See below for video of Gov. Northam’s Cabinet being sworn in earlier this afternoon by Virginia Chief Justice Donald Lemons. In order, the people being sworn in were: 1) Chief of Staff Clark Mercer; 2) Deputy Chief of Staff Suzette Denslow; 3) Secretary of Administration Dr. Keyanna Conner; 4) Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Bettina Ring; 5) Secretary of Commerce and Trade Esther C. Lee; 6) Secretary of Education Atif Qarni (congratulations, my friend!); 7) Secretary of Finance Aubrey Layne; 8) Secretary of Health and Human Resources Dr. Daniel Carey; 9) Secretary of Natural Resource Matthew Strickler; 10) Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Brian Moran; 11) Secretary of Transportation Shannon Valentine; 12) Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs Carlos Hopkins; 13) Senior Counselor for the Governor Rita Davis; 14) Chief Workforce Development Advisor Megan Healy. Congratulations and best of luck to everyone sworn in today.



![With CNBC’s “Best State for Business” Rankings Finalized Soon, Gov. Ralph Northam’s Former Chief of Staff Clark Mercer Wonders, “Will North Carolina match Virginia [which held the title in 2019-2021] and make it a three-peat?”](https://bluevirginia.us/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/threepeat-238x178.jpg)




![[UPDATED 1/29/26] Audio: Sen. Tim Kaine Talks to Blue Virginia About His “Five-Point Plan” to Fight Trump’s Orban-Like Assault on US Democracy; Civil Disobedience a la MLK Jr.; Trump’s Bogus “Energy Emergency”; the Crucial Importance of the 2025 VA Elections; etc.](https://bluevirginia.us/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/kaineinterview2-100x75.jpg)

