Virginia Governor
Virginia Governor’s Cabinet is a frame of the highest officials of the Virginia government’s executive branch.
The cabinet is accountable for advising the Governor of Virginia.
Moreover, Government officers are set by the Governor and then are presented to the Virginia General Assembly for confirmation.
However, once confirmed, all cabinet members receive the title of “secretary” and serve for the Governor’s pleasure.
The current government is operating under Virginia Governor Ralph Northam.
Planned appointment
- Each Cabinet Secretary is appointed by the Virginia Governor, subject to confirmation by the Virginia General Assembly if he is in session at the appointment time.
- If the General Assembly does not meet, the General Assembly will examine the next successful meeting’s nomination.
- Each secretary is appointed for a term of four-year but can be removed by the Governor at any time.
- However, every secretary must take an oath before his duties to carry out his duties faithfully.
Powers and Duties
- Each head of the cabinet is under the direction and supervision of the Governor.
- Basically, all agencies assigned to each secretary shall exercise their powers and duties following general guidelines established by the secretary on behalf of the Governor.
- Each secretary can resolve administrative, judicial, operational, programmatic, or political conflicts between assigned agencies or officials.
- It supervises and directs the formulation of program budgets for trusted agencies and is responsible for executing the agency heads responsible for them.
- And it controls the actions Developing goals, guidelines, and plans for designated agencies.
Ralph Northam
- Ralph Northam (born September 13, 1959, in Nassawaddox, Virginia) is the Democratic Governor of Virginia.
- He was elected to the position in 2017, defeating Republican candidate Ed Gillespie in the general election.
- However, he was previously Lieutenant Governor of Virginia from 2014 to 2018.
- And also, before serving as lieutenant governor, Northam was a Democratic member of the Virginia Senate District 6 from 2008 to 2014.
- And also, before entering politics, Northam is a doctor and works as a pediatric neurologist in the U.S. Army and various pediatric hospitals.
- And also, He served eight years of active service in the United States Army.
- However, On September 25, 2020, Northam announced that he and his wife had tested positive for the coronavirus.
Biography
- Northam was born on the east coast of Virginia and joined the Virginia Military Institute after graduating from high school.
- Northam joined the U.S. Army, where he served eight years as an active-duty officer and rose to major.
- Northam continued his medical studies and became the primary neurological resident of Johns Hopkins Hospital.
- After retiring from the military, Northam became a practicing pediatric neurologist and assistant professor of neurology at Eastern Virginia Medical School.
Education
- Bachelor’s degree, Virginia Military Institute
- M.D., East Virginia Medical School
Political career
- Firstly, Governor of Virginia (2018 – Present) Northam became Governor on November 7, 2017, and took office on January 10, 2018.
- Secondly, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia (2014-2018) Northam became Lieutenant Governor on November 5, 2013, and took office on January 11, 2014.
- Lastly, Virginia State Senate (2008-2014) Northam was a Democratic member of the Virginia Senate from 2008 to 2014, representing 6 districts.
Tested positive for coronavirus
- On September 25, 2020, Northam announced that he and his wife had tested positive for coronavirus.
Northam Campaign website highlighted the topics
Lifetime
- Virginia Military Institute, Army Veteran, Pediatrician
- Ralph grew up on the east coast of Virginia and attended local public schools.
- However, when his school broke up, many families sent their children elsewhere, but not the Northam’s.
- Ralph described his parents’ decision to continue sending him to integrated schools as “one of the best decisions of my life.”
- Ralph then attended the Virginia Military Institute (VMI), where he graduated with honors.
- However, during the VMI, his colleagues elected Ralph as President of the Court of Honor, responsible for upholding the school’s honor code.
- According to VMI, Ralph was responsible for a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army, where he served eight years in active service and rose to major.
- Let us add that, Ralph attended the Walter Reed Army Medical Center and was the chief neurologist at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
- As a military doctor, he treated the wounded soldiers in Operation Desert Storm.
- However, when Ralph returned home, he began practicing pediatric neurology at the King’s Daughters Children’s Hospital in Norfolk.
He founded Children’s Specialty Group, his current medical practice, to provide expert pediatric care to patients. - However, Ralph also worked as an assistant professor of neurology at Eastern Virginia Medical School, where he taught medicine and ethics.
- And also, for the past 18 years, Ralph has volunteered as the medical director for Edmarc Children’s Hospice in Portsmouth, caring for terminally ill children.