IWF is excited to welcome Maggie Cleary as a visiting fellow. Maggie’s expertise in criminal law and passion for justice is evident in her work. Maggie’s skills and vast experience will significantly benefit IW.

Welcome to the team, Maggie!

Meet Maggie below.

Maggie Cleary serves as Special Counsel to Attorney General Jason Miyares, where she prosecutes major crimes cases. Previously she served in Governor Youngkin’s administration as Deputy Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security. She served as Governor Youngkin’s Public Safety liaison to the General Assembly, working to pass the governors anti-crime agenda and roll back the criminal first, victim last policies passed during the 2021 special session. Prior to accepting the appointment, she was an Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Virginia, in Roanoke. In that capacity, she handled predominantly gun and drug offenses. She came to the Western District from the Culpeper County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, where she was a state prosecutor for four years, prosecuting everything from speeding offenses to Class 1 felonies.

Maggie was born and raised in Fairfax County, Virginia and graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University and University of Virginia School of Law. She has been a member of the Culpeper County Republican Committee and serves on the executive committee. A seventh-generation Virginian, with ancestors hailing from Woodstock, she is a proud member of Daughters of the American Revolution. In 2021, Maggie was named one of Maverick PAC’s “Future 40.” In her spare time, Maggie reads approximately fifty books a year, enjoys long-distance running, and teaches civics classes to prospective US citizens.