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| Fairfax County Secures Second Place in 2024 Digital Counties Survey, Continues Decades-Long Streak of Success |
Fairfax County has often been ranked in the top 10 as a technical innovator over the last 21 years -- in the top five for 10 consecutive years and earning first place four times. This year’s ranking celebrated several technological innovations, including the county’s incorporation of AI technologies, advanced data analytics, and web infrastructure modernization through cloud migration, which serve as a model for local governance. The county’s refreshed website, alongside its Planning and Land Use System (PLUS) and Tax and Business System (TABS), incorporates integrated AI initiatives. Fairfax County has also invested in a comprehensive multichannel engagement strategy, focusing on inclusive community involvement, while also tackling digital equity issues. “The future is now. Fairfax County will remain an innovative leader as we continue to embrace technology to better serve our residents and visitors,” said County Executive Bryan Hill. In the coming years, Fairfax County plans to further advance its AI systems and focus on additional innovative cybersecurity and business optimization strategies to enhance data-driven decision-making objectives. This will involve implementing machine learning algorithms for public services, predictive analytics for resource allocation, and even more advanced threat detection systems to further protect sensitive information. Learn about key IT initiatives within Fairfax County: These plans and IT success align with the Countywide Strategic Plan, most notably the Effective and Efficient Government community outcome area.
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| Hey, Neighbor! Fairfax County Earns Top Social Media Award from Nextdoor |
Fairfax County Government earned Nextdoor’s “Neighborly Award” during a recent national government social media conference.
Nextdoor chose Fairfax County out of thousands of other governments across the country using the neighborhood social media platform for several reasons, including:
Fairfax County features several departments and offices sharing information on Nextdoor either countywide, to defined districts and/or with just a few neighborhoods:
More than 425,000 county residents have signed up on Nextdoor across more than 1,100 distinct neighborhoods. Nextdoor provides its platform to governments to reach verified residents without needing to attract account followers like other social media platforms. Fairfax County first joined Nextdoor in 2016 when the Police Department began its presence with crime prevention officers from each district station sharing key information and engaging neighbors, which continues today. The Office of Public Affairs, which leads the county’s main account, has surveyed Nextdoor residents each year since 2020 to gauge satisfaction and content preferences. In the 2024 survey, 81 percent of respondents expressed positive satisfaction with the county’s use of Nextdoor, while 82 percent agreed they’ve learned more about their local government, programs and services through county posts.
“Our use of Nextdoor has been a reliable way to connect with verified county residents about many issues, especially during emergencies and emerging incidents,” says Tony Castrilli, director of public affairs. “What our collective county team has achieved through the years with this recognition is remarkable given the changing nature of social media today.” Since 2020, Fairfax County has served on Nextdoor’s Public Agency Advisory Council, with Greg Licamele, the county’s digital content director, directly advocating Nextdoor’s leadership on behalf of county residents to enhance the user experience related to county government information. Police Department personnel have also assisted Nextdoor in creating public safety content templates for communities across the country. The county’s use of Nextdoor aligns with the Countywide Strategic Plan for Effective and Efficient Government, specifically gauging customer satisfaction, community engagement, and enhancing communication to the community by using all available methods and tailoring messaging to individual needs (in Nextdoor’s case, by geography and neighborhood).
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| New Circuit Court Judge Jonathan D. Frieden Will Receive Official Commission on April 12 |
At the ceremony, the Honorable Richard “Rip” Sullivan of the Virginia House of Delegates will present Frieden with his official commission and Judge Daniel E. Ortiz of the Court of Appeals of Virginia will ceremoniously administer his oath. Friden previously took his oath of office on Feb. 1. Prior to joining the Circuit Court in February, Frieden served as a judge of the Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court for nearly five years. Before taking the bench, Frieden practiced law for 22 years with Odin, Feldman & Pittleman, P.C., where he focused on intellectual property, technology, e-commerce and other complex commercial litigation. Frieden earned his Bachelor of Science in Systems Engineering from the University of Virginia and his Juris Doctor from the University of Richmond School of Law. For more information or reasonable ADA accommodations, contact Kim Callahan, Fairfax County Circuit Court, at 703-246-4166, TTY 711. |
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| Morrill Appointed Office of Environmental and Energy Coordination Director |
The office was established in July 2019 to lead the county's interdepartmental activity on environmental and energy plans, policies and programs, including climate action and resiliency. OEEC works to connect county departments, authorities, businesses and residents to effectively advance the county’s environmental and energy goals. Morrill joined OEEC in December 2020 as manager of the office’s Innovation and Sustainability Division. Before joining Fairfax County, he served as Arlington County’s energy manager for over 20 years, directing cost-effective projects and innovative programs to improve energy performance and energy reliability in Arlington County government facilities and across the community. In that role Morrill co-led the Arlington Initiative to Rethink Energy program and the Arlington Community Energy Plan and its implementation, led Arlington's participation in the U.S. DOE's Better Buildings Challenge, coordinated energy policy and programming with local, regional and national peers and liaised with utilities serving Arlington as well as other stakeholder groups. Earlier in his career Morrill held various research and management positions during 15 years with the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) in Washington DC, and also worked briefly with the Emerald Cities Collaborative. OEEC’s work focuses on implementation of recent climate action plans , such as the Operational Energy Strategy , which aims to achieve energy carbon neutrality in county operations by 2040; the Community-wide Energy and Climate Action Plan (CECAP) , which addresses the causes of climate change with a goal of community-wide carbon neutrality by 2050, and Resilient Fairfax , which addresses the effects and impacts of climate change such as extreme heat, severe storms and flooding. OEEC also offers programming to residents, businesses, and organizations to mitigate the causes of climate change and build resilience. |
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| Simms Appointed Office of Human Rights and Equity Programs Director |
OHREP receives and investigates complaints alleging violations of the Fairfax County Human Rights Ordinance and manages the county’s Fair Housing Plan. OHREP also administers the county’s Equal Employment Enforcement program and ensures compliance with all federal, state, and county mandates granting equal access to services, programs and employment opportunities. Simms brings a diverse background to the role. In 2013 he was promoted to senior human rights consultant with OHREP, managing the office’s mediation and conciliation program, the county’s federal contract with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, reviewing all investigations conducted by the office to ensure consistency with local, state and federal laws, and enforcing the county’s human rights ordinance. Simms also served as liaison to various state and federal agencies and conducted trainings for employees and the public on human rights issues and related legal considerations. Simms has previous experience in law enforcement including more than a decade as a sergeant with the Contra Costa County, Ca. Sheriff's Office and in the United States Air Force. In 1998 he began his career with Fairfax County as a senior zoning inspector in the Department of Planning and Zoning (DPZ) and later as a planner, also with DPZ. Since 2007 Simms has been with OHREP, beginning as a human rights specialist, a role that included analyzing discrimination complaints, conducting investigations and mediating resolutions. Simms has a bachelor’s in information systems from Strayer University. He has received several awards and recognition for his work, including the John Levitow Award from the U.S. Air Force, and a Sheriff's Commendation. |
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| Miles Appointed Police Civilian Review Panel Liaison |
The PCRP was established by the BOS in 2016 to review completed Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) investigations into complaints containing allegations of abuse of authority or serious misconduct to ensure accuracy, completeness, thoroughness, objectivity and impartiality. Miles is an adjunct professor at George Mason University where he teaches undergraduate classes on criminal investigation and criminal justice ethics, among others. He previously served as special agent in charge with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Office of the Inspector General, managing and developing investigative activities involving DOT’s programs and operations for a region including Virginia, Washington D.C. and Maryland. In that role his responsibilities also included developing new techniques for the detection of fraud, waste and abuse in DOT programs, ensuring the accuracy and completeness of investigative reports prior to Department of Justice referral, and overseeing personnel and regional budgets. Miles began his career in law enforcement in 1994 with the Henrico, Va. Police Department. He was promoted to sergeant before leaving the position in 2003 to serve as a special agent with the U.S. Secret Service through 2014. He then served as a special agent with the Department of Justice before moving to DOT. The PCRP liaison (previously executive director) coordinates activities with the panel and manages the intake process for complaints against officers and employees of the FCPD. The liaison advises and supports the panel on all matters pertaining to the independent review of FCPD investigations. Miles holds a bachelor’s degree in government from William & Mary and a master’s in public administration from Virginia Commonwealth University. More information about the PCRP is available online . |
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| Jablonski Appointed Director of Human Resources |
Jablonski most recently served as director of the Department of Human Resources for the City of Olympia, Wash. In that role she supervised a team including the city’s diversity, equity and inclusion coordinator and consulted and advised senior leadership on various human resources issues. Jablonski led a strategic approach to maximizing performance and accountability and accomplishing key HR initiatives with an eye towards maintaining a high performing organization. She was also responsible for labor negotiations for eight labor contracts and supported recruitment and retention efforts including directly recruiting for high-level executive positions for the City of Olympia. Fairfax County’s Department of Human Resources manages a workforce of more than 12,000 employees. The Department of Human Resources director advises and guides senior county leadership on strategic human resource operations, policies, technology and programs; works with county officials, unions, employee groups and community organizations; and develops, implements and monitors work plans, operations, policies, standard operating procedures and long-range strategic plans. Prior to her role with the City of Olympia, Jablonski was the human resources director for the Washington State Department of Transportation’s Ferries Division, which operates the largest ferry system in the United States and the second largest in the world, with 14 labor contracts and approximately 2,000 employees. She also served as human resources manager for the Washington State Department of Corrections. Throughout her career, Jablonski has partnered with senior leadership to develop HR-specific plans that prioritize the employees of the organization. In her various HR positions she has worked with her teams to develop, implement and communicate long-term HR strategies that align with the strategic plan of the organization. Jablonski holds a bachelor’s in political economics and race relations from the Evergreen State College, and a master’s in negotiation and conflict resolution from California State University. |
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| Girard Appointed Performance Auditor to the Board |
Working under the guidance and direction of the board’s Audit Committee, the performance auditor to the board provides accurate information and objective advice to the board in its oversight of county programs by conducting performance, risk and financial reviews of county agencies, operations and county-funded programs; helping to ascertain that appropriated funds are expended for their intended purpose; and providing recommendations, consultation and insight on methods of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of county operations and programs. This position is separate from the work of the Office of Internal Audit, which focuses on the day-to-day administration of the county under the direction of the county executive. Girard will lead the Office of Financial and Program Auditor in planning, designing and conducting studies, surveys and evaluations of county agencies, programs and initiatives, as assigned by the Board of Supervisors or the Audit Committee. Girard brings extensive experience in data analysis and visualization, risk assessment and mitigation, and senior leadership consultation on operational and strategic improvements, along with a history of building and supervising high-performing teams. Girard previously worked for the American Red Cross National Headquarters, where she was hired in 2007. She began her career there as a grants and foundation partnerships senior associate and later served as knowledge management officer, before taking the role of audit analytics manager. Girard also previously served as a grant coordinator with a national nonprofit. Girard earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and Spanish from Furman University and a master’s in Latin American studies from Georgetown University. She holds certifications in fraud management and data analytics and is a member of the Institute of Internal Auditors, among other affiliations. She is also a member of several local boards and foundations. |
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| County Government Closed for Election Day, Though Many Sites Open as Polling Places | Fairfax County Government is closed Tuesday, Nov. 7, in recognition of Election Day. Most facilities will be closed, including the Government Center, however Office of Elections activities will continue at designated buildings, and residents may vote at their polling place from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. For specific schedule information, please see our operating status page or click on the appropriate link below. Office of Elections |
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| Media Advisory: Fairfax County and Cox Communications to Host 2023 “Digital Equity Summit” |
WHAT: Cox Communications and Fairfax County will host the Digital Equity Summit as part of National Digital Inclusion Week. Leaders from across local government, private industry, and community organizations will lead panel discussions highlighting efforts to close the digital divide and engage with community partners to address the issue.
WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
WHERE: Boro Station, 1765 Greensboro Station Place, McLean, VA 22102
WHY: Having digital equity means that everyone has equal access to information, education, job opportunities, healthcare services, and civic engagement platforms. This fosters inclusivity, promotes social and economic justice, and helps individuals thrive in a technology-driven society. Fairfax County has pioneered strategic partnerships with companies like Cox to drive connectivity into the communities that need it most, and this Summit will allow key stakeholder organizations to understand what is required to make digital equity a reality. Learn more about Fairfax County's digital equity efforts.
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The award, part of the 
Jonathan D. Frieden will be presented his official commission, as a Fairfax County Circuit Court judge, on Friday, April 12, at 4 p.m. at the Fairfax County Courthouse, Courtroom 5J, 4110 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax. The public is invited to attend the investiture ceremony.
John Morrill has been appointed director of the 
Michael L. Simms has been appointed director of the Office of Human Rights and Equity Programs (OHREP), effective immediately. Simms has served as acting director of the office since December 2023, following the retirement of OHREP’s former director, Kenneth Saunders.
Craig Miles has been appointed Fairfax County Police Civilian Review Panel (PCRP) liaison by the Board of Supervisors (BOS), effective Monday, March 11.
Linnaea Jablonski has been appointed director of the Fairfax County Department of Human Resources, with a start date of Jan. 8, 2024.
Jennifer Girard has been appointed performance auditor to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, effective Monday, Nov. 27.