Chamber Insider Blog

Thank you to Rey Banks, a Chamber Board Member and team member at Equinix, for answering our questions!

Where were you born and raised and, if it was someplace else, when and why did you come to Loudoun?

I was born and raised in Kansas City, MO. I ended up going to college in Richmond, where I met my husband who had recently graduated from UVA Law School. After being married for about 3 years, his law firm moved him to their Tyson’s office. That is how I ended up in Loudoun.

Tell us about your job, and how long you’ve been in your industry.

As the head of public policy and government affairs for Equinix, I serve as a liaison between different parts of the business with state and local governments. And the community. I’ve been working in this area for a couple of decades and with the data center industry for the past two years.

How did you get into this line of work?

I have been working in government affairs for longer than I care to say. I started being politically active in my teens. I did my undergraduate and graduate work in political science and started working for the Lt. Governor of Virginia in my early 20s.

Have you had any special mentors or inspirations that guided your career?

I had a winding journey to professional success. I had to work my way through college and grad school, mostly as a working adult. It used to be a source of pain for me but now I see it as an added strength. I needed to work while obtaining an education and sometimes those “jobs” influenced and sometimes impacted the direction of my studies. Now that I am fully realizing my career goals I can see how the unconventional journey brought me to exactly where I needed to be. My mentors have been my children propelling me to never quit.

What is the best part of your job and why?

I love engaging with stakeholders. And the community. Whatever area or industry I am working in, and I’ve done this type of work for social justice causes, higher education, and many other causes, working collaboratively to solve problems and innovate is the best part of my job.

What is it like doing business in Loudoun?

For the data center industry, the climate is changing. Loudoun’s dept. of economic development is top-notch, and they brought economic prosperity to the County. I fear that leadership in the county will “throw out the baby with the bathwater” in response to constituent concerns over the density of data centers. I think that since we all care about the stability and quality of life we enjoy here, we have to find a balance. Loudoun is a leader in digital technology and is poised to be at the forefront of AI. Do we really want to give that away to another locality, state, or country?

What does Black History Month mean to you?

This is a loaded question. On the one hand, I appreciate and acknowledge the courage, work, and perseverance it took for my forebearers to realize Black History Month.

Since then, there has been more recognition of the accomplishments, contributions, and achievements of Black people from every walk of life. But, on the other hand, it’s disheartening that our history is not folded into the story of American history and exceptionalism. W

We don’t live in a world where the contributions of minority groups are seen in the same way as those of the majority population. A lot of people still believe successful America is supposed to look like the founders and to inspire others we still must call out special groups for recognition.

Favorite things to do when you are not working?

I have a fantasy of being an organic farmer! I love playing with germination and growing techniques in my garden and greenhouse.