Colonial Williamsburg board elects Judith McHale as trustee

Judith McHale is returning to the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation’s board of trustees.

McHale served on the board as a trustee from 2006-09. She resigned in 2009 to accept a position in the U.S. Department of State and is now the managing principal of Cane Investments LLC. The board elected her to once again serve on the foundation’s board. 

From 2009 to 2011, McHale served as Undersecretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, where she oversaw the Bureaus of Education and Cultural Affairs, International Information Programs and Public Affairs. As a senior officer in the department and a principal adviser to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, McHale developed and implemented strategic framework for diplomacy. She played a role in several bilateral strategic dialogues and worked closely with the White House and the National Security Council.

She is the former managing partner of the Global Environment Fund’s Africa Growth Fund and was president and CEO of Discovery Communications Inc. During her time leading Discovery, she was in charge of several acquisitions, including The Learning Channel and The Travel Channel. Prior to serving with Discovery, she worked as general counsel for MTV Networks, including MTV, Nickelodeon and VH-1.

A graduate of the University of Nottingham, England, and Fordham University Law School, McHale began her career as an attorney at the New York law firm of Battle Fowler LLP.

“In her previous service as a Colonial Williamsburg trustee, Judith McHale provided significant counsel on a range of issues as well as valuable assistance in conjunction with our assessment of the products catalog business model,” said Colin Campbell, president and CEO of Colonial Williamsburg in a press release.  “Her experience and expertise lend a global perspective to our effort to advance public understanding of Colonial Williamsburg as a center for history, citizenship and democracy. Her considerable achievements in business and communications and her notable work in service to our nation are valuable assets to include among the strengths of Colonial Williamsburg’s governing board. We welcome her return as a trustee of the foundation.”

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