State Action Team 79

Meet Raaga, a three-year DECA member hailing from Briar Woods High School in Region 1. Her priority as the Virginia DECA President is to address the unique needs of each region and to advocate for every one of our 11,000, and growing, members! She previously served as the Virginia DECA Vice President of Member Engagement with State Action Team 78 and as Briar Woods DECA’s Vice President of Career Development; she has also competed at all three levels, having been a 2X ICDC finalist and glass winner. In her free time, you can catch Raaga working on her fintech start-up Minvest, playing varsity soccer for her high school, or jamming out to Taylor Swift!

Theo Villanueva is a three year DECA member from Blacksburg DECA in Region 5, District 3. He has previously served as his chapter Vice President of Member Recruitment, where he worked on connecting with potential new members. That next year he would serve as the Virginia DECA Vice President of Alumni and Professional Relations. He has competed in Business Administration, Marketing, Hospitality and Tourism, but his favorite career cluster has been Entrepreneurship where he and his partner wrote an investment proposal that received 2nd during the 2022 International Career Development Conference. His favorite DECA event is Virginia DECA’s State Leadership Conference where he is able to meet members from all across the state. Outside of DECA, he is involved in YoungLife, a competitive diver for New River Diving, works in freelance marketing and is part of his county’s superintendent student advisory council. He cannot wait to see everything that Virginia DECA members are able to accomplish this year!

Arjun Setty is super excited to serve as your Virginia DECA VP of Career Development for the 2023-24 season. Arjun is a three-year DECA member from Potomac Falls High School and has been in love with finance events since the day he joined, participating in Principles of Finance his freshman year and Business Finance Series his junior and sophomore years. Arjun went on to be a two time ICDC finalist in Business Finance Series, eventually placing 5th worldwide at ICDC 2023. Arjun also formerly served as the PFHS DECA VP of Competition and as a member of the PFHS DECA Advisory Board. Outside of DECA, Arjun enjoys working on his startup, Minvest, staying involved in local policymaking and advocacy, playing the piano, and spending time with his dog, Cheerio. He can’t wait to work with VA DECA members across the state to make this the best year yet! Ready, Setty, Go!

Meet Amelia Greathouse, your VP of Marketing on State Action Team 79. This will be Amelia’s fourth year as a DECA member. Before becoming a state officer she served for two years as a chapter officer. She has attended ICDC all three of the years that she has been in DECA and loves to network and meet new people. In her free time you can catch her at a Washington Capitals game or watching The Bachelor. With Amelia’s experience from her graphic design internship and her time as a chapter officer, she will do everything she can to make sure that VA DECA stays connected and has an amazing year!

Damon Davis is a three-year DECA member from Briar Woods High School in Region 1.  He served as one of his chapter’s Vice Presidents of Career Development for this past year and was responsible for preparing his chapter for competition. He has been lucky enough to compete at both state and national levels of competition in events such as Human Resource Management, Quick-Serve Restaurant Management, and School-Based Enterprises. One of his favorite DECA memories is being able to compete at ICDC two years in a row as well as getting the chance to campaign at SLC. Besides DECA, he is also an active member of his school's Black Student Alliance. When not working on his academic journey, he spends time with his family and is an active server/certified trainer at a local retirement facility. Damon is looking forward to Diving Into DECA with all of Virginia DECA this year!

Praggy is a three year DECA member from Stone Bridge High School in Region 1. She previously served as the Vice President of Community and Vice President of Competition of her high school chapter. She has also been to SLC and ICDC twice. Her favorite DECA memory is placing as a finalist at ICDC and being on stage in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. She is super excited to help Virginia DECA grow in this upcoming year. Outside of DECA, Praggy played on her high school's varsity volleyball team and is also a member of the Student Council Association at Stone Bridge!

Shyla Menon is a two year DECA member from Fairfax High School in Region 2, District 15. She was previously a part of the Sophomore Council for Fairfax DECA, where she volunteered at several school functions to increase membership and helped prepare competitors for the State Leadership Conference and the International Career Development Conference. She has also competed and placed at the district and state level. In the previous years, she has competed in Social Media and Automotive Services Marketing. Her favorite DECA memory was meeting new people at the International Career Development Conference and campaigning during the 2023 State Leadership Conference. Outside of DECA, she is the Sophomore Class President, on the Fairfax Varsity Basketball Team, and a student ambassador for Save the Children Action Network. She also enjoys watching Marvel movies, listening to Taylor Swift and drinking iced chai (with cinnamon cream cold foam). She is looking forward to serving as a Virginia DECA State Officer and is excited for the upcoming year!

Siena Schaller is a three year DECA member from Massaponax High School in Region 3, District 18. She has served as her chapter’s Vice President of Career Development for the past two years. She has been recognized at both the district and state level for competition in Social Media, Business Service Marketing, and Marketing Communications. Her favorite DECA memory was the 2022 Virginia State Leadership Conference where she served as a voting delegate. Here, she networked with and gained inspiration from those who shared her passion for DECA. Outside of DECA, she serves as an officer for her school’s Student Council Association and National Honor Society, competes in Public Forum Debate and Extemporaneous Speaking, and plays on her school’s tennis team. She is excited to engage with members and help them, along with Region 3, soar to success this year!

Caroline Arbogast is a two-year DECA member from Hanover High School in Region 4. She served her chapter as Vice President of Finance where she planned fundraising events and community outreach projects. This year she will serve as the Virginia DECA Region 4 Vice President. She competed in Business Law and Ethics Team Decision Making at SLC 2022, where she and her partner placed 6th in the state. Her favorite DECA memory was ICDC 2023, where she was able to meet new people from all over the world. Outside of DECA, she is a member of the Hanover cheer and girls lacrosse team, she’s involved in her church’s youth group, and hosts Young life at her home. She cannot wait to see what Region 4, and VA DECA members as a whole, will achieve this year!

Aanandi Parashar is a two year DECA member from Hidden Valley DECA in Region 5. She previously served as a leadership officer in her chapter, where she worked to reach out to new members, organize local chapter events, and help members prepare for competition. She competed in Business Law and Ethics Team Decision Making at SLC 2022, and placed 8th in the state. She competed in  Human Resources Management at SLC 2023 and placed 4th in the state. One of her favorite DECA memories is getting to attend SLC 2022, where she was inspired and motivated to see so many driven and committed people with similar goals to her. Outside of DECA, Aanandi is captain of her school's Science Olympiad team, on the Student Council, and enjoys playing tennis. She is excited to meet and connect with new people and help Virginia DECA members advance to new goals this year!