Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security
Terrie Suit
The Honorable Terrie L. Suit was appointed by Governor Bob McDonnell to the position of Assistant to the Governor for Commonwealth Preparedness in January of 2010. In 2011, following the passage of HB1773 during the general assembly session, Assistant Suit was then appointed as Secretary of Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security by Governor McDonnell. This name change and re-organization of the office serves as an important and focused vehicle for elevating veterans issues in the Commonwealth of Virginia providing a clear path for making Virginia the “most veteran friendly state in the nation.” Part of this re-organization included the Department of Veterans Services being moved under Mrs. Suit. On the Homeland Security side, Mrs. Suit works with federal, state, and local officials, as well as the private sector, to develop a seamless, coordinated security and preparedness strategy and implementation plan. She also serves as Virginia's Homeland Security Advisor and is the direct liaison between the Governor and the federal Department of Homeland Security.
Formerly, Mrs. Suit spent nearly a decade representing the citizens of Virginia Beach and Chesapeake as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates. During her time in office she chaired both the General Laws Committee and the Virginia Housing Commission. She also served on the Commerce and Labor, Counties Cities and Towns, Education, Privileges and Elections, and Agriculture Committees. Then Delegate Suit's assignments dealt with a wide range of business issues as well as concentrations in housing, preparedness, base realignment and closure (BRAC) activities, and military relations. Prior to serving in the General Assembly, Mrs. Suit served for three years as a gubernatorial appointee to the Virginia Real Estate Board.
Before joining Governor McDonnell's Administration Mrs. Suit worked on business development and as a Government Affairs Director at the law firm of Williams Mullen. She focused her practice on helping companies and associations navigate the federal and state legislative and agency process, as well as advising businesses on relocation and expansion opportunities within Virginia. As a collateral duty she served on the Firm's Women's initiative and Diversity committees and spearheaded leadership training initiatives for the firm's Hampton Roads offices.
Mrs. Suit continues to be an active community leader. She has served on the executive committee of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce and was the 2006 and 2007 chair of the Chamber's Lead Hampton Roads Board of Trustees. Mrs. Suit has also served on the Virginia Beach Contemporary Art Center Board of Trustees, the Old Dominion University's Alumni Association Board and is currently a member of the Navy League of the United States. She has received numerous awards including the Hampton Roads Women in Business Honoree Award in 2009, the Hampton Roads Outstanding Professional Women in Public Service Award in 2005, the YWCA's Women of Distinction Award in 2004, The Leadership Hampton Roads “Julian Hirst” Leadership Award in 2003 and the Virginia Women's Attorneys Association 2002 Advocacy Award of Excellence.
Mrs. Suit was selected as one of Virginia Lawyers Weekly's "Influential Women of Virginia" for 2010. This award program, started in 2009, recognizes the outstanding efforts of women in the Commonwealth in all fields, including law, business, health care, education and the arts. The honors are given to individuals who are making notable contributions to their chosen professions, their communities and society at large.
Mrs. Suit was appointed in December 2010 to a national advisory committee on security clearance and information sharing by the Secretary of Homeland Security, in concurrence with the Secretary of Defense, the Attorney General, the Director of National Intelligence, and the Director of the Information Security Oversight Office. The advisory committee’s purpose is to explore current policies and procedures and make recommendations to remove unnecessary obstacles in security clearance and information sharing processes between federal, state, local, tribal, and private sector partners. Mrs. Suit was selected among all 50 states to represent states’ issues, thereby putting Virginia at the forefront of this important and long-standing issue.
Mrs. Suit grew up the daughter of a career US Army officer and continued her affiliation with the military during her 20 years as a Navy wife. Her husband, Tom, is retired from the United States Navy. Mrs. Suit obtained her associates degree from Tidewater Community College and graduated from Old Dominion University with a bachelor's degree in political science.
