panelist bios 2016

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	Mark Barham is the Director of Information Technology for the City of Williamsburg Virginia, and has served in this capacity for 15 years. He is responsible for all data, voice and video networks and systems, both hardware and software, for the City of Williamsburg. He has been directly involved in Information Technology for over 20 years and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology. Barham has overseen several key projects for the City of Williamsburg, including the City’s Performance Management System and dashboards, increased mobile and e-commerce functionality, development and implementation of a City wide IT Strategic Plan, and the design and implementation of the use of iPads by City Council, Planning Commission, and Codes and Compliance staff.
	Kristin Davis is a staff attorney in the Charlottesville office of Southern Environmental Law Center. Kristin focuses on issues related to industrial gas development and fracking. This includes work to improve Virginia’s oil and gas regulations, as well as to achieve strong local standards and oversight of gas drilling in Tidewater Virginia’s Taylorsville Basin. Kristin also works to protect important resources in the George Washington & Jefferson National Forests, including old growth forest, water quality of headwater streams, wildlife habitat, and remote roadless areas. Prior to joining SELC in 2014, Kristin worked for McGuireWoods in Charlottesville where she focused on energy litigation and for K&L Gates in Boston where she concentrated on class action litigation.
	Dr. Michael Dickens graduated with honors from Princeton University and received his M.D. degree from Columbia University. In addition to practicing medicine for forty years he has been employed at James Madison's Montpelier for fourteen years pursuing his second career passion - American History. Since retiring from medicine in 2012 he has worked part time at The Papers of George Washington at the University of Virginia doing primary research for the editors of the Revolutionary War Series. He has just completed a book entitled Threads of Influence which is the first attempt to take an in-depth look at Madison's ongoing relationships with his fellow graduates of The College of New Jersey (Princeton) throughout his career. He has served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library. During his tenure there he published at the request of the Office of the Historian of the U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine & Surgery two articles on Presidential disability and the role of Wilson's physician in managing and hiding from public view Wilson's many severe medical problems. Today's talk will focus on the realities of Madison the politician and the environment he worked in versus the idealized picture of Madison as champion of openness in government.
	Wyatt Durrette. Mr. Durette is a trial lawyer with Richmond-based DurretteCrump PLC. His is experience is wide-ranging and he has handled a variety of matters and tried cases throughout the country, both at the trial and appellate level. Among many honors he is a Fellow in the Litigation Counsel of America, the trial lawyer honorary society. He currently represents a group of Virginia citizens and OneVirginia 2021 in a constitutional challenge to 11 state legislative districts. Mr. Durrette is a former member of the Virginia House of Delegates and was the Republican nominee for Attorney General in 1981 and Governor in 1985.
	Michael Gilbert. Michael is the Sullivan and Cromwell Professor of Law at the University of Virginia, where he teaches courses on legislation, election law, and law and economics. His research examines judicial independence, campaign finance, and lawmaking processes. Gilbert holds a J.D. and Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley.
	Eric Gregory. Eric joined Hefty Wiley & Gore in January 2016, following twelve years of experience in state and local government law. Eric served as County Attorney for King George County from 2013 to 2016 and continues to serve in that capacity via a contract with the firm. Previously, Eric served as County Attorney for Powhatan County from 2011 to 2013. Prior to entering local government, Eric served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Commonwealth’s Office of the Attorney General from 2004 to 2011, ultimately serving on the Attorney General’s senior staff. Prior to entering public service, Eric practiced law for a private firm in Richmond, focusing on civil litigation. Eric provides comprehensive legal services to the firm’s local government and other clients, including services related to land use and zoning, contracts and procurement, human resources and employment, legislation and public policy, real estate transactions, compliance with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, and other areas.
	The Hon. Edd Houck. Senator Edd Houck served in the Virginia State Senate for twenty-eight years, 1984-2012, where he was Chairman of the Education and Health Committee, Chairman of the Freedom of Information Advisory Committee and as senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, served as a Budget Conferee. Having been named “Legislator of the Year” by many state and national organizations during his years in the State Senate, Senator Houck was honored to receive the Virginia Coalition for Open Government Freedom of Information Award in 2000. A native of Smyth County, Virginia, he graduated from Marion Senior High School; received an Associate degree from Wytheville Community College; a Bachelors degree from Concord College and a Masters degree from the University of Virginia, where he completed advanced graduate studies. Senator Houck retired after a forty-two year career in education and health care administration. He has been happily married to Dana Blankenship Houck for forty-five years and they have two beautiful granddaughters.
	Andria McClellan. Andria was elected to serve Norfolk City Council in 2016. She is an active community volunteer, civic leader and fundraiser, raised in the commonwealth of Virginia, where she is now bringing up her own three sons with her husband Mike. Upon graduating from U.Va., Andria began her career in sales and marketing, working for two Fortune 500 companies. After attending Wharton, she discovered her passion as an entrepreneur. Andria played a leading role in two start-up ventures where she developed a personal understanding of the challenges faced by small businesses. It was her leadership in these positions that led to her appointment, by then Governor Mark Warner, to Chairman of the Virginia’s Small Business Advisory Board. Andria has since served on several boards and commissions, including the Norfolk Planning Commission, the Family & Children’s Trust Fund of Virginia, and WHRO Public TV/Radio. In her role on City Council, Andris is focused on the areas of education, technology/innovation, and water (flooding, water quality and activating the waterways), as well as working to create a more transparent and accessible City Council.
	David Ogburn. Prior to joining Capital Results, a public affairs and business consulting firm, David worked for Verizon Communications, first in their Legal Department and then as part of their State Government Affairs team. In his role at Verizon, David was responsible for the company’s relationship with the Virginia State Corporation Commission as well as policy development on regulatory and legislative matters. During his tenure, he regularly lobbied and testified before legislative committees and was instrumental in drafting, negotiating and passing landmark telecommunications legislation.
	Chad Owen. Chad is the Records Management Coordinator at the Library of Virginia, where he heads up the Records Analysis Section. He previously served as records manager for the University of Louisville and represented all public universities on the state’s Electronic Records Working Group, a multijurisdictional group formed to create guidelines and provide advice and best practices for all levels of Kentucky government. As a native of Southside Virginia and a graduate of both UVA and VCU, he is glad to be back in the Old Dominion again.
	Dale Peskin. Dale fosters an informed society in a career that spans journalism, business management, entrepreneurship and consulting. Currently the executive editor of the Loudoun Times-Mirror, he has served as a senior executive and editor at The Dallas Morning News and The Detroit News. He directed a news-industry think tank at the American Press Institute and founded We Media, a research and consulting group that advised news organizations on online news and business values. His clients included The Associated Press, CNN, BBC, Qualcomm and Editorial Projects in Education.
	Emily Shaw. Emily is a Senior Analyst at the Sunlight Foundation, where she helps the organization lead the charge to make useful public information available online. Emily writes and speaks regularly on topics related to public data access. She has presented before a wide variety of local and national audiences and regularly provides insights to media outlets across the country. Before coming to the Sunlight Foundation, Emily served as a professor of political science at Thomas College in Waterville, Maine. She has worked for a range of civil and human rights organizations including Human Rights Watch, the ACLU, the American Friends Service Committee and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Emily holds a Ph.D. in Political Science (UC Berkeley) and retains a great love for formal academics, but now sees the blog as her classroom and the world as her library.
	James Toscano. Dr. James Toscano’s work on the topic of social media legitimacy has appeared this past year in GOVERNING, GovTech, and The Conversation, and in the forthcoming “Handbook of Research on Citizen Engagement and Public Participation in the Era of New Media" from IGI Global. Toscano is vice president for public affairs and communications at Tidewater Community College and an adjunct faculty member in the Christopher Newport University School of Government. As a state appointee, Toscano is the immediate past chair of the Transportation District Commission of Hampton Roads and a current member of the Virginia Transit Capital Project Revenue Advisory Board. Toscano's background in public policy began as a governor’s fellow in the office of the Virginia secretary of technology under Gov. Mark R. Warner before becoming legislative director to then-Delegate Bob McDonnell. Toscano holds a doctorate in law and policy from Northeastern University, a master’s degree in public policy and management from the University of London, and he is a graduate of the Sorensen Institute Political Leaders Program at the University of Virginia.