Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger joined Democratic House and Senate leaders in Richmond on December 18 to announce the Affordable Virginia Agenda, a package of more than 15 legislative proposals aimed at lowering costs for families across the Commonwealth. Previewed ahead of the upcoming General Assembly session, the agenda focuses on reducing healthcare, energy, and housing expenses for Virginians. Spanberger emphasized that affordability will be her top priority in 2026 and highlighted the importance of collaboration with legislative leaders to deliver tangible relief for households statewide.
The Affordable Virginia Agenda includes proposals to lower prescription drug and insurance costs, reduce utility bills through energy efficiency and grid planning, and expand access to affordable housing while strengthening renter protections. Together, Spanberger and the Democratic leaders framed the agenda as a practical, results-driven effort to put more money back in Virginians’ pockets. Read the full press release here.
Meanwhile, over the past several weeks, Governor-elect Spanberger has announced a number of key cabinet appointments to lead major state agencies when she takes office in January. Formal confirmation proceedings for secretary-designees will begin once the General Assembly convenes for the 2026 session on Wednesday, January 14. Appointments announced to date include:
Marvin Figueroa - Secretary-Designee of Health and Human Resources
Figueroa, a former senior official in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and past Deputy Secretary of HHR under Virginia Governor Ralph Northam, brings experience across federal and state health policy, Medicaid expansion, behavioral health, and public health operations. See full press release here.
Katie Frazier - Secretary-Designee of Agriculture and Forestry
Frazier brings more than two decades of experience in agriculture and forestry advocacy, including leadership roles with Farm Credit of the Virginias and the Virginia Agribusiness Council. She has worked on issues such as conservation, market development, agricultural research, and workforce needs. See full press release here.
Stanley Meador - Secretary-Designee of Public Safety and Homeland Security
Meador brings nearly 30 years of law enforcement and national security experience, including service as Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office and multiple leadership roles at FBI Headquarters and field divisions. A native of Southwest Virginia, he has led major criminal, national security, and crisis response operations throughout his career. See full press release here.
Nick Donohue - Secretary-Designee of Transportation
Donohue, a former Deputy Secretary of Transportation, has held senior roles under multiple governors and has been involved in major statewide initiatives, including the development of the SMART SCALE project prioritization process, establishment of the I-81 Corridor Improvement Program, and implementation of the Transforming Rail in Virginia initiative. See the full press release here.
Candi Mundon King - Secretary-Designee of the Commonwealth
Mundon King, who has represented House District 23 in the House of Delegates since 2021, brings extensive experience in philanthropy, advocacy, and public policy. While in the House, she has held several committee leadership roles, including serving as Chair of the House Committee on Counties, Cities, and Towns, and Vice Chair of the House Public Safety Committee. See the full press release here.
David Bulova - Secretary-Designee of Natural & Historic Resources
Bulova has over three decades of professional experience in environmental planning. First elected to the House of Delegates in 2005, he currently serves as Chair of the General Laws Committee, Chair of the Commerce, Agriculture, and Natural Resources subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee, and Chair of the Chesapeake subcommittee of the Agriculture, Chesapeake, and Natural Resources Committee. See the full press release here.
Major General Timothy Williams - Secretary-Designee of Veterans and Defense Affairs
Williams previously served for nine years as Virginia’s Adjutant General under three governors and retired in 2023 after 38 years of military service. In that role, he led the Virginia National Guard through major domestic and overseas deployments, including disaster response, pandemic support, and national security operations. See the full press release here.
Mark Sickles - Secretary-Designee of Finance
Sickles has served in the House of Delegates for more than two decades and currently serves as Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Committee and Chair of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission. He brings extensive experience in state budgeting, fiscal oversight, and bipartisan budget negotiations. See the full press release here.
Traci Deshazor - Secretary-Designee of Administration
Deshazor brings extensive experience in state and local government, including service as Deputy Secretary of the Commonwealth and as Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Human Services in the City of Richmond. Through these roles, she has led a number of major administrative, workforce, and operational initiatives. See the full press release here.
Jessica Looman - Secretary-designee of Labor
Looman most recently served as Administrator of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division from 2021 to 2025. She previously served as Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Commerce as well as Deputy Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry. Looman also served as Executive Director of the Minnesota State Building and Construction Trades Council, and she is a 30-year member of the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA). See the full press release here.
Matt McGuire - Counsel to the Governor
McGuire previously served as Principal Deputy Solicitor General in the Office of Attorney General Mark Herring and brings experience across public service, private practice, and in-house counsel roles. While in private practice, McGuire advised a diverse range of clients on civil and criminal matters, including global corporations, emerging technology startups in crypto and AI, local governments, and individuals. See the full press release here.
Dr. Sesha Joi Moon - Chief Diversity Officer and Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Dr. Moon brings more than 20 years of experience across government, education, and the nonprofit sector, including service as Chief Diversity Officer of the U.S. House of Representatives during the 117th and 118th Congresses. Her prior roles include 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. See the full press release here.
Dr. Jeffery Smith - Secretary-designee of Education
Dr. Smith has more than 32 years of service in public school education, including 15 years as a superintendent – eight years for Hampton City Schools (HCS), and seven years for the Town of West Point. Dr. Smith currently serves as the Executive Director and CEO of the Virginia Air and Space Science Center in Hampton. See the full press release here.
On top of these appointments, Governor-elect Spanberger announced a number of additional senior staff in the Office of the Governor, Virginia state agency leads, and secretariat senior staff this week. Find the full press release here.
| Key Dates & Upcoming Events |
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January 13, 2026
- Special Election for House District 11 (previously held by Secretary-Designee of Natural & Historic Resources David Bulova) - Gretchen Bulova (D) v. Adam Wise (R)
- Special Election for House District 17 (previously held by Secretary-Designee of Finance Mark Sickles) - final candidates TBD
- Special Election for House District 23 (previously held by Secretary-Designee of the Commonwealth Candi Mundon King) - Margaret Franklin (D) v. Vern Robinson (R)
January 14, 2026 | General Assembly convenes for the 2026 legislative session
January 20, 2026
- Special Election for House District 17 (previously held by Secretary-designee of Finance Mark Sickles) - Chris Cardiff (R) v. Garrett McGuire (D)
February 4, 2026 | 2026 Virginia Chamber Day At The Capitol And Old Dominion Assembly Legislative Reception (Richmond, VA)
February 17, 2026 | Crossover
March 14, 2026 | 2026 General Assembly session adjourns sine die
April 22, 2026 | Reconvened Session |
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