REC has named Lindsey Watson as the Cooperative’s Director of Government Affairs.
“Watson comes to REC with a wealth of knowledge and professional experience in government affairs,” said David Koogler, Senior Vice President of Member Services and External Affairs. “She is a strong addition to REC, working on behalf of the Cooperative’s member-owners on the legislative front.”
Watson will participate in the development of legislative policy proposals that are beneficial to REC and Virginia’s electric cooperatives; lobby on behalf of REC and Virginia’s electric cooperatives before the Virginia General Assembly; track legislation at the state and federal levels that could directly or indirectly impact REC specifically and electric cooperatives generally; and manage and administer REC’s annual campaign to support the electric cooperative’s political action committee (ACRE). Further, Watson will develop and maintain positive and cooperative working relationships with all state and federal legislators, and their staff and aides, whose districts coincide with REC’s service area.
Watson has nearly 15 years of state government experience in a wide range of roles, including as the Director of Scheduling and Board Appointments to Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn in the Virginia House of Delegates, Director of the Executive Mansion and Deputy Director of Scheduling in the Administration of Gov. Ralph Northam, and Executive Assistant to the First Lady in the Administration of Gov. Terry McAuliffe. She also held positions at several regulatory agencies, including the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the Virginia Department of Health Professions.
Watson was born and raised in rural Virginia on a beef cattle and broiler poultry farm in Cumberland County. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Master of Public Administration degree from Virginia Tech. Watson is also a graduate of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia and serves on the Center for Rural Virginia Board of Trustees. She lives in Richmond.
