Clark Mercer is the Executive Director of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG). In this role, he is responsible for the nonprofit association’s overall administration, supporting the Board of Directors and policy committees, and representing COG before a variety of government, business, and other stakeholder organizations. COG’s membership is comprised of 24 local governments throughout the National Capital Region including the District of Columbia and localities in northern Virginia and suburban Maryland. COG coordinates a wide range of activities throughout the tri-state region such as transportation planning, homeland security and public safety, housing and homelessness, water infrastructure, air quality, and energy. 

With more than 20 years of experience in the public, private, and civic sectors, Mr. Mercer previously served as Chief of Staff to Virginia Governor Ralph Northam for eight years. During this time, Virginia was named the best state for business by MSNBC a record three times, had the lowest recidivism rate in the country, Medicaid expansion was passed extending healthcare to over 700,000 Virginians, the minimum wage increased for the first time in a generation, the death penalty was abolished,  and major investments were made in clean energy including offshore wind, teacher pay, and access to universal PreK and community college. 

Prior to his role serving the Governor of Virginia, Mr. Mercer served on the Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan, a bipartisan, Congressional commission chartered with evaluating and making recommendations to Congress to improve contracting and oversight in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mr. Mercer also worked for U.S. Senator Mark Warner and was a member of the inaugural Fellows Program at LMI. 

Born and raised in Alexandria, Virginia, Mr. Mercer received a Master of Public Policy from George Washington University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale University. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Greater Washington Board of Trade, Leadership Greater Washington, and Cornerstone Craftsman. Mr. Mercer lives in Alexandria with his wife, Kelly, two children, Everett and Cecilia, and his two labs, Sprout and Teddy.