 by then-Governor Ralph Northam after his medical yearbook “black face” scandal, when he named Janice Underwood to the post.
Martin Brown currently holds the office.
Moon has served as Chief Diversity Officer of the U.S. House of Representatives when Nancy Pelosi was Speaker, as well as “Chief Impact Officer with Girl Scouts USA and Chief Diversity Officer with the National Institute of Standards & Technology at the U.S. Department of Commerce, where she received the Commerce Bronze Award for Superior Performance and Commerce Spirit Award”, according to the Spanberger transition release.
“Her experience across government, education, and the nonprofit sectors gives her firsthand insight into the ways in which we can build a stronger, safer, and more prosperous Virginia for every family,” Spanberger said in the release.
Dr. Moon said in the release, “As a proud Virginia native, I look forward to joining the cabinet of Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger as her historic administration works to advance a future in which all Virginians have access to opportunity — to include residents from some of the hardest-to-reach communities throughout the Commonwealth.”
