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Council Members

Council Biographies

Marge Connelly (Chair)

Appointed by Governor McAuliffe: July 1, 2014
Reappointed by Governor Northam: July 1, 2018
Current Term Expires: June 30, 2022

Marge Connelly is a former financial-services executive, having held senior roles in Virginia with Capital One (executive vice president of operations), and Wachovia Securities (chief operating officer) as well as with Barclays in London (global chief operating officer of Barclaycard).In these roles, Ms. Connelly has led large, complex organizations through many transformation and integration efforts, and developed the strategies and operational capabilities needed for these companies to innovate and grow.

As a strong advocate for higher education, Ms. Connelly has served a number of institutions including: the University of Richmond, Robins School of Business Executive Advisory Council; the VCU Business School Foundation Board; rector of the Board of Visitors for Longwood University; and Longwood interim president for the 2012-13 academic year.

Ms. Connelly has also served on the boards of several other nonprofit organizations including: the Council for Virginia’s Future; the Greater Richmond Partnership (former chair); the Greater Richmond YMCA; and the Central Virginia Food Bank (former chair). She currently serves on the boards of The Women’s Initiative and The Center for Non-Profit Excellence, both based in Charlottesville, Virginia. In addition, she has served on a number of professional boards and committees associated with the credit card and securities industries and recently joined the board of directors for Portfolio Recovery Associates, based in Norfolk.

Ms. Connelly has received numerous accolades for her work in both business and the community and has spoken at national and regional conferences on a wide range of topics such as leadership, corporate citizenship, digital engagement, change management, diversity and the millennial workforce.

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Ken Ampy (Vice Chair)

Appointed by Governor McAuliffe : July 1, 2016
Reappointed by Governor Northam: July 1, 2020
Current Term Expires: June 30, 2024

Mr. Ampy serves as chief executive officer of Astyra Corp., a technology consulting and staffing firm based in Richmond. Mr. Ampy attended Old Dominion University where he received a bachelor’s degree in computer science. In addition, he has attended executive management programs at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern, the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth and the Darden School of Business at University of Virginia.

Mr. Ampy served for eight years on the board of visitors for ODU, serving as secretary of the board, chairman of the Academic and Research Advancement Committee and chairman of the Student Engagement Committee. He serves on ODU’s Strome College of Business Advisory Board as well as the University of Richmond’s E. Claiborne Robins School of Business Advisory Board.

Mr. Ampy has also served on the board of organizations including the Virginia Biotech Research Park Authority, Science Museum of Virginia, Metropolitan Business League (former chairman), American Red Cross of Virginia, Bon Secours St. Mary’s Community Foundation, Venture Richmond, Greater Richmond Chamber of Commerce, Virginia Early Childhood Foundation, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Richmond, the Virginia High-Tech Partnership and Team Up Richmond.

Mr. Ampy has been the recipient of numerous awards including the Oliver R. Singleton Humanitarian Award, Team Up Richmond Vision Award, Metropolitan Business League Distinguished Community Service Award, Virginia Minority Supplier Development Council Entrepreneurs of the Year (two times), Metropolitan Business League Entrepreneurs of the Year (two times), Virginia Minority Supplier Development Council Lasting Impressions Award (three times). He has been a finalist for the Tayloe Murphy Resilience Award and as Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year.

Mr. Ampy lives in Midlothian with his wife, LaTrice.

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Katharine M. Webb (Secretary)

Appointed by Governor McAuliffe: July 1, 2015
Reappointed by Governor Northam: July 1, 2019
Current Term Expires: June 30, 2023

Katharine M. Webb has worked in health care for over 42 years. The majority of her career she served as senior vice president of the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association. Prior to her service at VHHA, she worked at the Virginia Department of Health and Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital and was on the faculty of the University of Virginia Medical Center.

Among her many accomplishments, she played an integral role in making health care available for more Virginia children; she worked hard to ensure that opportunities for health care careers were available for all Virginians; worked to ensure transparency of health care information is available through the Patient Level and All-Payer Claims Database; and worked hard to improve the safety and quality of care delivered to patients in Virginia hospitals.

Mrs. Webb previously served on the SCHEV Board as a member and secretary from 2009-2013. Her additional current and past community activities include service on the St. Paul’s Church Property Committee and every Member Canvas Community; Rx Partnership Board member and treasurer; Senior Connections, board member and chairman; VCU Foundation, board member; Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work, former member of the advisory board; and the Virginia Public Access Project, where she served as board member and chairman.

In addition to her community service, Mrs. Webb has received several recognitions and awards, including the 2012 Award of Excellence from the American College of Healthcare Executives, inaugural class of the Influential Women of Virginia in 2009; VHHA Meritorious Service Award in 2003, and VCU Alumni Star in 2001.

Mrs. Webb matriculated at Sweet Briar College in American Studies and received her master’s in social work from VCU.

She lives in Richmond with her husband, Gene. She has two grown children and is a blessed grandmother with two beautiful grandchildren.

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Alex Arriaga

Appointed by Governor Northam: July 1, 2020
Current Term Expires: June 30, 2022

Maria Alexandra (Alex) Arriaga has served in leadership positions at the White House, the U.S. Department of State, in the U.S. Congress, at major non-profit organizations, and now in the private sector. She has more than 30 years experience working at the global and national level crafting policies and achieving priorities to advance international human rights. At the state and local level, she has engaged to enhance access to education for all.

Arriaga is Founder and Partner at Strategy for Humanity LLC, a consulting firm that works with mission-driven organizations and those who fund them to develop effective strategies, conduct smart advocacy and analysis, and achieve meaningful results. Her client list includes major foundations, large and small non-profits, academic institutes, and governmental institutions.

At the local level, the Arlington (Virginia) School Board recognized Arriaga as an Honored Citizen for her extraordinary and multi-year contributions to improve the education experience for students with disabilities. Her efforts to support children with autism were showcased in “More Autism Training for Teachers” (The Washington Post). At the University of Virginia, her alma mater, Arriaga serves as a donor Trustee of The Jefferson Trust and on the Advisory Boards of the Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy, and previously served on the Board of the Bolivar Network, the Alumni Association’s Board of Managers, and the president’s task force to address campus sexual assault.

Arriaga, a first generation American of Spanish and Chilean descent, is the recipient of many awards, including the University of Virginia’s Distinguished Alumna Award, the U.S. Secretary of State’s Superior Honor Award, and the Minority Business & Professionals Network Award for Outstanding Leadership, Service and Achievement.

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Mirza Baig

Appointed by Governor Northam: July 1, 2021
Current Term Expires: June 30, 2024

Prior to co-founding Aldrich Capital Partners, Mr. Baig was a serial entrepreneur and investor in healthcare and technology, successfully scaling operations and driving sales growth to build large, independent businesses. As a co-founder of Imaging Advantage, he played a variety of roles in helping build the company from zero revenues and less than 10 employees to well over $100 million in run-rate revenue, and over 200 employees globally prior to his departure. Previously, Mr. Baig held executive positions in strategic investment and financial management at AOL Time Warner including CFO of the eCommerce group, a division with revenues that grew from $350 million to $850 million under his leadership.

Mr. Baig also serves on the Board of Directors of Aldrich portfolio companies Decisions, eHealth Technologies, Lavu, Paymerang, ProcessMaker and Woundtech.

Mr. Baig has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA with honors in Economics from Cornell University.

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John R. Broderick

Appointed by Governor Northam: July 1, 2021
Current Term Expires: June 30, 2025

John R. Broderick recently retired as the eighth and longest serving president at Old Dominion University. Known as a transformational leader, President Broderick sparked growth in research, business and industry partnerships and increased access to an affordable first-class education for ODU students. In fact, three straight years he elected not to raise tuition.

During his 13 years, ODU was the recipient of nearly $1.2 billion in new private and public funds, including some 30 new or significantly renovated buildings and facilities. In this period, the university received its largest gift - a $37 million donation from Richard and Carolyn Barry for a new art museum on the campus.

A former journalist, President Broderick led efforts to bring the university to the forefront of issues ranging from sea level rise and social mobility to public health and cyber security. In 2016 at the request of student leaders, the ODU Board of Visitors named the new Dining Commons in honor of John and First Lady Kate Broderick for spearheading efforts in diversity and inclusivity.

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Victoria D. Harker

Appointed by Governor Northam: December 1, 2017
Reappointed by Governor Northam: July 1, 2021
Current Term Expires: June 30, 2025

Victoria Harker is executive vice president and chief financial officer for TEGNA Inc., formerly Gannett Co. Inc. Before joining Gannett, Harker served as CFO and president of global business services of the AES Corp., a multinational power company. Prior to joining AES, Harker was acting CFO and treasurer of MCI from 2002 to 2006, and served as CFO of MCI Group from 1998 to 2002.

Harker holds leadership roles on the boards of Huntington Ingalls Industries and Xylem Inc. From 2012-2016 she served on the board of visitors of the University of Virginia, where she chaired the Finance Committee and was a member of the Executive Committee as well as the Special Committee on Governance on the University of Virginia’s College at Wise and most recently, the presidential search committee. She also previously served as the chairman of UVA’s Alumni Association Board of Managers. She is a trustee of UVA’s Batten School of Leadership, the College of Arts and Sciences and the Jefferson Trust. In addition, Harker serves on the board of the Virginia Business Higher Education Council.

She received her bachelor’s degree in English, with a concentration in economics, from the University of Virginia and a master’s in business administration, with a concentration in finance, from American University. A two-time ironman triathlete, marathon runner and long-distance swimmer, she lives in McLean, Virginia, with her husband and three sons.

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Thaddeus B. Holloman, Sr.

Appointed by Governor Northam: November 22, 2019
Current Term Expires: June 30, 2024

Thaddeus B. Holloman, Sr. retired as a Senior Vice President and Newport News City Executive for Old Point National Bank. During his career, Mr. Holloman’s primary emphasis was in relationship management and commercial lending. His portfolio of clients included small and large businesses, municipal entities, medical practices and non-profit organizations.

Mr. Holloman currently serves on the Council on Diversity and Inclusion at Christopher Newport University and the Virginia Peninsula Chapter of 100 Black Men of America. Former board affiliations include Riverside Health System, Newport News Economic and Industrial Development Authorities, Newport News School Board, Christopher Newport University Board of Visitors, Newport News Education Foundation, Newport News Redevelopment & Housing Authority and Newport News Employees Retirement Fund Committee on Investments. He is also a member of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity.

He is a recipient of the Humanitarian Award from the Virginia Peninsula Regional Chapter of the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, formerly the National Conference for Community and Justice, and completed the CIVIC Leadership Institute.

Holloman received a Bachelor of Business Administration from Howard University. He also graduated from the Virginia Bankers Association School of Bank Management and the American Bankers Association Stonier Graduate School of Banking.

He resides in Newport News with his wife, Renee.

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Henry Light

Appointed by Governor McAuliffe: July 1, 2014
Reappointed by Governor Northam: July 1, 2018
Current Term Expires: June 30, 2022

Henry Light served for 32 years in the Law Department of Norfolk Southern Corp. and its predecessor Norfolk and Western Railway Company in a variety of roles culminating in that of senior vice president and chief legal officer. After retirement from Norfolk Southern, he served as counsel for nearly eight years with Crenshaw, Ware & Martin, P.L.C., Norfolk, Virginia.

Born in McLean, Virginia, Mr. Light attended college at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, on a Navy ROTC scholarship where he was active in swimming, water polo and football. He received a BEE degree in 1962, and served four years in the Navy, including serving as platoon leader of the Second Platoon of Underwater Demolition Team 21 in Little Creek, VA. Mr. Light entered law school at the University of Virginia, receiving an LLB in 1969.

Mr. Light has served on the boards of a number of nonprofit organizations, including the boards of Norfolk State University (vice rector), The Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk, WHRO Public Media (board chair), the Virginia Zoological Society (board chair), the Elizabeth River Project, The Mental Health Associations of Roanoke (board chair) and of Virginia (board chair), Randolph-Macon Academy and the Tidewater Chapter of the American Red Cross. He was awarded the Governor’s Award for Volunteer Excellence in 1986.

Mr. Light and his wife Angelica have five children and eight grandchildren, and now reside in Charlottesville, VA.

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Jennie O’Holleran

Appointed by Governor Northam: July 1, 2021
Current Term Expires: June 30, 2025

Jennie O’Holleran is a partner at Broad Street Group. She has served three Virginia governors, most recently as Policy Director for Governor Ralph Northam. Ms. O’Holleran also served as Policy Director and Deputy Secretary of Education for Governor Terry McAuliffe.

Previously, Ms. O’Holleran worked as Virginia Relations Director for the George Washington University and as a Special Assistant for then-Governor Tim Kaine. She received her Master’s in Public Administration from the George Washington University and her Bachelor’s in Arts from the University of Virginia. Ms. O’Holleran grew up in Alexandria, Virginia and now lives in Richmond.

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Stephen Moret

Appointed by Governor Northam: January 3, 2017
Current Term Expires: Ex officio

Stephen Moret is president and CEO of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the economic-development authority for the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Prior to VEDP, Moret served as president and CEO of the LSU Foundation. Concurrently he served as executive director of the LSU Property Foundation.

From 2008 through early 2015, Moret served as secretary of the Louisiana Department of Economic Development. In that role he directed business-development efforts and cultivated higher-education partnerships that helped secure a diverse array of economic development projects including software/IT, food/agricultural-processing facilities, and a few of the largest foreign direct investment manufacturing projects in U.S. history. Altogether, Dr. Moret and his team helped secure private-sector capital investments in excess of $62 billion. He also established LED FastStart, which The Economist called “probably the most notable statewide workforce-development initiative [in America].”

During Moret’s tenure, LED repeatedly was recognized as one of the top-performing state economic development agencies in the U.S., and Louisiana improved to its highest-ever position in every national ranking of state business climates. Business Facilities ranked LED FastStart the best state workforce-training program in the United States every year from 2009 through 2015.Moret previously served as president and CEO of the Baton Rouge Area Chamber of Commerce; a management consultant with McKinsey & Company; a public policy fellow with the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana (a good-government think tank); a consultant to Harvard Business School; assistant to the chancellor of LSU; and an environmental consultant to industry at Trinity Consultants.

Moret earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering from LSU and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He earned a doctorate (Ed.D.) in higher education management, with Distinction for Dissertation, from the University of Pennsylvania, where his research focused on linkages between higher education and the labor market in the United States.

Moret resides in Richmond with his wife, Heather, and their four children.

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Alvin J. Schexnider, PhD

Appointed by Governor Northam: August 1, 2021
Current Term Expires: July 30, 2025

Alvin J. Schexnider, PhD, has a long and distinguished career of public service in Virginia. He earned degrees in political science from Grambling State University and Northwestern University where he held Ford Foundation and Woodrow Wilson fellowships. He has held faculty and academic administrative positions at some of the nation’s leading institutions including Syracuse University, Virginia Commonwealth University, the University of North Carolina Greensboro and Wake Forest University. He has led three institutions, one in North Carolina and two in Virginia. Dr. Schexnider is a Senior Fellow and Senior Consultant at the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges where he has worked with boards and presidents for more than 15 years at schools from Maryland to California.

Dr. Schexnider appreciates and is committed the unique role of education as an engine of upward mobility. His ability to enhance our understanding of the iconic role of Black colleges and universities in American higher education may be seen in scores of scholarly articles, book chapters and commentaries in the national media. He is the author of Saving Black Colleges and is at work on a memoir, Confessions of a Black Academic.

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Jeffery O. Smith, Ed.D.

Appointed by Governor Northam: July 1, 2021
Current Term Expires: June 30, 2025

Dr. Smith is superintendent of Hampton City Schools (HCS). Prior to his employment with Hampton City Schools, he served as the superintendent of the Town of West Point Public Schools for seven years.

Under his leadership as superintendent with the Hampton City Schools, academic success is the highest it has been in decades. For the first time in its history, 100% of the division’s 29 schools became accredited without conditions. The school division has strengthened its dual enrollment program with Thomas Nelson Community College, to date yielding a 753% increase in the dual enrollment concurrent coursework completed over the past five years. The on-time graduation rate has increased from 88% for the class of 2015 to 96.2% for the class of 2020. The dropout rate has decreased from 5.1% for the class of 2015 to 1.2% for the class of 2020. In addition, the Hampton City community has earned the distinction of being the first Ford Next Generation Learning Community in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Dr. Smith is a recipient of the 2019 Peninsula Humanitarian Award from the Peninsula Chapter of the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities. He also was named the Region II Superintendent of the Year and the 2020 Virginia Superintendent of the Year. Additionally, he is the recipient of the 2020 Mary Peake Award for Excellence in Education Equity (School Leadership).

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