Virginia Johnson Burnley

Virginia Johnson Burnley has extensive work experience in government relations and legislative affairs. Virginia began their career as Counsel to the Chairman of the Ethics Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1996 and held this position until 2004. From 2001 to 2004, they also worked as Counsel for the Armed Services Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. Burnley then served as the Executive Director/Sr. Director of Government Affairs at the American Red Cross National Headquarters from 2004 to 2006. Virginia later joined the Department of Defense as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for House Legislative Affairs from 2006 to 2009, and then became a Senior Advisor for Legislative Affairs at the Defense Security Service from 2009 to 2012. Burnley worked as the Chief of Staff in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2012 to 2013, and then became the Director of Federal Relations at the Washington DC Office of NC Governor from 2014 to 2016. In 2017, they joined the U.S. Department of the Interior as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks for a short period. Since 2017, Burnley has held leadership positions at the USO, initially serving as the Senior Vice President of Government Relations and External Affairs, and currently holding the role of Chief Government Relations Officer.

Virginia Johnson Burnley has a B.A. degree in Russian and French from Duke University. Virginia also attended the Middlebury College Summer Russian Language School and spent a semester abroad at the Pushkin State Russian Language Institute in Moscow, USSR. Furthermore, they earned a Doctor of Law (J.D.) degree from Wake Forest University School of Law.