MEET VAL
SERVICE HAS SHAPED MY LIFE.
I didn't grow up imagining a life in politics.
I spent 20 years serving our country in the United States Air Force. The military took me around the world and eventually brought me to Fayetteville through an assignment at Pope Air Force Base.
Like so many military families, I didn't choose the assignment.
The Air Force did, but Fayetteville became part of my story.
WHEN LIFE CHANGES YOUR PLANS.
After retiring from the Air Force, I continued serving as a civilian at the Pentagon. On September 11, 2001, I was inside the Pentagon when American Airlines Flight 77 struck the building. I helped evacuate my team and later participated in recovery operations.
Not long afterward, I was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Those experiences changed the questions I was asking about my life. What mattered most? What did I want the next chapter to look like? The answer eventually brought me back to Fayetteville.
This time, Fayetteville wasn't an assignment. It was my choice.
I returned with my family, put down roots and began again. Over time, the community I chose to call home became the community I wanted to serve.
FROM SERVICE TO PUBLIC OFFICE.
Cumberland County residents deserve more than to just make ends meet; they deserve the opportunity to thrive.
CITY COUNCIL
I served three terms on the Fayetteville City Council and later worked in community organizing and civic engagement, including work that took me into underserved communities across southeastern North Carolina.
STATE SENATE
I saw how decisions made by government show up in people's everyday lives—in their neighborhoods, schools, healthcare and opportunities.
Eventually, I decided that serving my community meant stepping forward again.
I ran for the North Carolina Senate.
HOW I LEAD.
AIR FORCE CORE VALUE: SERVICE BEFORE SELF
Twenty years in uniform taught me that the mission is bigger than any one person, and public office should work the same way. The title isn’t the mission. The people are.
LISTEN FIRST.
Good decisions start with listening to the people who will live with them. I want to hear from people who agree with me, and people who don’t. Listening doesn’t require agreement. It requires respect.
SOLUTIONS BEFORE POLITICS.
I'm a Democrat, and I'm clear about my values. But Cumberland County's challenges aren't Democratic or Republican. Where we can find common ground, we should. Where we disagree, we should still be able to work together on the things that matter to our community.
STILL SERVING.
Mother.
Air Force veteran.
Community advocate.
Former City Council member.
State Senator.
Different chapters, but the same commitment to service. My story explains how I got here. What we do next is about all of us.