Julia Hammond of Cozen O’Connor will serve as the new State Director for NFIB in Virginia this legislative session. Nicole Riley, the current State Director, is moving on to serve as Deputy Secretary of Labor under the new Youngkin Administration.

Julia Hammond will replace Riley as NFIB’s voice in Richmond for the 2022 legislative session. Hammond represented small business owners as the State Director for NFIB in Virginia prior to Riley. Hammond will work directly with the small business advocacy organization’s members on key issues such as providing tax relief, enacting sensible regulations, working on financial assistance for employers and passing unemployment insurance reform.

“Julia is a strong choice to provide a voice to small business owners here in Virginia during this year’s legislative session,” said Tim Goodrich, Vice President of State Government Relations. “As a former NFIB State Director, she is ready and eager to take on the important role of representing the thousands of hard-working entrepreneurs across our state and making sure lawmakers understand the reasons they are still struggling from the pandemic, and how the state can help them recover.”

Hammond has extensive experience identifying emerging issues, developing and implementing high-level policy initiatives, and securing passage of a variety of measure and key reforms before the Virginia General Assembly.

Julia served as the director of legislative affairs and policy to Gov. Robert F. McDonnell from 2011-2013. She also led the McDonell administration’s legislative strategy, developed the governor’s policy agenda, and worked with members of the Virginia General Assembly to advance the governor’s policies. Julia has a strong background in the legislative development process, creating the state budget and executive branch agency functions. Julia earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Mary Washington.