Daun Hester facts for kids

Daun Sessoms Hester, born on October 7, 1955, is an American politician and educator. She has dedicated many years to serving the people of Norfolk, Virginia. She was a member of the Norfolk, Virginia City Council from 1996 to 2010. During that time, she also served as vice mayor from 2004 to 2008. Later, she became a member of the Virginia House of Delegates for the 89th district. She won a special election for this role on December 18, 2012. In 2018, she took on the important job of Treasurer for the city of Norfolk.

Early Life and Education

Daun Sessoms Hester was born in Norfolk, Virginia. She grew up in a neighborhood called Five Points. She attended Norview High School and graduated from there.

College and University

After high school, she went to Virginia State University. In 1978, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in education. She continued her studies at George Washington University. There, she received a Master of Arts degree in education and human development in 1990.

Career as an Educator

Before entering politics, Ms. Hester worked as a teacher. She taught in the Norfolk Public Schools system. She dedicated 22 years to helping students learn and grow in Norfolk.

Political Career

Daun Sessoms Hester began her political journey in 1996. She was first elected to the Norfolk City Council. She represented Superward 7, which is a specific area of the city.

Serving as Vice Mayor

In 2004, her fellow council members chose her for a new role. She became the vice mayor of Norfolk. She held this important position for four years, until 2008.

Running for Mayor

In 2010, Ms. Hester decided to run for mayor of Norfolk. She competed against the person who was already mayor, Paul D. Fraim. She also ran against two other people. She received 30% of the votes in that election. After the election, she resigned from her seat on the City Council.

Joining the House of Delegates

A few years later, in 2012, a special opportunity came up. State Senator Yvonne B. Miller passed away in July 2012. This created an open seat in the 5th Senate district. Another politician, Kenneth Cooper Alexander, won that Senate seat. This then left his seat in the 89th House district open.

Daun Sessoms Hester decided to run for this open seat. She won a special election on December 18, 2012. This made her a member of the Virginia House of Delegates. She served in this role until January 2018.

Becoming Norfolk's Treasurer

After her time in the House of Delegates, Ms. Hester took on a new public service role. In 2018, she became the Treasurer for the city of Norfolk. The Treasurer is responsible for managing the city's money.