Albert Bryan (politician)


Albert Bryan Jr. is a U.S. Virgin Islands politician, who is the ninth Governor of United States Virgin Islands, since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as commissioner of Labor from 2007 to 2015.

Early life and professional career

Bryan was born on the island of Saint Thomas in 1968 to Albert and Genevieve Bryan, the oldest of five sons. He grew up in the Savan neighborhood of Charlotte Amalie, the territory's capital. As a teenager, Bryan moved to the island of Saint Croix, where he graduated from St. Dunstan’s Episcopal High School in 1985.
Bryan received his BA in economics from Wittenberg University in 1989. He later received his MBA from the University of the Virgin Islands in 2003. After graduating, he worked several jobs in both the public and private sector.
Governor John de Jongh appointed Bryan as the Commissioner of Labor of the Virgin Islands in 2007; he served in that role until de Jongh's term ended in 2015, when he returned to the private sector. Bryan served as CEO and President of Aabra Group, a consulting firm, and Master Strategies, a recruiting firm. He also was executive director of the Virgin Islands chapter of Junior Achievement.

Political career

On August 4, 2018, Bryan won the Democratic primary for Governor, earning 39.23% of the vote to defeat Allison "Allie" Petrus and Angel E. Dawson Jr.. In the general election, he took 38% of the vote to incumbent Kenneth Mapp's 33%; since neither received the necessary 50% to get elected outright they advanced to a runoff, where Bryan defeated Mapp 55% to 45%.

Personal life

Bryan and his wife, Yolanda Cabodevilla, have two children.