Governor's Cabinet

The Chief of Staff serves as the senior aide to the Governor and is responsible for managing the day-to-day responsibilities of the Youngkin administration, ensuring that operations, staff, and activities are functioning efficiently and effectively.

The Secretary of the Commonwealth assists the Governor in his appointments to boards and commissions; manages extraditions, clemency petitions, restoration of voting rights, and countless other certifications and filings of the Commonwealth.

The five state agencies in the Administration secretariat manage the Commonwealth’s buildings and grounds, administer employee policies and benefits, oversee elections, safeguard human rights, work to improve manager-employee relations in state government, direct state funds to constitutional officers, and oversee the Commonwealth's information technology.

The Secretariat of Agriculture and Forestry combined are Virginia's largest private sector industry. According to a 2022 economic impact study conducted by Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia, agriculture and forestry have a combined economic impact of over $105 billion annually. Agriculture generates more than $82.3 billion per annum, while forestry induces over $23.6 billion. The industries also provided nearly 490,295 jobs in the Commonwealth. Agriculture and forestry are the Commonwealth’s largest private industries, with a combined annual economic impact of over $105 billion, and the health of these industries affects communities around Virginia, especially in rural areas. This office and it's three agencies are committed to supporting rural economic development, preserving farmland and forestland across Virginia, and ensuring that all Virginians, especially those who are most vulnerable, have access to safe, healthy foods.

The Secretary of Commerce and Trade is dedicated to developing and growing an economy that works for all Virginians. Our 9 agencies are dedicated to assisting Virginians in a variety of ways, enabling them to actively contribute to our economy. We strive to utilize the great assets of Virginia to help sustain its status as the best place to live, work, and conduct business.

The Education Secretariat provides guidance to the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE), the Virginia Community College System (VCCS) and The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), as well as Virginia’s 16 public colleges and universities, 23 community colleges and five higher education and research centers. We also provide support to seven state-funded arts/cultural institutions.

The Secretary of Finance provides guidance to the four key agencies within the Finance Secretariat. These agencies handle all the financial transactions of the Commonwealth, from collecting taxes to paying bills to distributing aid to localities. Their responsibilities include: forecasting and collecting revenues, managing the Commonwealth's cash and investments, selling bonds, overseeing internal audits, making strategic financial plans, preparing and executing the Commonwealth's budget.

The Secretary of Health and Human Resources oversees twelve state agencies which provide often-vital services to Virginians. Individuals with disabilities, the aging community, low-income working families, children, caregivers and the provider network are supported through the work of this Secretariat. In addition, our agencies license health practitioners and ensure safe drinking water in the Commonwealth.

The Secretary of Labor oversees a range of regional, state, and federal programs that connect Virginians to the skills, training, and opportunities they need to thrive in the 21st century economy. The advisor works closely with Virginia's labor and business communities to identify and fill vacant jobs in high demand sectors including IT, healthcare, and energy.

The Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources advises the Governor on natural resources issues and works to advance the Governor's top environmental priorities. The Secretary oversees five agencies that protect and restore the Commonwealth’s natural and historic resources. The Secretary's office and all of the natural resources agencies work together to uphold the provisions of Article XI of the Virginia Constitution: To the end that the people have clean air, pure water, and the use and enjoyment for recreation of adequate public lands, waters, and other natural resources, it shall be the policy of the Commonwealth to conserve, develop, and utilize its natural resources, its public lands, and its historical sites and buildings. Further, it shall be the Commonwealth's policy to protect its atmosphere, lands, and waters from pollution, impairment, or destruction, for the benefit, enjoyment, and general welfare of the people of the Commonwealth.

The Secretary of Public Safety And Homeland Security enhances the quality of Virginia's citizens, visitors and businesses of the Commonwealth through public awareness, education, training, emergency response, disaster preparedness, prevention, policy development, enforcement, response, recovery and reentry.

The Secretary of Transportation is committed to creating and maintaining a multimodal network that connects Virginians to jobs, education, and health care across the Commonwealth and serves as the platform for Virginia’s economy. Working collaboratively, we can advance this network by tying transportation decisions to economic competitiveness and identifying innovative solutions to transportation challenges. Agencies the Secretariat oversees move people and goods by rail, water, transit, and over our roadways. Our sea ports, airports, space port, bridges, tunnels, and highways serve as global gateways for the Commonwealth, opening Virginia to economic opportunity by creating access to regional, national, and world markets.

The Secretary of Veterans and Defense Affairs serves the Commonwealth in four critical ways. First, it oversees the Virginia Department of Veteran Services (DVS), whose mission is to serve Virginia’s Veterans, Guardsmen, Reservists, and their family members, by ensuring they receive timely transition, employment and education assistance, benefits, health care and long-term care and recognition they have earned through service to our Nation and Commonwealth. The Secretary distinguishes and elevates issues and opportunities for Veterans and transitioning Service members in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Of primary importance are the employment, health care, and education needs of our Veterans. With the seventh-largest Veteran population in the Nation and the greatest number of Veterans in the workforce per capita, the Secretariat maintains a particular focus on employment of our newest generation of Veterans who have the current skills needed here in the Commonwealth.

The Chief Transformation Officer leads change efforts to bring business efficiency to government bureaucracy and make government more responsive, efficient and transparent for all Virginians.

The Counselor to the Governor provides oversight and guidance for legal matters occurring within the Office of the Governor.

The shared goal of the Office of Diversity, Opportunity, and Inclusion is focused on promoting ideas, policies, and practices in coordination with the Secretary of Commerce and Trade to expand entrepreneurship and economic opportunities for disadvantaged Virginians, including Virginians living with disabilities.