Thomas Jefferson wrote, “Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government.” The Virginia Coalition for Open Government (VCOG) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that advocates for transparency and public access to government records, meetings, and proceedings at the state and local levels.
One of the foundations of a healthy democracy is the public’s ability to access information about government operations. VCOG Executive Director Megan Rhyne will highlight the importance of Virginia’s Freedom of Information Act, its many applications and trouble spots. A graduate of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, she holds a law degree from the University of Colorado.