McElveen launches campaign for chair of Fairfax County Board of Supervisors

Ryan McElveen, an at-large member of the Fairfax County School Board, launched a campaign Jan. 5 for chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.

McElveen would succeed Sharon Bulova, who is retiring from the board after her term ends at the end of 2019.

McElveen will face Supervisor Jeff McKay (Lee), and any other Democratic candidates who decide to run, in a primary on June 11. No Republican candidates have officially announced yet.

In a video statement announcing his campaign, McElveen said: “While Fairfax County is a wonderful place to live for many, it isn’t working for everyone. Past decisions have increased the stark divide between the haves and have-nots, effectively creating two Fairfaxes.”

McElveen has served on the school board since 2012. He is the associate director of The Brookings Institution’s John L. Thornton China Center, where he coordinates with the Brookings-Tsinghua Center at Tsinghua University in Beijing and conducts research on Chinese politics and society and U.S. foreign policy.

As chairman of the BoS, McElveen’s priorities include:

• universal prekindergarten, so every child in Fairfax County can be prepared to join a global workforce;
• an innovative and sustainable infrastructure, so every community member has access to the internet; new transportation alternatives; and state-of-the-art schools, libraries, and green space;
• opportunity for all members of the workforce, so that every Fairfax resident can achieve the American Dream and share in the wealth brought by new tech companies; and
• fiscal discipline, so taxes are kept low while making these critical investments.

During his seven years on the school board, McElveen says he has “worked with parents, students, and educators to keep the school system the best in the nation, while also restoring competitive compensation for teachers and implementing important reforms in the areas of student mental health supports, student discipline, later high school start times, full-day Mondays, and school safety and security.”

Among his other accomplishments, McElveen says he led the school board in championing increased legislative advocacy so that every Fairfax County school receives its fair shake from Richmond, improved public engagement, curriculum internationalization, LGBTQ protections, gun violence prevention, and healthier food options.

Born in Tysons Corner, McElveen graduated from George C. Marshall High School. He holds a B.A. in anthropology and East Asian studies from the University of Virginia and a master’s of international affairs in human rights from Columbia University. He lives with his wife, Xuan, and daughter, Sierra, in McLean.