Viola Baskerville facts for kids

Viola Osborne Baskerville (born October 29, 1951) is a lawyer and politician from Virginia. She served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1998 to 2005. Later, she became the Secretary of Administration for Governor Tim Kaine from 2006 to 2010.

About Viola Baskerville

Early Life and Education

Viola Baskerville was born in Richmond, Virginia. She went to the College of William and Mary and earned her degree in 1973. Later, she studied law at the University of Iowa College of Law, finishing in 1979. She also had a special chance to study in Bonn, Germany, through a program called the Fulbright Fellowship.

Public Service in Virginia

Before working for the state, Viola Baskerville was part of the Richmond City Council. She served there from 1994 to 1997. During this time, she was also the city's Vice Mayor, working with then-Mayor Tim Kaine.

After her time as Vice Mayor, she was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates. This is a group of people who make laws for Virginia. She served in the House of Delegates from 1998 to 2005.

In 2005, Viola Baskerville made history. She was the first African-American woman to try to become the Lieutenant Governor of Virginia for the Democratic Party.

Secretary of Administration

After the 2005 election, she helped Governor Tim Kaine prepare to take office. Then, she became the Secretary of Administration in Governor Kaine's team. This was a very important job.

As Secretary of Administration, she was in charge of several state government groups. These included the Virginia State Board of Elections, which helps with voting. She also oversaw departments for state services and human resources. Viola Baskerville was the only African-American woman in Governor Kaine's main team.

Her time as Secretary of Administration ended in January 2010. After that, she became the CEO of the Girl Scouts of Virginia. This role allowed her to lead a well-known organization for young girls.