Alicia Barnes has been appointed by the governor to take on the position of assistant chief executive officer at the V.I. Economic Development Authority.

For the past two years, Barnes has been assistant commissioner at Planning and Natural Resources. In her new position, which was effective Monday, Barnes will oversee the Economic Development and Enterprise Zone commissions. Barnes has also been tapped by EDA head Percival Clouden to implement the authority’s recently completed strategic and marketing plan, according to a Government House news release.

"The addition of Ms. Barnes to the EDA staff given her academic and professional experience complements the EDA’s existing staff as they meet the challenges to attract and retain firms to further economic development of the Virgin Islands,” Gov. John deJongh Jr. said Monday.

The governor called for economic diversity, and said Barnes was the right person for the job.

"Given the current economic climate, we have to be extremely aggressive and targeted in our efforts, and Ms. Barnes’s execution of the strategic and marketing plan, in conjunction with her staff, will ensure that we achieve the economic diversification that is so important to our longterm success," he said.

Barnes has a bachelor of science degree in environmental studies and a master’s in public administration.