Longtime Staunton resident and public servant John Avoli will seek the Republican nomination for the House District 20 seat in the Virginia House of Delegates.
Avoli’s official announcement is set for Saturday morning at 10 on the steps of the Augusta County Courthouse in Staunton.
The House District 20 seat is currently held by five-term incumbent Del. Dickie Bell. Bell announced last month he would not run for re-election in November of this year. The district includes the cities of Waynesboro and Staunton as well as a portion of Augusta County.
Avoli’s four-plus decades of service as an educator and local government leader prepare him well for service as a state legislator.
He spent 16 years on Staunton City Council (1990-2006). Fourteen of those years included service as the city’s mayor. He collaborated with other members of council to revitalize downtown Staunton, and attract new businesses and attractions, such as the American Shakespeare Theater.
There were also improvements to the city’s schools, infrastructure and recreational facilities.
“I have worked tirelessly for residents in the city of Staunton and have been very successful in improving the city and quality of life for city residents,” Avoli said. “I know I can do the same in Richmond and am excited to work just as hard for all the citizens in the 20th District.”
Avoli’s career as a public school educator also prepares him to serve the citizens of District 20. He was principal/director of Valley Vocational Technical Center fo 14 years, and also served as a teacher and coach at Wilson Memorial High School, and principal of Stuarts Draft High School from 1983-88.
“It was a privilege to have served as a coach, teacher and administrator for nearly 30 years,” Avoli said. “It is very rewarding to see former students successfully employed in our community and raising their families.”
He earned a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Richmond in 1974, and a master’s in education and administration from the University of Virginia in 1977.
Most recently, Avoli spent 15 years as the executive director of the Frontier Culture Museum in Staunton.
Avoli is a native of Trivigliano, Italy, and came to the United States with his family in 1960 at age 10.
He is married to Lynn LaBonte Avoli. They are the parents of two grown children and have five grandchildren.
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