Coffey and Cunningham Sworn in to be New Board Members starting Jan. 1
Published on December 15, 2023
Maureen Coffey (left) and Susan Cunningham (right) were sworn in as incoming Arlington County Board members on Friday, December 15, 2023. They were elected in the 2023 November County Board General Election and will officially begin their terms on January 1, 2024. They will fill the seats of Board Chair Christian Dorsey and Interim Board Member Tannia Talento after their terms conclude at the end of this year.
“Passing the baton of elected public service is a hallmark of all functioning democracies,” Chair Dorsey said. “And with heartfelt reverence, I conclude my own tenure knowing that two talented and committed community leaders have been elected to the Arlington County Board. I am confident in incoming Board Members Coffey and Cunningham’s abilities and look forward to their successful contributions to our County.”
Coffey is a policy analyst on the Early Childhood Policy team at the Center for American Progress. Previously, she worked at the Institute for Women's Policy Research, participated in a research partnership with the American Public Human Services Association, worked with the Study of Early Education through Partnerships, and worked to reduce discrimination in home mortgage lending.
In 2021, Coffey was appointed by Governor Ralph Northam to serve on Virginia's Family and Children's Trust, a group focused on the prevention and treatment of family violence, including child abuse and neglect, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and elder abuse and neglect. Locally, she has served as a board member of the Arlington County Civic Federation (CivFed) and has been an active member of the Clarendon-Courthouse Civic Association.
Coffey earned her bachelor's degree in economics at Oberlin College and her Master of Public Policy from the University of Virginia. She is the daughter of a teacher and software engineer, and she enjoys biking the W&OD trail, playing field hockey, and kayaking.
"I am honored and eager to serve on the Arlington County Board," Coffey said. "In the coming years, the County must make many critical decisions to build a future for all Arlingtonians. I look forward to working with my Board colleagues, the County Manager, and our community to ensure we put our core values into action here in Arlington."
Cunningham is the Chief Executive Officer of C2 Change Solutions, providing interim executive leadership to organizations navigating rapid change. She served as interim CEO of AHC (now Affordable Homes & Communities) and as interim Executive Director of Arlington Thrive. Cunningham held executive roles at the Department of the Treasury and McKinsey & Company.
Cunningham was a founding member of the Arlington Joint Facilities Advisory Commission, chaired the Dorothy Hamm Middle School building committee, and co-chaired the Stratford Historic Site Historic Interpretation Committee. She co-chairs St. Mary's Episcopal Outreach, leads a teen Girl Scout troop, and welcomes refugee families. Cunningham has served as a board member for ChildTrends, the Fishing School, GreenHOME, the SEED Foundation, and See Forever Foundation/Maya Angelou School.
Cunningham earned her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering at Yale University and was a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Malawi. She and her husband have two teenage daughters in Arlington Public Schools.
“I am grateful for our community’s trust and am honored to join the Arlington County Board,” Cunningham said. “Government exists to serve our people. As we grapple with important decisions and tradeoffs, I will keep community members at the center. Together we will build a resilient and connected Arlington that is a great place to live, work, and play.”
For inquiries or more information please contact the Board Office at 703-228-3130 or via countyboard@arlingtonva.us