Meet Brad
Brad Copenhaver, Principal
Brad Copenhaver is a leader, communicator, and collaborator with a record of accomplishment and a bipartisan reputation for effectiveness. His background in both the public and private sectors has included a focus on the food, agriculture, and forestry industries and experience working across a broad range of issue areas.
As the latest generation in a long line of farmers, Brad grew up on his family’s beef cattle and burley tobacco farm in Southwest Virginia. His upbringing instilled a passion for service, and his entire career has been focused on the intersection of public policy and the private sector. He founded Meadowview Strategies to use his decade of experience in Richmond & Washington, DC to help companies and organizations find government affairs and business strategy solutions.
Brad has experience working throughout both state and federal government and served as the 17th Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in the administration of Governor Ralph Northam.
He also served as Deputy Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, where he managed a legislative, regulatory, and budget portfolio to support the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Department of Forestry, and Virginia Racing Commission. In this role, he worked with the General Assembly and led efforts to pass legislation to regulate hemp-derived oils intended for human consumption, maintain federal produce safety compliance, and meet Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay cleanup commitments regarding urban fertilizer application. He also facilitated the 2020 Marijuana Legalization Workgroup and helped lead the Governor’s successful efforts to legalize cannabis for adult use in 2021.
Brad began his career on Capitol Hill in Washington on the legislative staff of Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-9). He also served as Director of Government Affairs at the Virginia Agribusiness Council and worked closely with the General Assembly and Virginia Congressional delegation on issues such as animal welfare, food safety and labeling, the environment and water quality, and international trade.
Brad was a Pamplin Scholar at Virginia Tech and has degrees in Political Science and Agricultural Economics. He also has a Master of Business Administration from the University of Washington. He was recognized as the 2019 Outstanding Recent Undergraduate Alumnus by the Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Alumni Organization.
Brad lives in Richmond with his partner, Andrew.