Coward steps into the post following Robert Ward, who assumed it in 2024 — succeeding Eric Moeller, the first person to hold the title in Virginia.
The position is designed to support cabinet secretaries and agency heads in adopting tools and strategies that strengthen government performance. This includes everything from project management to process improvement and the tracking of major initiatives. In past years, the Transformation Office has helped state agencies apply new data approaches to reduce wait times at the Department of Motor Vehicles, build data dashboards that assisted with re-entry efforts for people formerly incarcerated, and implement resilience strategies for citizen-facing services.
The new CTO is a familiar figure in Virginia politics and public service. Before Coward's appointment, announced Friday, he served as the state’s deputy chief transformation officer. A state executive since January 2022 according to LinkedIn, he has previously had leadership roles in both the private sector and political campaigns.
In a statement posted to LinkedIn, the new CTO expressed gratitude for the appointment and emphasized his commitment to carrying forward the work of his predecessors.
He wrote, “I am honored to be appointed Chief Transformation Officer for the Commonwealth of Virginia. I want to thank Robert Ward for his leadership and service in laying a strong foundation for this work. Building on that foundation, I look forward to continuing to advance Governor Glenn Youngkin’s vision of a more efficient, accountable, and citizen-focused government for the people of Virginia.”
