Meet Jamie

VIRGINIA ROOTS & FAMILY VALUES

I was born in Richmond, Virginia, and although my family moved to Florida when I was four, Virginia has always been my home—by birth and by choice. I moved to Pennsylvania in 2000 for work, but I returned to Virginia in 2022, choosing Smyth County as the place to put down roots. Here, in the mountains of southwest Virginia, I feel deeply connected to the land, the people, and the community that defines our region.

My family’s story is one of hard work and resilience. My father’s parents immigrated from Scotland, bringing with them a tradition of thrift and craftsmanship. My mother’s parents grew up in Georgia and later settled in Richmond, where my grandfather built a machine shop from scratch. Both my parents were the first in their families to graduate from college. When I was five, they lost nearly everything in a financial collapse. As they struggled to keep our heads above water, they taught me sacrifice, humility, and the dignity of hard work.

LEARNING COMPASSION EARLY

For as long as I can remember, I have felt called to help others. As a child, I donated my savings
to a family who had lost their home. I went out of my way to include kids who were left out,
like the deaf child I welcomed into my play group. That compassion stayed with me,
extending to people, animals, and the environment.

I grew up climbing trees, hiking trails, and longing for the open space of farms and forests.
I started working young—cleaning stalls, waiting tables, and babysitting. Over the years
I’ve done many hands-on jobs: cleaning animal cages, waiting tables, managing small
businesses, and today, caring for domestic pets at my animal sanctuary.

EDUCATION & SERVICE

Education has been a cornerstone of my life, not for prestige but for the doors it opens. I worked my way through college and later earned advanced degrees. I know the struggle of student loan debt, but I also know the power of education to change lives.

For over two decades, I served as a professor at a nationally ranked university. My job wasn’t about ivory towers—it was about preparing young people for the real world. I built courses where students didn’t just sit in classrooms—they went out into the community, working with local nonprofits to design and lead service projects that made a difference in people’s lives.

Before becoming a professor, I worked as a consultant with businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies. My focus was always the same: bridging the gap between knowledge and real community needs.

SHARED STRUGGLES, SHARED STRENGTH

I know firsthand the challenges rural Virginians face: limited job opportunities, underfunded
schools, and the lack of affordable housing, healthcare, and addiction treatment.
I’ve cared for aging parents, lost jobs, lived through financial uncertainty, and
walked with friends and neighbors through some of life’s hardest struggles.

I feel connected to many communities in our district—veterans like my father, families
battling addiction, working people trying to make ends meet, members of the LGBTQ+
community who helped raise me, and immigrants who are now part of
my extended family. These experiences ground me in the realities people face and
fuel my commitment to fight for dignity and opportunity for every resident of our district.