Meet Katrina

People often ask if I’m from Charlottesville; the answer is complicated.

I came to Charlottesville for law school, only to discover deep family roots here—roots severed by Virginia's ban on interracial marriage in the 1960s. My parents, an interracial couple, dropped out of high school in 1984 but instilled in me the value of education. My dad joined the military, and I grew up as a proud military brat in a large enlisted family that struggled financially but stayed committed to service and learning.

At Yale, I supported myself through jobs ranging from Waffle House to communications and public affairs. After graduation, I joined Teach For America, teaching middle school math in Massachusetts. Working with students facing challenges like poverty, immigration issues, and housing insecurity fueled my passion for advocacy. This experience led me to pursue law, focusing on children navigating the legal system.

I am the Former Chair of the Albemarle County School Board and Former Deputy City Attorney for the City of Charlottesville.

My experience as an elected leader for the County and Attorney for the City have given me the unique experience of interacting with our state laws and seeing their effect on our community daily. I continue to advocate relentlessly for improving academic achievement and empowering our students with skills and opportunity. I have seen the consequences of having fundamental rights denied. I know it is more important than ever to have a hard-working representative defending our future.