COO for Richmond Public Schools heading to Hanover

Richmond Public Schools’ chief operating officer is leaving to become Hanover County’s new director of general services and capital projects. 

In a statement from RPS, COO Dana Fox, a Hanover resident, cited a desire to devote more energy to her family. 

“Being a mother of five and COO of Richmond Public Schools are both roles that deserve your full heart and mind, and at this point, I’ve made this difficult decision to prioritize my family,” she said. 

In a brief interview with The Richmonder, Fox described the COO position as a “24/7, around-the-clock, every day, every holiday commitment.” 

“It’s become very taxing on my family and my own personal health,” she said.

 The chief operating officer oversees school construction, transportation, risk management, procurement and custodial and facilities services.

Fox has been with RPS since 2021, when she was hired as director of school construction after the School Board assumed control of building new facilities from the city. She became COO in 2022. 

During her tenure, she has overseen the construction of Richmond High School for the Arts (the former George Wythe) and the rebuilding of Fox Elementary after it was nearly destroyed in a fire. Fox is expected to reopen in the fall; this January, its iconic cupola was lifted onto the rebuilt roof. 

Most recently, she oversaw the division’s first detailed assessment of the condition of all 50 of the buildings it operates. The reviews, which were conducted by global consultant Bureau Veritas, estimated $43.7 million in immediate repairs are needed. 

“When I came into the COO role, there were only two directors that were with RPS. The rest were vacancies,” Fox said. 

Now, she said there are six “strong” directors who have “saved a sinking ship on the operations side of things.” 

“Everyone on the team has a commitment to student achievement, and that has been my proudest achievement,” she said. 

Hanover County Administrator John Budesky said Fox’s experience “makes her exceptionally qualified to lead this department.” 

“Under her leadership, General Services and Capital Projects will continue providing essential services and infrastructure improvements to meet the evolving needs of our community,” he said. 

Fox will depart at the end of February. RPS said a search for a replacement will begin soon.

This story has been updated.