Gov. Glenn Youngkin, shown May 2 announcing his final action on the state budget, said Tuesday that state and federal officials have assessed Amber Northern's work on the State Board of Education and with the Trump administration and "there is no conflict here."
RICHMOND 鈥 Gov. Glenn Youngkin said Tuesday that 聽will remain on the Virginia Board of Education and that her work as a senior adviser to U.S. does not pose a conflict of interest.
鈥淭here is no conflict here,鈥 Youngkin said in Petersburg after an event where he highlighted measures to improve maternal health. 鈥淲e鈥檝e looked into this in depth,鈥 he said.
Northern is not joining the Trump administration, 鈥渟he鈥檚 going in on a temporary advisory role, and this happens a lot where they will bring in experts to provide a temporary advisory role, not as an employee," Youngkin said.
鈥淲e鈥檝e worked both with the state conflicts people and, of course, the U.S. Department of Education conflicts people, and there is no conflict," Youngkin said. "And so she should ... and will continue to serve on the State Board of Education."
The State Board of Education is Virginia's top education policy body. In the state Constitution, the board has the primary role of overseeing schools in Virginia. The board is a regulatory body for Virginia's K-12 schools and often must interpret and respond to federal directives on education.
Northern is on leave from her post as senior vice president for research at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, an education policy think tank. She is serving in the federal role under an Intergovernmental Personnel Act agreement, which lets employees from outside organizations temporarily work in federal agencies.
On Monday Virginia Board of Education President Grace Creasey, like Northern, a Youngkin appointee, said of Northern's dual roles: "As President of the Board, I am committed to ensuring the highest integrity of the Board of Education and will do everything in my power to shield it from any perceived conflicts of interest."
Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, said Monday that Northern's state and federal duties pose a conflict and that she needs to "resign or take Virginia's side because she cannot serve two masters."
Gov. Glenn Youngkin, shown May 2 announcing his final action on the state budget, said Tuesday that state and federal officials have assessed Amber Northern's work on the State Board of Education and with the Trump administration and "there is no conflict here."
