CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) — In its first meeting of 2026, the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors unanimously elected Ned Gallaway as its Chair and Fred Missel as its Vice Chair.

The two supervisors will take over for outgoing Chair Jim Andrews and Vice Chair Diantha McKeel, both of whom stepped away from the board at the end of last year.

Gallaway, the Rio District representative, was first elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2017 and served as the Board’s Chair in 2019-21. Missel was elected to the board this past November to represent the Samuel Miller District, filling the seat previously held by Andrews. McKeel’s seat, representing the Jack Jouett District, was filled by Sally Duncan.

Gallaway was nominated for the position by Ann Mallek, while Missel was nominated by Bea LaPisto-Kirtley. Both were the only board members nominated for their respective positions, and both were voted in unanimously.

During the announcements by board members, Missel said he was honored by the nomination and humbled by the confidence placed in him by his fellow board members.

“It’s a little daunting,” he said, “but I’m looking forward to trying to measure up, and I’m especially excited to serve these people of Albemarle County.”

In his comments, Gallaway similarly thanked the board for appointing him Chair, and reflected on this being the start of his third term on the board. He is now the second-most senior member of the Board behind Mallek, who was first elected in 2008.

“We often talk about our newest folks and the learning curve they must do,” he said. “But I think you both [Missel and Duncan] should know that we are all still learning every single day on how to be better supervisors and better representatives of our citizens.”