We are a nonprofit alliance formed to promote expanded access to government records, meetings and other proceedings at the state and local level. Our efforts are focused solely on local/state information access. While we do some lobbying (within limits imposed by IRS rules), our primary work is educational. The Coalition was formed in 1996, after a year-long organizing effort. Our 23-member board of directors represents the state's access activists and friends of open government, including Virginia's librarians, genealogists, broadcasters, newspapers and the public at large. Start-up funding was provided by the Virginia Press Association, the Virginia Association of Broadcasters, Media General, the Landmark Communications Foundation, America Online, all of the major in-state newspapers, public radio and television stations, a number of commercial stations and other friends of open government. Supporters also include Dominion, Appalachian Power, SunTrust, LexisNexis, Christian & Barton, Conservation Voters League, Woods Rogers, Gentry Locke.

Click here for our bylaws.

Founding or current members include USA Today, Associated Press, the Freedom Forum, the Virginia Genealogical Society, Library of Virginia, Roanoke Office of City Attorney, journalism schools, student newspapers, First Amendment lawyers, the League of Women Voters (Loudoun County and Montgomery County), the Virginia Library Association, the Association of Law Librarians, Lexis/Nexis and some 75 interested individual citizens and public officials. Current and recent members also include the Virginia AFL-CIO, Virginia Education Asseociation, Virginia Chamber of Commerce, the League of Conservation Voters, Virginia Municipal League, Virginia Association of Counties, the Private Investigators Association of Virginia, the Student Press Law Center, the Virginia Organizing Project, the Virginia Association of Health Plans, the Virginia Travel Corp. and Woods Rogers law firm. Dues are $30 for individuals ($10 for students); $110 for nonprofit groups. (Please contact us for other categories.)

Minutes, 11/21/08 board of directors meeting, Glen Allen

Minutes, 5/22/08 board of directors meeting, Fredericksburg

Minutes, 3/14/08 board of directors meeting, Roanoke

Minutes, 11/29/07 board of directors meeting, Glen Allen

Minutes, 6/14/07 board of directors meeting, Virginia Beach

Minutes, 3/23/07 board of directors meeting, Norfolk

Minutes, 11/16/06 board of directors meeting, Richmond

Minutes, 6/8/06 board of directors meeting, The Homestead

Minutes, 3/24/06 board of directors meeting, Roanoke

Minutes, 11/17/05 board of directors meeting, Lexington

VCOG is registered under section 57-49 of the Virginia Sollicitation of Contributions Law. Our financial statement is available on written request from the Office of Consumer Affairs.

As a tax-exempt 501c3 organization, our IRS 990 form for the past 3 years is available for public inspection. Our reports are also posted at the Guidestar site.


Our board of directors:
BOARD OF DIRECTORS, VIRGINIA COALITION FOR OPEN GOVERNMENT


PRESIDENT: Lawrence McConnell, Charlottesville; publisher, Daily Progress (2007)
EMAIL This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
PHONE 434- 978 7200
ADDRESS: Box 9030, Charlottesville, VA 22906

VICE PRESIDENT Dorothy Abernathy, chief of bureau, The Associated Press (2007)
EMAIL This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
PHONE 800.552.9935
ADDRESS: 600 E. Main St., Suite 1250, Richmond, VA. 23219

SECRETARY: Ed Jones, Fredericksburg; editor, The Free Lance-Star (2008)
EMAIL This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
PHONE 540.374.5401
FAX 540.373.8455
ADDRESS 616 Amelia St., Fredericksburg, VA 22401

TREASURER: Peter Maroney, vice president/general manager, WTVR (2008)
EMAIL This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
PHONE 804.254.3617
ADDRESS Box 11064, Richmond 23230

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT: Wat Hopkins, professor, communications studies, Va. Tech (2008)
EMAIL This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
PHONE 540.231.9833; cell 540.230.7833
FAX 540.231.9817
ADDRESS Dept. Of Communication Studies, 101 Shanks Hall, Va. Tech, Blacksburg 24061

Lee Albright (2008)
EMAIL This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
PHONE 540.377.5754
ADDRESS Box 118, Montebello VA 24464

Paul Casalaspi, Director, Information Technology, Library of Virginia (2010)
EMAIL This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
PHONE 804.692.3756
ADDRESS 800 East Broad St, Richmond, VA 23219

Lucy Dalglish, Arlington; executive director, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (2009)
EMAIL This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
PHONE 800.336.4243
FAX 703.807.2109
ADDRESS 1101 Wilson Blvd, Suite 1100, Arlington, VA 22209

John Edwards, Smithfield; editor and publisher, The Smithfield Times (2009)
EMAIL This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
PHONE 757.357.3288 (cell: 757.651.9252)
FAX 757.357.0404
ADDRESS 228 Main Street, Box 366, Smithfield, VA 23431

Jane Elizabeth, Norfolk; senior editor, The Virginian-Pilot (2009)
EMAIL This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
PHONE 757.446.2424
WORK CELL PHONE 757.477.5953
ADDRESS 150 W. Brambleton Ave., Norfolk VA  23510

Craig T. Fifer, E-Government Manager, City of Alexandria (2007)
EMAIL This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
PHONE 703.519.3468
ADDRESS 301 King Street, Box 71, Alexandria VA  22314

Mark Grunewald, professor of law, Washington & Lee University (2009)
EMAIL This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
PHONE 540.458.8526
FAX 540.463.8488
ADDRESS School of Law, Lexington, VA 24450

Harry Hammitt, Lynchburg; editor/publisher, Access Reports (2009)
EMAIL This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
PHONE 434.384.5334
FAX 434.384.8272

Waldo Jaquith, Founder, Richmond Sunlight (2009)
EMAIL This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
ADDRESS P.O. Box 1142, Charlottesville, VA 22902

Pam Luecke, Reynolds Professor of Business Journalism, Washington & Lee (2007)
EMAIL This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
PHONE: 540.458.8435
ADDRESS: Lexington, VA 24450-0303

John M. Moen, general manager, WFLS/WYSK/99.3/96.9 (2009)
EMAIL This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
PHONE 540.774.5505
FAX 540.374.5525
ADDRESS 616 Amelia St., Fredericksburg 22401-3887

Thomas Moncure, Associate Vice President for University Counsel, George Mason University (2008)
EMAIL  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
PHONE 703.993.2619
FAX 703.993.2340
ADDRESS P.O. Box 569, Fairfax 22038

Patricia O'Bannon, Henrico County Board of Supervisors (2008-2009)
EMAIL This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
PHONE 804.501.4208
ADDRESS P.O. Box 27032,  Richmond, VA 23273-7032

Robert M. O'Neil, Director, Thomas Jefferson Center for the Protection of Free Expression (2008)
EMAIL This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
PHONE 434.295.4784
FAX 434.296.3621
ADDRESS 400 Worrell Dr., Charlottesville VA  22911-8691

Matt Paxton IV, publisher, The News-Gazette, Lexington (2006-2008)
EMAIL This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
PHONE 540.463.3113
FAX 540.464.6397; cell 540.460.3113
ADDRESS Box 1153, Lexington, VA 24450

John Schick, President, Piedmont Communications Inc. :WJMA, WOJL,WCVA, WVCA (2008-2009)
EMAIL This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
PHONE 540.672.1000
ADDRESS P.O. Box 271 , Orange VA 22960

Nancy Kent Smith, VP/News WWBT-TV (2008-2010)
EMAIL This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
PHONE 804.230.1212
ADDRESS Box 12, Richmond, VA 23218

Rod Smolla, dean, Washington & Lee University School of Law (2005-2007)
EMAIL This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
ADDRESS School of Law, W&L, Lexington VA 24450



EX OFFICIO MEMBER
Ginger Stanley, executive director, Virginia Press Association
EMAIL This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
PHONE 804.521.7575
FAX 804.521.7590
ADDRESS: 11529 Nuckols Road, Glen Allen, VA 23059

EX OFFICIO MEMBER
Peter Easter, director of government relations, Virginia Association of Broadcasters
EMAIL This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
PHONE 434.977.3716; cell 434.962.8001
FAX 434.979.2439
ADDRESS: 600 Peter Jefferson Parkway, Charlottesville, VA 22911-8835

COUNSEL
Joe Smith
ADDRESS 1921 Gallows Road Suite 750, Vienna VA  22182
EMAIL This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
PHONE 203.883.0878

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Megan Rhyne
PHONE: 540.353.8264 or 757.870.3169
ADDRESS: Box 2576, Williamsburg VA 23187