The Office of the Governor of the State of[...] (via Public) / Governor Spanberger Appoints Virginia Digital Service Director

pubt.io · September 8, 2026

The Office of the Governor of the State of[...] (via Public) / Governor Spanberger Appoints Virginia Digital Service Director

09/08/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/08/2026 10:08

# Governor Spanberger Appoints Virginia Digital Service Director

For Immediate Release: September 8, 2026 Office of the Governor Contact: press@governor.virginia.gov

#### Governor Spanberger Appoints Virginia Digital Service Director

New State Team Will Focus on Modernizing State Technology, Improving Websites, & Preventing Bad State Contracts

RICHMOND, VA - Governor Abigail Spanberger today announced the appointment of Andrea Fletcher to serve as Director of the Virginia Digital Service - a new state team focused on modernizing state government, improving websites and systems, and saving taxpayers money by preventing bad state contracts.

The Virginia Digital Service will bring together an advanced team of engineers, designers, and technical experts to make sure technology is being used effectively, and taxpayer dollars are being spent efficiently, to improve the lives of Virginians. Governor Spanberger proposed the Digital Service in an amendment to Virginia's bipartisan budget - after uncovering that the Commonwealth had lost $52 million in taxpayer dollars on a failed IT project under the previous administration.

"State government should work for the people it serves - and that means making sure Virginians can access the services they need quickly, easily, and reliably," said Governor Abigail Spanberger. "I am excited to appoint Andrea Fletcher to serve Virginians in this new position. Under her leadership, the Virginia Digital Service will bring together expert technical talent to modernize state systems, improve government websites, and speed up the delivery of the services that families rely on every day."

Governor Spanberger continued, "We also have a responsibility to make sure every taxpayer dollar is used as effectively and efficiently as possible. At a time of unprecedented uncertainty and disruption out of Washington, Virginia can - and should - be a model of how we make smart, sound investments in technology. The Virginia Digital Service will help us do exactly that - making our Commonwealth more accountable and more responsive to the people of Virginia."

"Virginians should have an expectation that government services be intuitive and easy to use," said Director of the Virginia Digital Service Andrea Fletcher. "I'm excited to help deliver on that goal for the people of the Commonwealth and demonstrate that government can build great technology."

"Governor Spanberger is building a government that works better for all Virginians. Whether applying for a driver's license, opening a business, or accessing essential services, interacting with state systems should be simple, fast, and easy," said Chief Transformation Officer David Wilkinson. "In launching the Virginia Digital Service, the Governor is bringing a proven approach to Virginia. Andrea Fletcher is a nationally respected digital leader with a track record of delivering results that save time and money."

The Virginia Digital Service will also be deployed to help address the impacts of federal cuts. Teams will support Governor Spanberger's work to protect Virginians' access to healthcare coverage and SNAP in response to the devastating cuts imposed by H.R. 1 - President Donald Trump's so-called "One Big Beautiful Bill." Last month, the Governor established the Keep Virginia Covered policy to guide how executive agencies implement the new law with a focus on mitigating harm to Virginians.

Similar digital service teams have already delivered proven results in other states, saving residents time and money.

- Smarter state contracts: Colorado's team used hands-on product and user research to help negotiate a new grant management system covering 17 programs and more than $60 million in annual grants - before a dollar was spent. - Fixing everyday friction points: Pennsylvania's team rebuilt the process for residents appealing a denied insurance claim, turning a confusing form into a workable process at a moment when people are already under stress. - Streamlining applications: Maryland's team built a single, streamlined application covering Medicaid, SNAP, TANF, WIC, and energy assistance, with more than 220,000 applications completed in under six months. - Simpler processes: Maryland's unemployment insurance site now walks claimants through five clear steps instead of a confusing multi-page process - a redesign that reduced costs, cut page count by 40 percent, and drove a 15 percent jump in completion rate.

BIOGRAPHY

Andrea Fletcher is the Director of the Virginia Digital Service, where she leads efforts to modernize how residents interact with the Commonwealth. She previously served in the federal government as the first Chief Digital Strategy Officer at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), where she led the CMS Digital Service team and built the first Open Source Program Office in the federal government.

Andrea entered the government through the U.S. Digital Service in 2021, but her career spans federal health IT policy, AI governance, and global health systems work in more than 20 countries including supporting digital health systems for COVID-19, Ebola, and HIV. Andrea is a 2025 Service to the Citizen Award winner and was nominated in 2024 for the Samuel J. Heyman "Sammie" award for emerging leaders in government.

Originally from the Appalachian Mountains of Western Pennsylvania, Andrea holds a bachelor's degree from Washington & Jefferson College and an MPH from Emory University. She currently lives in Alexandria with her husband, daughter, and English Springer Spaniel.

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