In January 2023, Dan Gunnells was one of 20 Staunton city residents vying for a seat left suddenly vacant by the resignation of then-Mayor Andrea Oakes.
In 2024, he is running for one of four seats that are open on Staunton City Council and for which voters will decide on Nov. 5.
Born and raised near New Orleans with six sisters, Gunnells attended Louisiana State University, University of Massachusetts, City University of New York for his law degree and was educated abroad at the University of London for undergraduate and University of Havana for law school.
While and after earning his law degree, he lived life in the big cities of Boston, New York and Washington, D.C. He has been a procurement lawyer for 25 years, the last nine or 10 years for a government contractor in Northern Virginia.
“I support mostly the defense intelligence agency, part of the National Security Group and the Department of Army,” Gunnells said.
Gunnells moved to Staunton in 2018 after visiting a friend who lived in the Queen City. he was ready to get away from big city life. He grew up a “very outdoor country-boy life.”
“I love it here,” Gunnells said of Staunton.
At 63, Gunnells is proudly part of Staunton’s LGBTQIA+ community.
“I’m openly gay,” Gunnells said.
His work as a lawyer enabled him to help with HIV and homelessness policy in the 1990s. Now he hopes to channel his legal work into doing good for Staunton.
“I have a very deep-rooted background in grassroots advocacy and community organizing when I was in law school,” Gunnells said. “Let me be clear, the reason why I went to law school was because I was advocating for people with AIDS and HIV and the homeless and indigent populations.”
Gunnells was instrumental in writing policy for women in clinical trials who were suffering from HIV-related illnesses and were being excluded based on sex.
His passions include funding for Staunton Schools, revitalizing the West End and affordable housing.
“I think it is really up and coming,” Gunnells said of the West End’s growth with the construction of a new Juvenile & Domestic Relations Court.
Gunnells said the city does not have enough housing to provide for residents.
Gunnells, who hopes to speak at Staunton Pride this fall, is also passionate about diversity, equity and inclusion in the community for LGBTQ and Blacks. He served on the Board of Directors for the Shenandoah LGBTQ Center.
As a volunteer for the Lewis Creek Watershed, he is also passionate about the environment, clean energy and green opportunities.
A fire in his home four months after he bought it led Gunnells to run for City Council. Awakened at 1 in the morning, Gunnells was impressed by how considerate and efficient Staunton firefighters were to his situation.
“They came in and they made sure I was OK,” Gunnells said. “And it was a cold night.”
Staunton Fire had already called the American Red Cross to assist Gunnells. Luckily, much of Gunnells’ belongings were still in storage after having bought his home.
A fire started in the attic because of wiring behind sheetrock and did not produce smoke in the house to cause the smoke alarms to go off. He was able to renovate with homeowner’s insurance reimbursement and again live in the home.
“At the end of the day, I think every one of us [five candidates for council] is capable of doing our best,” Gunnells said of running for council. He said he believes all of the candidates “collectively and as a community love Staunton.”
If elected, he hopes to strengthen relations between City Council and the Staunton School Board because “it’s a we, not us against them.”
Gunnells said he has experience and skills that would add value to the city with his pro bono work as an attorney seeking equality for individuals living with HIV and for the homeless.
He said that a few years ago, he never expected to run for local city council.
“I feel like I have skills that I can bring and I’m confident that I would add value in ways in which some other folks who don’t have my experience that I could bring in a new angle and a new perspective. I think I’m all being led here with heart and commitment in my love of Staunton.,” he said.
If elected, he wants Staunton to “strive to be our best” as much as possible as a community.
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Rebecca Barnabi
