2026RIC-May Breakfast - Scholarships and GRP

Angela Oakes serves as Vice President of Strategy for the Greater Richmond Partnership, where she leads strategic initiatives designed to strengthen the region’s competitiveness and position Greater Richmond for long-term growth. Her work spans investor engagement, regional strategy, and the development of initiatives that help the region attract new business investment and support the success of existing employers.

At GRP, Angela helps lead the implementation of the organization’s five-year strategic plan and oversees a range of priority projects focused on business recruitment, industry growth, and regional competitiveness. She has played a key role in advancing efforts to attract new nonstop air service to Europe through Richmond International Airport, working with public- and private-sector partners to build support for expanded international connectivity. She also leads the development and implementation of GRP’s industry councils, which convene employers and regional stakeholders around shared opportunities and challenges in key sectors such as advanced manufacturing, life sciences, IT, and corporate services.

Before joining GRP, Angela worked in private-sector business development and marketing, and she previously held economic development roles with the Henrico Economic Development Authority and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership. Together, those experiences have given her a strong foundation in regional marketing, business attraction, research, and stakeholder engagement.

A true Richmond-region native, Angela grew up in Henrico County and holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Richmond and a Master of Urban and Regional Planning from Virginia Commonwealth University. She lives in Chesterfield County with her husband and two children and enjoys spending time outdoors with family and friends.