Brenda “Sue” Fulton was appointed Assistant Secretary, Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs (OPIA) on July 1, 2022. She previously served under Governor Phil Murphy as the Chair and Chief Administrator for the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, leading its transformation to a modernized system with online services and more efficient in-person service. Ms. Fulton provides executive-level oversight and direction to OPIA’s team who help to build and maintain public confidence in VA by developing, routinely updating and communicating the Department’s key messages to many audiences through media relations, public affairs, intergovernmental affairs, outreach and Veteran engagement to reach Veterans and their families, and other stakeholders. OPIA is designated as the enterprise policy and functional coordinator of internal employee and external communications to ensure consistent messaging and to be the unified voice of the Department.
Ms. Fulton is an experienced leader, effective change agent and proven advocate for service members, persons of color, LGBTQ+ communities and women in the military. She played a pivotal role with Knights Out and OutServe in repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” and later led SPARTA in fighting to end the ban on transgender service members. She was the first female West Point graduate to chair West Point’s Board of Visitors and advocated for increased admissions for women and persons of color.
Ms. Fulton is a proven advocate for service members, working to support the integration of women in combat arms and mentoring advocates for anti-racism efforts in the military and at West Point. She has worked with numerous non-profit groups, served on the New Jersey State Ethics Commission enforcing the State conflicts of interest law, and been a member of the Board of the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators.
She has over twenty years of experience in brand management in Fortune 100 companies, including P&G, Schering-Plough, Merck, and Pfizer.
After her graduation with the first West Point class to include women, Ms. Fulton was commissioned in the Army as a Signal Officer and served as a platoon leader, staff officer, and company commander in Germany until her honorable discharge as a Captain.
EDUCATION:
Ms. Fulton graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point.
