The latest session of the Virginia General Assembly is well underway, coinciding with the start of Governor Abigail Spanberger’s first year in office. A new administration brings new staff and cabinet members who will help lead the commonwealth. Among them is George Mason University alumna Gerica Goodman, BA Psychology ’12, MPA ’15, who now serves as the governor’s director of legislative affairs
As director Goodman, along with her team, oversees the review and tracking of each measure introduced during the 60-day session, tracking it as it moves through committees and onto the floor for votes. She also works closely with cabinet members, legislators, and executive-branch agencies to advance the governor’s legislative agenda.
“I’m in constant communication with the governor, legislators, and cabinet-level leaders,” Goodman said. “We have a ‘no surprises’ approach. If legislators have questions for the governor, or the governor has questions for them, my team and I serve as intermediaries in the legislative process.”
Goodman also collaborates with agency leads to ensure they are prepared to implement new programs or adjust existing ones once legislation is signed into law.
Goodman began her career as an admissions counselor and recruiter in Mason’s Office of Admissions. She traveled across the country—primarily in the Southeast—meeting students at high schools and college fairs, introducing them to George Mason, and helping others discover it for the first time.
Her interest in helping others was shaped early. “My father’s a pastor, my mom works in health care, and I have teachers, nurses, and all types of folks in my family who work to improve the lives of others,” she said. That background initially led her to study psychology with the goal of becoming a counselor.
Working in admissions after her undergraduate years opened a new path, with travel exposing her to stark differences in educational access. “I talked to people and saw how different each school was,” she said. “Students could be in the same city, but their ability to matriculate to Mason was determined by socioeconomic factors. That made me interested in education policy.”
Those experiences inspired her to take public policy courses, ultimately leading her to pursue a master of public administration at the Schar School of Policy and Government. During graduate school, she transitioned to George Mason’s Office of Alumni Relations, where she connected with fellow Patriots, supported alumni engagement, and helped plan events such as Homecoming and the annual Alumni Legislative Reception in Richmond.
After leaving George Mason, Goodman moved to Richmond to work in higher education policy. Before joining the Spanberger administration, she served as legislative and policy director for the Speaker of the House in Virginia and later worked in the transportation sector.
Goodman encourages students to take advantage of George Mason’s growing alumni network.
“As a relatively young institution, it’s easier for students to connect with alumni,” she said. “Alumni are at really exciting points in their careers, and we’re happy to talk with students and offer advice.”
She notes that university’s alumni body has expanded significantly in recent decades. “Over the past 10 to 20 years, the number of people graduating from Mason has grown tremendously. The Alumni Relations team is a great resource to help students make those connections. We’re always excited to share our experiences and lessons learned.”