Alumnus Jeff Palmore '00, J.D. '09 Receives New Post in Virginia Governor's Office
Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell named Jeff Palmore ’00, J.D. ’09 his new director of policy development and deputy counselor. The announcement came June 22 as the governor made several new appointments and restructured his policy office team.
Palmore will manage the administration’s policy formulation. He will also serve as the executive director of the governor’s Commission on Government Reform, Efficiency and Restructuring and will continue to serve as a legal advisor to the governor and cabinet.
“Through the excellent work of our policy office, we’ve been successful in enacting important reforms that will positively affect the lives of Virginians in every corner of the Commonwealth,” McDonnell said in a release. “In order to ensure even greater success moving forward, we have restructured the policy office and put together an accomplished group of professionals who will continue to work tirelessly to advance this administration’s ambitious policy goals. I look forward to working with these fine public servants to put in place policy solutions that help all the citizens of the Commonwealth.”
Palmore, who had formerly worked for McDonnell in the Office of the Attorney General as special assistant for legislative affairs, has served as deputy counselor to the Governor since August 2010. He also served as a policy advisor on McDonnell's 2009 gubernatorial campaign. Previously, Palmore worked for Jerry Kilgore as deputy policy director in his 2005 campaign for governor and as campaign manager to former Congresswoman Thelma Drake's 2004 congressional campaign. He also worked for several years on Capitol Hill and as a law clerk to Judge Henry E. Hudson of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
While at William & Mary Law School, Palmore served as executive editor of the William & Mary Law Review and as president of the Election Law Society.