Kristen Dahlman is the Deputy Secretary of Commerce and Trade overseeing housing, energy, small business and economic development priorities for Governor Abigail Spanberger. She previously was the Vice President of Programs and Policy at the Virginia Community Action Partnership (VACAP) where she was responsible for statewide coalition building and advocacy campaigns to bring new investment and visibility to Virginians in poverty on digital equity, housing and evictions, energy efficiency, financial literacy and wrap-around services through the Whole Family Approach. She assisted 31 Community Action Agencies and partners in delivering best practices in economic mobility and oversaw the training and professional development of members and data management and reporting.

She worked for nine years for the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development as the Policy and Legislative Director overseeing policy, budgetary and legislative affairs in all issue areas of the Department including Local Government, evictions, expanding affordable housing, providing broadband access, the Uniform Statewide Building Code and economic development. She was also responsible for DHCD’s board management and regulatory affairs and led the implementation and policy development of programs that contributed to an increase of over $200 million in annual operating funding and $2 billion in pandemic relief programming.

Ms. Dahlman previously worked at the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC), a think tank in Washington, DC where she provided support to an Immigration Task Force and the organization’s advocacy network, BPC Action. Prior to that, she served as an Americorps volunteer in St. Louis, Mo working for an all-girls middle school for low to moderate income families as a teacher and service volunteer. Ms. Dahlman holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Communication from Stonehill College and a Master’s degree in Public Policy from the American University.