SJ 403 — Commending Venerria Lucas Thomas.

SESSION INTRODUCEDENROLLED 23106436D I SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO.

403 NE OfferedN February 20, 2023 Commending Venerria Lucas Thomas.

––––––––––Agreed Tto Patrons––Masonby the Senate, February 22, 2023 R Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 23, 2023 O L of adults, children, and Locke;families in Newport News as director of the Newport News Department ofng Human Services;

Delegates:and L WHEREAS, a native of Chicago, Venerria "Ven" Thomas holds degrees from Northwestern E relations, and social justice by working for nonprofit organizations, private companies, and public D entities;

Mullin and Simonds R –––––––––– WHEREAS, forVen eight years, Venerria Lucas Thomas haslived promotedin the health,Pacific safety,Northwest andfor wellbeing30 ofyears, adults,relocated children,to andFlorida, familiesthen settled in Newport News as director of the NewportHampton NewsRoads Departmentarea; ofD Human Services;

andon WHEREAS,September a16, native2014, ofshe Chicago,became Venerriathe "Ven"director Thomasof holdsthe degreesNewport fromthe Northwesterndepartment's Uleadership; relations, and social justice by working for nonprofit organizations, private companies, and public entities;

ands (NNDHS) bringing vision, fresh energy, enthusiasm, and Estyle to WHEREAS, Ven Thomas livedincreased inNNDHS thevisibility Pacificat Northwestlocal, forcity, 30and years,state relocatedlevels through her inspirational leadership and commitment to Florida,engagement thenwith settledother incity and state agencies and S committees, and the HamptonNational RoadsForum area;for Black Public Administrators;

onand September0 16,including 2014,hosting shequarterly becamedirector's theforums, directorhosting ofopen theoffice Newporthours, Newsand Departmentestablishing ofcharter HumanE Servicescommittees (NNDHS) bringing vision, fresh energy, enthusiasm, and styleaffinity togroups; the department's leadership;

and R WHEREAS, Ven Thomas increasedled NNDHSand visibilityparticipated atin local,initiatives city,to andprovide stateservices levelsto throughmembers herof committees,the Newport News community, including the SAFE Program, the Choice Neighborhood Initiative Planning GraWHEREAS, in May 2018, Ven Thomas and her team successfully launched the National2019-2024 ForumNNDHS forStrategic BlackPlanning Publicprocess Administrators;in collaboration with Floricane, LLC;

andndand stateWHEREAS, agenciesVen Thomas oversaw many facility and WHEREAS,organizational enhancements during her tenure and successfully petitioned the city manager and leadership for approval to develop a permanent telWHEREAS, outside of her work with the NNDHS, Ven Thomas developedserved initiativestwo toterms improveas staffa communicationmember andof involvement,the includingHampton-Newport hostingNews quarterlyCommunity director'sServices forums,Board hostingfrom open2016 officeto hours,2022, andincluding establishinga charterterm committeesas andchair affinityfrom groups;July 2021 to June 2022;

andshe Salso WHEREAS,provided Venher Thomasleadership led and participatedexpertise into initiativesthe toVirginia provideAssociation servicesof toWHEREAS, membersVen Thomas retired as director of th0the NewportNNDHS Newson community,December including30, the2022, SAFEhaving Program,served the ChoiceNewport NeighborhoodNews Initiativecommunity Planning3with Grant,dedication, integrity, and assistancedistinction programsand forinspired residentsher ofcolleagues localthrough mobileher homeleadership, parks;grace, and commitment to excellence;

andnow, Strategictherefore, Planningbe processit inRESOLVED collaborationby withthe Floricane,Senate, LLC;the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby retirement as director of the Newport News Department of Human Services;

andedand, thebe 2019-2024itcasion NNDHSof WHEREAS,her VenRESOLVED ThomasFURTHER, oversawThat manythe facilityClerk andof organizationalthe enhancementsSenate duringprepare hera tenurecopy andof successfullythis petitionedresolution the city manager and leadership for approvalpresentation to developVenerria aLucas permanentThomas teleworkas programan forexpression staffof withthe aGeneral presentationAssembly's byadmiration thefor NNDHSher executivepersonal team;and professional achievements.

and WHEREAS, outside of her work with the NNDHS, Ven Thomas served two terms as a member of the Hampton-Newport News Community Services Board from 2016 to 2022, including a term as chair from July 2021 to June 2022;

she also provided her leadership and expertise to the Virginia Association 35 of WHEREAS, Ven Thomas retired as director of the NNDHS on December 30, 2022, having served 36 the Newport News community with dedication, integrity, and distinction and inspired her colleagues / 37 through her leadership, grace, and commitment to excellence;

now, therefore, be it / 38 RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby 39 commend Venerria Lucas Thomas for her many contributions to the community on the occasion of her retirement as director of the Newport News Department of Human Services;

and, be it RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for personal and professional achievements.s an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for her