Julius D. “JD” Spain, Sr. was sworn into the Arlington County Board after the December 14, 2024, Regular County Board meeting. He was elected in the 2024 November County Board General Election, the first General Election in Arlington’s history to use Ranked Choice Voting. He will officially begin his term on January 1, 2025, filling the seat of Chair Libby Garvey after she concludes her term at the end of this year.  

"JD's commitment to bring Arlington together, to deepen trust, and to ensure government transparency are all values I share—and are more important to our community now than ever,” said Board member Susan Cunningham. "I look forward to working with JD to deliver results for our whole community.” 

Spain, Sr. is a retired combat veteran of the United States Marine Corps with 26 years of honorable and distinguished service. In 2001, he deployed in the first wave of American troops to Operation Iraqi Freedom. He also had the distinct honor and privilege of serving on a four-year diplomatic assignment in Brussels, Belgium, providing operational and administrative support for the U.S. Ambassador to NATO, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, and the President of the United States. He went on to serve as a congressional fellow in the United States Senate and later as a senior advisor for the Marine Corps Office of Legislative Affairs retiring on December 31, 2016, and later as a federal investigator for the DoD Office of Inspector General. Retiring from the USMC in 2016 with the highest enlisted rank Master Gunnery Sergeant (E9), he was awarded one of the nation's highest military honors, the Legion of Merit, for exceptionally meritorious conduct in performing outstanding services and achievements to the United States of America. 

A lifelong community advocate and civil rights leader, Spain, Sr. has deep civic roots in Arlington. In 2015, he was appointed by the County Board to serve on the Civil Service Commission to advise the Board, County Manager, and Human Resources staff on county policies over a three-year term. In 2018, he was elected President of the Arlington Branch of NAACP, significantly increasing the NAACP’s involvement in Arlington and growing branch membership by 400 percent over the course of his two terms to include one term as Regional Vice President for Virginia NAACP overseeing 13 NAACP branches in Northern Virginia. During his leadership, the NAACP Arlington Branch received the 2021 James B. Hunter Human Rights Award from the Arlington Human Rights Commission, recognizing the organization’s outstanding achievement in human rights and diversity efforts in the county. In 2020, the FBI Washington Field Office honored JD with the prestigious FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award. This recognition highlights JD's exceptional leadership in advancing civil rights in the Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia regions, as well as his unwavering support for both law enforcement and the broader community. In 2022, he along with the Arlington Branch was awarded the National Thalheimer Award, the NAACP’s highest award given annually to its branches for outstanding achievements. 

"I am truly honored to serve as a member of the Arlington County Board at this historic juncture,” said Board member Spain, Sr. “This opportunity represents a chance to build on our shared values of trust, transparency, and inclusivity. I look forward to working alongside our community to create a future where every resident has a voice, and Arlington remains a beacon of progress and opportunity for all." 

Spain, Sr. is also a senior business leader at a management consultancy in Tysons Corner, Virginia, and a member of George Mason University’s President's Innovation and Inclusive Excellence Councils. At GMU, he fosters innovation and promotes inclusive excellence in higher education and the economy. 

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science from the University of Maryland, University College, and advanced credentials in Legislative Affairs from Georgetown University. In 2024, he completed George Mason University’s Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer program, further solidifying his dedication to fostering equitable communities. 

Spain, Sr. and his wife have been married for 32 years and have lived in the historic Butler-Holmes subdivision of the Penrose Community in Arlington since 2009. Together, they are proud parents of three adult children, all graduates of Arlington Public Schools, and enthusiastic grandparents to a beautiful granddaughter. 

View the recording of the swearing-in here.

For inquiries or more information please contact the Board Office at 703-228-3130 or via countyboard@arlingtonva.us