Board of Visitors names new rector and vice rector

The University of Virginia’s newly revamped Board of Visitors held its first meeting in February and quickly elevated two of Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s (Col class of ’01) recent appointees to key leadership roles.

Carlos M. Brown (Col class of ’96, Law class of ’99) and Victoria D. Harker (Col class of ’86), Virginia-based business and civic leaders who have had previous stints on the board, were unanimously elected to serve as rector and vice rector until June 30, 2027. Brown was in line to become rector last year until Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin declined to reappoint him.

The pair will complete the remainder of the two-year terms vacated by Rachel Sheridan (Col class of ’94, Law class of ’98) and Porter Wilkinson (Law class of ’07), who were among five board members who resigned at Spanberger’s urging shortly before her Jan. 17 inauguration.

Spanberger filled those seats on the 17-member board, plus another five left vacant last year, when the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee declined to confirm Youngkin appointees amid escalating pressure from the Trump administration to dismantle DEI programs on Grounds. That pressure included seven U.S. Department of Justice investigations and the ouster of President Jim Ryan (Law class of ’92).

The former board also refused to pause the search for a new university president, despite calls from Spanberger, the Faculty Senate, student leaders and nine deans. Instead, it inked a five-and-a-half-year contract with Darden School of Business Dean Scott Beardsley.

During its meeting Feb. 20, the new board did not take up the presidential search or Beardsley’s contract, despite ongoing calls from faculty groups to investigate his appointment. It did go into closed session to “discuss and consider appointments of specific officers and employees” and to consult with legal counsel. No action followed.

Beardsley’s compensation package includes a $1.3 million base salary, a $250,000 deferred compensation plan, housing in the president’s residence, a car allowance, and eligibility for merit and cost-of-living raises. If terminated for a reason not specified in the contract, UVA could owe Beardsley more than $3 million in salary and sabbatical benefits, including 12 months of pay and leave plus any vested sabbatical time.

The board also voted to consolidate its first two-day meeting to a single day on March 5 and to schedule a full meeting sometime in April.

Energy exec returns to board leadership

Brown, a 51-year-old attorney and Dominion Energy executive from Glen Allen, Virginia, rejoins the board after an eight-month absence. He was originally appointed by Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam in 2021 and served as vice rector from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2025.

Brown serves as executive vice president, chief administrative and projects officer, and corporate secretary of Dominion Energy. He is also president of Dominion Energy Services Inc.

He oversees corporate services across Dominion Energy’s operating companies—including IT, security, real estate, facilities, supply chain management, environmental services and sustainability—and directs all major generation, environmental and corporate construction projects, according to his company biography.

Appearing at the BOV meeting by videoconference, Brown said little about the work that lies ahead.

“It’s very humbling, and it’s an honor to be able to serve as rector,” he said. “I know that we have a lot of issues that are kind of circling.”

Before joining Dominion, Brown was the managing partner of Brown Martin and president and managing member of the Obsidian Capital Group. He previously practiced law as an associate at McGuireWoods.

He serves as chair of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture and sits on the boards of Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. and the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity, a nonprofit dedicated to increasing diversity in the legal profession. Until 2018, he served as the chair of the Dominion Energy African American Resource Group, an employee group designed to increase cultural awareness and foster inclusivity.

He also served on the transition teams for Northam and former Richmond Mayor Dwight Jones, both Democrats.

As a student at UVA, Brown was an Echols Scholar; served as president of the student body; and was initiated into the IMP, 13 and Raven societies. In law school, he served as president of the Black Law Students Association.

A seasoned executive with longstanding UVA connections

Harker, of McLean, Virginia, is a retired media executive with extensive ties to UVA and the world of higher education.

The 61-year-old served as executive vice president and chief financial officer of Tegna, formerly Gannett, until 2024. Before joining that company in 2012, she served as chief financial officer and president of global business services at AES Corp., a multinational power company.

Harker previously served on the Board of Visitors from 2012 to 2016 and now sits on the UVA Health System Board, the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy Board, and the Rare Book School Board. She also served on the boards of The Jefferson Trust and UVA Alumni Association, chairing the latter from 2010 to 2012, and is a trustee of American University.

In 2019, Northam appointed Harker to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, which is responsible for policy and financial oversight of the commonwealth’s public colleges and universities. She was reappointed by Youngkin and served as vice chair until 2024.

Harker also serves on the board of the Virginia Business Higher Education Council, a public-private partnership focused on strengthening the performance and state funding of Virginia’s higher education system. Beardsley also serves on that board.

In addition, she holds board positions with publicly traded companies including Huntington Ingalls Industries, Xylem and Philip Morris International.

According to the board’s bylaws, Harker will be in line to succeed Brown after his two-year term as rector is up.