Carrie Chenery ’08 has spent two decades working to grow Virginia’s economy.
Now, she’s responsible for helping lead it.
In January, Gov. Abigail Spanberger appointed her as Virginia’s secretary of commerce and trade, placing her at the helm of the commonwealth’s economic strategy.
At Virginia Tech, she earned dual degrees in agricultural and applied economics and environmental policy and planning. Over the next two decades, Chenery built a career across government, regional economic development, and private business. She served on the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors from 2020-24 and was recognized as an Outstanding Alumna by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
She discussed the experiences that shaped her career, her priorities as secretary of commerce and trade, and the role Virginia Tech has played in her life and leadership.
What does it mean to you to serve as Virginia’s secretary of commerce and trade at this moment in history?
It’s truly an incredible honor to serve Virginia, this governor, and this administration. I’m humbled to be part of a cabinet made up of professional, thoughtful people who are here for the right reasons. And serving under Virginia’s first female governor, as a mom of two young girls, makes this moment feel truly historic.
That really hit me after I saw a photo of my swearing-in ceremony on the cover of the Richmond Times-Dispatch. My husband and our two girls were by my side, and my oldest daughter is literally looking up at me in the picture as I take my oath. That picture reminds me every day of the responsibility that comes with this role and the example of public service I hope to set for my daughters.
As you begin this role, what are your top priorities?
One of my first priorities is instilling a strong sense of partnership among business, government, and communities across Virginia. We’re also focused on addressing issues like affordability, energy, and housing in the commonwealth, and I’m eager to tackle those in a way that brings people together. These aren’t new problems, but we need new solutions to old problems.
I also think it’s important to make sure more people feel like they’re part of the policymaking process. In some cases, stakeholders may have felt shut out of public policy for different reasons — maybe they didn’t feel confident engaging with government, or certain groups simply haven’t been talking to each other. I’m interested in getting back to the basics of collaboration on the big issues facing the commonwealth.
Looking back on your career and time at Virginia Tech, what experiences prepared you most for this role?
I think every point in my career helped prepare me for this role. I’ve had the opportunity to work in state government, in a regional nonprofit, and in private business. I’ve also served in the governor’s office and seen the legislative process up close. I’ve lived and worked in both rural and urban Virginia, and I’ve run my own company. Those experiences allow me to look at issues from multiple angles rather than coming into this role with just one professional perspective.
Virginia Tech has also been a common thread throughout my professional and personal life. I’ve been a student, a professional partner, and a member of the Board of Visitors, helping guide the university’s direction. During my time as a student, I studied environmental policy and planning and agricultural and applied economics – fields that didn’t always approach issues the same way or even agree on them. Being able to move between those perspectives helped me better understand public policy and how business and government work together.
You’ve remained engaged with Virginia Tech as an alumna and former Board of Visitors member. Why has that continued service mattered to you?
I grew up in a small rural community where my parents were naturally engaged with a wide network. They lived their entire lives in the area and owned different businesses over the years. I watched them volunteer and serve their neighbors, local organizations my brother and I participated in, our schools and customers through their businesses. A lot of that — the importance of showing up, serving others, and being active community members — was learned just by watching them.
When I came to Virginia Tech, that strong culture of service – the land-grant mission and Ut Prosim (That I May Serve) – felt like a natural extension of how I was raised. I’ve carried that into my career. To me, service means stepping forward to help improve something rather than waiting for someone else to do it. And, right now, this feels like an important moment in history for our government and our society to stand up, volunteer, and serve to make things better.
Several Virginia Tech alumni are serving in Gov. Spanberger’s administration. What has it been like to see so many Hokies in state government?
I love it. It’s a huge source of pride to see Virginia Tech alumni serving in state government and leadership roles across Virginia. Several members of the cabinet are Hokies and we all happened to be walking out of the office the other night at the same time, so we stopped and took a photo together. I think we all share a sense of service and pride in Virginia that goes along with being a Hokie. Virginia Tech, as an institution, also does an incredible job staying engaged with state government. It’s a trusted partner and a consistent presence in the work happening across Virginia.
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