Washington, DC – The Board of Directors of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) today elected Fairfax County Supervisor Penelope Gross as its chairman.  The COG Board is made up of local and state elected officials from the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia and is responsible for the regional body’s overall policies, functions, and funds.

Gross represents the Mason District on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors and has been a regional leader on a number of environmental and public safety initiatives since first joining COG in 1998.  She was the original chair of COG’s Chesapeake Bay Policy Committee, a group that helped give local governments a greater voice in restoration efforts.  Gross has also served as chair of COG’s Public Safety Policy Committee, which organized a gang summit in 2004 to improve coordination on regional crime and gang prevention. 

“As a longtime participant at COG, I am well aware of the positive work we can accomplish when local governments collaborate on big-picture, regional issues like transportation, environmental planning, and emergency preparedness,” Gross said.  “This year presents us with many challenges, but I am confident that we will continue to work together to make this region the best place in the nation to live, work, play and learn.”

Gross was first elected to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors from the Mason District on November 7, 1995.  In addition to her regional work at COG, Gross also represents Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia and West Virginia on the National Association of Regional Councils Board of Directors.

COG also elected its 2009 vice chairs—Kwame Brown and Andrea Harrison.  Brown has served as an At-Large member of the Council of the District of Columbia since 2005.  Harrison is the District 5 Council Member on the Prince George’s County Council.  She was elected to that post in 2008.