MEMBER VIRGINIA HOUSE OF DELEGATES (1996 –

Ranking minority member of Courts of Justice; of Finance; and of Science & Technology committees.  (Formerly member of Health, Welfare & Institutions)

Bills introduced by Delegate Watts that have been signed into law

Current special Legislative Appointments:

• Jt Senate/House Mental Health (Deeds) Committee (SJ47)  Information 
• Jt Commission on Transportation Accountability   Information 
• Child Support Enforcement Panel

MEMBER VIRGINIA HOUSE OF DELEGATES (1982-85)

• Left the House to become Virginia Secretary of Transportation and Public Safety
• Finance; Labor and Commerce; and Chesapeake and Its Tributaries committees.
• Voted “Most Promising Freshman.” Listed in top 1/3 of effectiveness after 3 years.
• 22nd woman elected to General Assembly and, in 2017, became longest serving woman in the House of Delegates

Legislative Appointments have included: • Select Committee on School Violence; • Feasibility of Creating a Regional Rapid Transit Network, co-Chair; • Board of Veteran Services; • Governor’s Violence Against Women Commission, Chair of Criminal Justice Subcommittee; • Governor’s Biotechnology Advisory Board, • Subcommittee Studying Virginia’s Land Conservation Tax Credit; • Criminal Justice Services Board; • Chair of Victim Witness Advisory Committee; • Commission on Northern Virginia Regional Transportation Authority; • Commission on Mandated Health Insurance Benefits.

PERSONAL

• Met and married Dave in college.
  • Moved to Virginia in 1963 as he began a 40-year federal career as an attorney for the National Park Service and for Fish and Wildlife in the U.S. Department of Interior;
• Raised two children: Cindy and Jeff;
  • Cindy teaches Math at Irving Middle School.  Jeff is in marketing in Chicago
• Four grandsons: Ryan, Cal, Ian, and Michael and two grand-daughters, Brooke and Paige;
• B.A. cum laude, University of Michigan, English major with minors in Mathematics and Psychology
• National Merit Scholar and Valedictorian, Trenton (Michigan) High School
• Personal finances
  • Original owners of home in Truro subdivision.  No other properties.  No debt.  Link to required annual  Statement of Economic Interests.
  • Tax returns
  • Overview of General Assembly expenditures

WORK EXPERIENCE

FAIRFAX CASA (COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES) (1993-2000)
  •  Executive Director of non-profit serving over 650 children in abuse and neglect cases annually.

U.S. ADVISORY COMMISSION ON INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS (1990-94)
  •  Author of two books on Criminal Justice through U.S. Department of Justice grant.

CONSULTANT, TRANSPORTATION AND FINANCE (1990-93)
  •  Clients included National Institute of Corrections, National League of Cities, Arthur Anderson Consulting, Ernst & Young, and National Association of Public Administration.

VIRGINIA SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC SAFETY (1986-90)
      State Agencies under Secretariat: • Transportation, • Corrections, • State Police, • Motor Vehicles, • Alcoholic Beverage Control, • Correctional Education, • Military Affairs, • Emergency Services, • Criminal Justice Services, • Parole Board, • Aviation, • Fire Programs, • Alcohol Safety Action Program, • Commonwealth’s Attorneys Services.   (Virginia Port Authority prior to 7/88).

Exercised budgetary and legislative oversight for 29,395 employees, $2.77 billion in annual operating funds, and $100 million annually in building construction, in addition to highway and transit construction.

Major Secretarial initiatives

• Gained legislative approval of 1/2 billion dollar annual state transportation revenue increase;

• Initiated and carried out prison construction on 13 sites resulting in a 45% capacity increase;

• Chaired Northern Virginia sub-regional transportation plan adoption as the foundation for the NV Transportion Authority;

• Chaired Rt 28 negotiations for 80% private funding of $140 million public road improvement;

Additional highlights

• VRE Commuter Rail agreement reached involving 4 railroads, 6 localities, Virginia, and Congress.

• Congressional approval to establish the Washington Area Airport Authority. Dulles selected as site for the National Air and Space Museum expansion.

• Average highway construction project time cut 20%. Anti-fraud contract monitoring unit established.

• Private toll Road Corporation authorized and granted a franchise.

• Annual $10 million aviation safety improvement and service expansion program developed.

• Statewide emergency hazardous material response and training program established.

• Computerized fingerprint identification instituted.

• Prison escape rate and use of overtime brought to unprecedented low levels.

• Prison literacy program established. Prison mental health program achieved accreditation.

• Statistical model tracking 122 separate trends instituted to predict prison population growth. 10-year Prison Construction Master Plan developed.

RESEARCHER FOR ARTHUR YOUNG AND COMPANY (1984-85)
  •  Researched issues with potential impact on state/local government financial management, i.e. Garcia, insurance liability, customs clearance, court records computerization, client tracking, etc.

CONGRESSIONAL LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANT (1979-80)
  •  Responsibilities included Procurement Conference, payment-in-lieu-of-taxes, electric power generation.

STATE LEGISLATIVE AIDE (1979-81)
  •  Tracked state budget and pension reform and developed over 25 statistically accurate redistricting plans.

FAIRFAX COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (1977-79)
  •  As Director or Research and Legislation provided research and strategy support for taxation, economic development, and transportation.

CHAIRMAN, FAIRFAX COUNTY FISCAL COMMISSION (1978-79)
  •  Directed comprehensive review of tax structure, intergovernmental revenues, budget and appraisal procedures, including compilation and editing of 125-page report.

CHAIRMAN, EFFICIENT USE OF SCHOOL FACILITIES (1978)
  •  Developed evaluation framework for school closings and produced 40-page report.

FAIRFAX AREA LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS
  •  President (1975-77) of 600 member organization.
  •  As Fiscal Chair authored “Alternatives to the Real Estate Tax” and “Fairfax County’s Tax Base”.

NUMEROUS HONORS AND CIVIC RESPONSIBILITIES, INCLUDE  

• NV Transportation Alliance 30th Anniversary Lifetime Achievement Award
• Member, Fairfax County “Diversion First” Commission (2015 –  )
• Virginia Counselors Association Outstanding Legislator 2014
• Virginia Association of Commonwealth Attorneys “Champion of Justice” 2014
• NV Transportation Alliance “Dust, Sweat, & Blood Award” 2013 and 2007
• Dulles Corridor Rail Association Leadership 2013
• Apartment and Office Building Assoc of Metropolitan Washington Outstanding Leadership Award 2013
• League of Women Voters of Virginia Good Goverance Award 2013
• 2013 Virginia Coalition for Distraction Free Driving Award
• The Korean American Assn of Washington Metropolitian Area Public Service Award 2013
• Arts Council of Fairfax County 2012
• Virginia Interfaith Center “Legislator of the Year” 2011
• Mental Health Advocates “Community Contributor Award 2008
• Virginia American Legion Auxiliary “Outstanding Woman of Virginia” 2006
• Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court “Kassabian Award” 2004
• Sheriff Association’s “Outstanding Legislator” 2008 and 2003
• Human Services Coalition “Outstanding Elected Official” 2002
• Northern Virginia Technology Council “Champion of Technology 1999
• Virginia Network for Victims and Witnesses of Crime Outstanding Service Award 1999, 1997
• First “Honorary Member of the Fairfax County Police Child Services Unit” 1999
• Lossie J. Tucker Meritorious Service Award 1994
• Tysons Rotary Citizen of the Year 1987
• Annandale Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year 1986
• Founding member of Fairfax County Committee of 100
• Washington Post “Citizen of the Year” 1977

MAJOR NON-LEGISLATIVE and NON-Ex OFFICIA APPOINTMENTS

• Arts Council of Fairfax County, Advisory Panel and Board Member (2001-2012 )
• Annandale North Springfield Little League team sponsor (1999- )
• Advisory Council, Salvation Army Northern Virginia Adult Rehabilitation Center (1993- )
• Advisory Committee to the Court Appointed Special Advocates (1994-98) and Children’s Justice Act Programs
• Board, Annandale Rotary (1994-96)
• Board of Trustees, Virginia Museum of Natural History (1992-96)
• Chair, Virginia Chamber of Commerce Transportation Committee (1992-94)
• Board of Directors, Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia (1991-97)
• Citizen Advisory Committee, Northern Virginia Transportation Coordinating Council (1990-94)
• Public Member, National Council of Engineering Specialty Boards (1991-94)
• Task Force on Growth and Transportation, Washington Metropolitan Council of Governments (1990-93)
• Member, Washington Board of Trade Transportation Committee (1990-93)
• Virginia Vice-Chairman, DO IT Coalition (1990-92)
• National Academy of Public Administration Advisory Panel on Department of Transportation National Transportation Policy (1990-91)
• Executive Boards, Fairfax-Falls Church and National Capitol United Way (1978-92)
• National Board, Women Executives in State Government (1986-87)
• Board and Founding member (1977) of Fairfax County Committee of 100
• Board, Girl Scout Council of the Nation’s Capital (1984-86)
• Board, Prepaid Legal Services Corporation of Virginia (1983-85)
• Community College Child Care Board (1980-85)
• Advisory Board, Consortium for Continuing Higher Education (1981-85)
• Board, Friends of the Victim Assistance Network (1980-84)
• Chair, Fairfax County Fiscal Policy Commission (1978-79)
• Co-Chair, successful $40 million school bond referendum (1978)
• Chair, Citizen Task Force on School Closings (1978)
• METRO Financing Task Force, Center for Metropolitan Studies (1977-78)
• President, Wakefield Forest PTA (1977-78)
• Citizen Task Force on Metrorail Alternatives (1977-78)
• Citizen Task Force Reviewing Proposed Water Rate Increases (1977)
• Chairman’s Council for Board of Supervisors (1976-77)
• Fairfax County Public School Superintendent’s Planning Council (1975-77)
• Steering Committee for successful courthouse referendum (1977)
• Alternate Forms of County Government Task Force (1975)
• Speakers Bureau for new State Constitution (1970)
• Co-Chair, First Michigan Methodist Church Inter-racial Youth Conference (1958)
• Chair, Christian Citizenship, State Youth Board of the Michigan Methodist Church (1957-58)

Complete list of affiliations, honors, and major speeches and presentations furnished on request.