Andrew Kerley, Executive Editor
Gov. Abigail Spanberger announced three appointments to the VCU Board of Visitors on Wednesday. The new members will fill the vacancies in the university’s highest governing body created by Democratic lawmakers when they removed three members in February.
The appointees are lobbyist and VCU alum Heidi Schlicher Cook, Towne Bank president Alexis Swann and Harry Thalhimer, the president of Thalhimer Headwear.
They have been invited to the next VCU Board of Visitors meetings on March 23 and 24, according to a VCU spokesperson.
“We warmly welcome our new board members and look forward to working with them,” stated President Michael Rao. “They bring experiences and perspectives that will help VCU advance its vital mission of education and research.”
Who are the new members?
The Thalhimer family have been major donors to VCU. They have an endowment in the VCU School of Business and they established a scholarship in 1986. They are also the namesake of the Thalhimer Tennis Center on Cary Street.
The influential Thalheimers have been around in Richmond for nearly two centuries. They began their business with a historic department store chain downtown and have done extensive philanthropy around the city.
Harry Thalhimer is a former MCV Foundation Board of Trustees member and chair, according to VCU.
Harry Thalheimer has donated a total of $27,000 to Spanberger — $17,000 to her gubernatorial campaign and $10,000 to her inaugural committee. He also made a $250 donation to Del. Betsy Carr, who represents the district that includes VCU’s Monroe Park campus.
Cook is the Senior Vice President of Old Dominion Public Affairs, a firm that lobbies for a diverse set of clients including Walmart, Columbia Gas, McGraw Hill and Vantage Data Centers, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. She previously lobbied for Virginia Realtors.
Cook and her firm have donated to Democratic lawmakers in Virginia — including Spanberger’s gubernatorial campaign. She supported 4th District Rep. Jennifer McClellan in her campaign for governor in 2021. She also worked for Democrats in the House of Delegates until 2012.
Swann — who graduated from Howard University — has served on a number of boards across Virginia. She previously served on the VCU Board of Visitors from 2019 to 2022 after being appointed by former Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam.
Swann has also made some donations to Democratic candidates.
Board membership shifts to the left
Universities in Virginia are governed by boards of visitors made up of 16 members appointed by the governor and confirmed by the General Assembly. The boards hold the power to budget, hire and fire presidents, shape university policy and approve course curricula.
Board members serve four-year terms and tend to be community figureheads, business leaders and former elected officials with university ties. The governor typically appoints four new board members annually. By the end of a governor’s term, all members of the boards are their appointees.
Ellen Fitzsimmons, a former executive for Truist Bank and railway company CSX, was named the new rector, or leader, of the board in June. Steven DeLuca, the vice president and head of government affairs at Capital One Financial, is the vice rector of the board. Both were appointed by Youngkin and have made political donations to Republicans.
The board has made a number of controversial decisions under Youngkin, according to a previous reporting by The CT.
They voted in March 2025 to dismantle VCU’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies following an executive order from President Donald Trump. In 2024, they canceled the implementation of a racial literacy course requirement, resulting in some students walking out during their graduation ceremony.
Spanberger’s new appointments shift the balance of the 16-member board from being fully made up of former Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s appointees to having three of its members appointed by a Democratic governor.
Because the governor typically makes four routine appointments every summer, nearly half of the board could be Spanberger appointees before the 2026-27 academic year begins.
Democrats recently passed legislation that would lengthen board members’ terms from four to six years, which could offset the governor’s ability to have all members of boards under their belt by the end of their four years in office. The bill still has to be approved by Spanberger to become law.
“When I think about the more than 100 Virginians we’ve appointed to boards and commissions in just 60 days, I think about what they represent — wide-ranging professional experience, an unwavering commitment to their communities, and a willingness to serve their fellow Virginians at the highest standard,” Spanberger stated in a press release. “I know these leaders will always put the Commonwealth first as we continue to focus on building a stronger future for Virginia students, families and communities.”
Virginia Senate Minority Leader Ryan McDougle, R-Hanover, stated no matter who is appointed to university boards, their focus remains on affordability and “keeping money in your pocket.”
“Senate Republicans are fighting against the Democrats’ policies and budget proposal that will raise tuition and fees for students,” McDougle stated.
The next VCU Board of Visitors meetings are scheduled for April 23 and 24. They will be open to the public.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story has been updated to include a statement from Gov. Abigail Spanberger.