Gov.-elect Terry McAuliffe announced at a press conference on Friday the nomination of Former First Lady Anne Holton to be his Secretary of Education.
“Anne Holton’s lifetime of experience with Virginia public schools, her public service on behalf of Virginia students and her passion for creating opportunity for all of our kids make her the best choice to join my administration as Secretary of Education,” said McAuliffe. “A public education in Virginia should be a gateway to success for every student, regardless of where they are born or what their economic circumstances are. I am thrilled to have Anne as a member of my team as we work together to strengthen Virginia’s education system from early childhood all the way through college and workforce training.”
Holton brings a wealth of experience with Virginia students and its public education system to the McAuliffe team. As a child she attended Roanoke, Richmond and Fairfax public schools. As the daughter of Governor Linwood Holton, she and her family helped integrate Richmond public schools. Her three children also attended Virginia public schools. As a Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court Judge in Richmond, Holton developed a deep familiarity with Virginia’s foster care and juvenile justice systems, and became involved in many initiatives aimed at improving the Commonwealth’s support for at-risk youth. When her husband, Tim Kaine, was Governor of Virginia, Holton devoted her efforts as First Lady to reforming Virginia’s foster care program and supporting her husband’s efforts to expand access to early childhood education.
In her current position as Program Director for the Great Expectations Program for Foster Youth, Holton works with Virginia’s Community Colleges to improve access to and success in higher education for Virginia’s foster youth and alumni.
“I am honored to have this opportunity to work with Governor-elect McAuliffe to strengthen Virginia’s schools from pre-Kindergarten all the way through college and workforce training, and to make sure our system works for all of our students, including those who are too often left on the margins of our society,” said Anne Holton. “I am eager to bring my experience with Virginia public schools as a student, mother, judge, First Lady, and children’s advocate to this exciting role on the great bipartisan team the Governor-elect has built to serve Virginians over these next four years.”
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