More About Angela

Angela was raised in the Church Hill community of the City of Richmond, and is a product of Richmond Public Schools. She is the daughter of a union factory worker (mother) and construction worker (father). Her maternal grandmother was a domestic worker. 

The sudden death of Angela’s young father, when she was eleven years old, leaving her mother a 36-year old widow with seven children to raise by herself, shaped Angela’s core values of strong faith, family, and hard work ethic. She knows firsthand the important role that education and good paying union jobs with benefits play, in improving the lives of individuals, families, communities, and society overall.

Angela credits her lifelong church affiliation with helping shape her faith and servant leadership. She is an active member of her church, where she currently serves as a Trustee. 

Angela is an alumni and proud supporter of Armstrong High School. In 2022, she was awarded the Armstrong High School Athletics Community Impact Award, as a supporter through her Women Know Sports and Money™ trademarked philanthropic brand. She has also served on the board of directors of the Maggie L. Walker Governor’s School Foundation. 

Angela is a graduate of North Carolina State University, where she earned a dual degree in Business Management and Economics. She holds an MBA from Averett University.

Following college, Angela started her professional career at what was then United Virginia Bank, which became part of SunTrust Banks, Inc. (now Truist), where she enjoyed a successful thirty-year career. Her roles at the bank included small business lender, commercial banking, corporate fair fending officer, and she was ultimately appointed the #2 regulatory compliance officer of the firm. Angela also held executive regulatory compliance roles at E*TRADE Financial (now part of Morgan Stanley) and Sonabank (now Primis Bank).

Since retiring from banking, Angela has served as a Pre-K-8 school finance administrator, Amazon teammate, and service representative for Puritan Cleaners. Angela credits her work career with helping shape her core value of integrity. When elected, Angela will be a strong advocate for workers. 

Angela has received numerous professional awards and recognition, including both the SunTrust Mortgage Cornerstone Award for Service, and Cornerstone Award for Safety (Risk Management), respectively. As a small business advocate, she was instrumental in the collaboration and creation of the former SunTrust Women’s Business Connection Center, in partnership with the Virginia Foundation for Women. She is a former president of Financial Women International, Inc., Commonwealth VA Chapter (formerly the National Association of Bank Women). When elected, Angela will be a strong advocate for the needs of small businesses. 

Angela is an avid sports fan. She is a longtime advocate for attracting more sports to central Virginia communities, in connection with economic development opportunities. She is the founder of Women Know Sports and Money™ (WOMENKSAM), a purpose-driven philanthropic brand established to combine her passions for economic empowerment advocacy and sports. WOMENKSAM advocates, promotes, and supports local, regional, and national sports, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, women’s leadership, and physical and mental wellness. Through a twice-monthly radio show previously broadcasted live on Rejoice Richmond 101.3 FM and 990 AM, WOMENKSAM sought to expand on its mission to Engage, Educate, and Empower! 

Consistent with WOMENKSAM’s advocacy for bringing more sports to central Virginia, the brand has been an inaugural and continuing sponsor of the WABA Richmond Roadrunners Professional Women’s Basketball team. In 2022, Angela and WOMENKSAM were recognized by nonprofit Rising Towards Success, Inc., as a Remarkable Women honoree, for advocacy and giving back to the RVA community. WOMENKSAM was also a sponsor of the 2023 RVA Sports Awards through Richmond Region Tourism. 

Angela is a longtime member and supporter of the Virginia State University (VSU) Athletic “Booster” Club, Inc., where she currently serves on the board of directors. She is helping to lead the Booster Club’s capital campaign, for which she created the marketing theme, “Leaders Champion the Call, Embrace the Vision, and Leave a Legacy”. Angela is also an inaugural and continuing supporter of the VSU Multipurpose Center, in which she has several named seats. Angela’s VSU legacy also includes an endowed scholarship fund.

Angela is a lifelong Girl Scout. She credits her early training as a Brownie Girl Scout, with shaping her core value of service to others and leaving the world a better place. Angela has served as First Vice President of the Girl Scouts Commonwealth Council of VA (GSCCVA), and has been a troop leader for over 30 years. She is a lifetime member of Girl Scouts USA. Angela is a past recipient of GSCCVA’s Irvin A. Moubray Trailblazer Award, and the Girl Scouts Thanks Badge, the highest recognition bestowed upon an adult volunteer for service impacting an entire Girl Scout council.

Angela is a longtime member and has served on the board of directors of the Junior League of Richmond, where she currently serves as a Sustainer Advisor. Angela is also a member of the Order of the Eastern Star chapter based in Varina. 

Angela has served on numerous other boards and commissions. She is a past chair of the Women’s Committee on the City of Richmond Human Services Commission and co-chair of the Virginia Women’s Network, a statewide nonpartisan public policy advocacy organization on behalf of women and families. She also served on the board of directors of the former Southside Childhood Development Center and was a founding board member of the Virginia Foundation for Women.

Angela was featured in the Richmond Free Press (Personality Spotlight) during her term as president of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, former Virginia Commonwealth Chapter. She is a past chair of the Business Committee for the United Negro College Fund Telethon, Virginia, where she received the Meritorious Award. Most recently, Angela served as the Richmond Advisor for Envision Lead Grow, a Norfolk, VA based nonprofit for developing and supporting girl entrepreneurs.

Angela has dedicated her life to servant leadership. She is running for State Senate to make a greater impact on her community, be a strong and compassionate leader for the citizens of the 13^th district, and to help improve the lives of all Virginians.