Our Members

Ms. Carrie Chenery

Academic, Research, and Student Affairs Committee Chair

Ms. Carrie Chenery of Staunton, Virginia, is the founder and principal of Valley Pike Partners, an economic development and government relations consulting firm with a statewide mission to help companies, communities and organizations grow in Virginia.

Carrie is the former Executive Director of the Shenandoah Valley Partnership (SVP), the region’s economic development marketing organization. Prior to her leadership role at SVP, Carrie worked in the Virginia Office of the Governor where she was appointed the Assistant Secretary of Agriculture & Forestry. She was responsible for the oversight and advancement of economic development efforts related to Virginia’s largest private industries of agriculture and forestry. Prior to her role in the Governor's Office she gained valuable, wide-ranging economic development, marketing, government relations and communication experience as the Manager of Legislation & Policy at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership and as a Director of Government Affairs with the law firm Williams Mullen working across diverse industry sectors.

A graduate of Virginia Tech, Carrie earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Policy & Planning and Agricultural & Applied Economics. She is also a graduate of the Political Leaders Program through the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia. She currently serves as a gubernatorial appointee to the Virginia Economic Development Partnership Authority Board of Directors. Carrie has been recognized as one of North America’s Top 50 Economic Developers by Consultant Connect; one of the Top 10 under 40 emerging business leaders in the Shenandoah Valley by the Daily News-Record Business Journal; one of the Most Influential Virginians “On the Move” by Virginia Business magazine; and a Recent Outstanding Alumni by the Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Ms. Chenery was appointed on July 1, 2020 by Governor Northam.