Spanberger cabinet picks include notable VCU alums
From left to right, recent appointees of Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger: Stanley Meador, Nick Donohue and Sesha Joi Moon. Photos courtesy of the Spanberger Transition Team. Collage by Zach Montgomery.
Erika Vasquez, Contributing Writer
Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger has been gradually releasing her list of appointees to run the Virginia government ahead of her inauguration on Jan. 17. Some of them share common roots in Richmond — as well as ties to VCU.
The appointees include Sesha Joi Moon and Nick Donohue, both of whom are VCU alumni. Another notable appointee is Stanley Meador, who previously partnered with the Richmond FBI STEM Collegiate Academy at VCU.
Moon served as a student leader at VCU, which she says allowed her to “hold space for those who are underserved within the community,” according to VCU News. In 2005, she graduated with a B.A. in African American studies and later graduated from the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs with a master’s degree in criminal justice and a concentration in human resource management.
Moon received the VCU Black History in the Making Award and VCU Alumni Stars Award. She went on to become the first Black, queer woman to establish an endowed scholarship fund in university history, according to a previous report by The CT.
The Dr. Sesha Joi Moon Endowed Scholarship Fund provides need-based support to students in pursuit of an undergraduate or graduate degree in African American studies.
Moon was the chief impact officer for Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. and most recently was chief diversity officer of the U.S. House of Representatives during the 117th and 118th Congresses, until the office was removed in 2024.
A press release by Spanberger’s transition team noted the insight provided by her past experiences in announcing her as her new “chief diversity officer” and director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion — stepping away from a name change the office underwent by outgoing Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
Nick Donohue holds bachelor’s degrees in political science and urban and regional planning from VCU. Donohue, a Richmond native, has served in senior leadership roles under three Virginia governors.
Donohue has shaped many of Virginia’s recent transportation infrastructure initiatives, including improvements to Interstate 81 and expanding public-private toll roads along interstates in Northern Virginia, according to Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Donohue is also credited for reforming the state’s process for funding highway projects, securing the first dedicated capital funding for WMATA, and advancing the Transforming Rail in Virginia Initiative, according to a press release from Spanberger’s transition team.
Upon announcing Donohue as the state’s next secretary of transportation, the transition team called him a “visionary leader” whose experience will strengthen the state’s transportation networks and prepare Virginia for new economic opportunities.
Meghan Gough, an associate professor and interim chair of the urban and regional studies/planning program at VCU, said Donohue has been invited to speak for one of their transportation courses this semester.
Stanley Meador, a native of Galax, Virginia, will serve as Virginia’s next secretary of public safety and homeland security.
Meador began his career in 1997 as a special agent with the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority. He was awarded Virginia’s “Declaration of Valor” for an action of response on 9/11, according to the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police & Foundations.
Meador served over a decade in the FBI as a special agent, and partnered with the FBI Richmond STEM Collegiate Academy at VCU while working as the regional FBI director.
The program exposed students to career opportunities within the bureau, ranging from lab technician to an intel specialist, according to VCU News.
During Meador’s time in Richmond, he was credited with strengthening relationships with local law enforcement, according to the Virginia Association of Chiefs of Police, which awarded him its “President’s Award” in 2023 for being a “key asset” to the state’s policing community.
Richard Meager, a political scientist at Randolph-Macon University and host of the “RVA’s Got Issues” podcast, said the appointees’ ties to Richmond and to VCU showcase the opportunity of every Virginian.
“One thing to note about these VCU ties, right, and it’s a theme throughout the Spanberger’s appointments — these are Virginian people,” Meager said.
He noted the unique focus of the transition team on hiring people from Virginia and with work experience in the state, which is not a requirement for gubernatorial appointments.
“I think that it can suggest that she’s really looking to build on the talent of Virginia rather than look elsewhere for people who have already made their name from elsewhere,” Meagher said.
