Virginia Beach City Council District 10: Candidates spotlight
Heidi Daniels
Age: 51
Occupation: Executive Director, Green Run Homes Association
Previous office held: Vice chair, city of Virginia Beach’s human rights commission
Education: St. Leo University, bachelor of arts, business administration and management, 2013
What experience do you have that makes you qualified to be a City Council member?
I am not a newcomer to this community. I’ve been part of the Green Run community for 22 years and manage the Green Run Homeowners Association serving 16,000 neighbors. Green Run covers nearly six square miles in the heart of Virginia Beach and is very active with city government leaders and staff. I am married and we’ve raised our children here. I am fully invested in our neighborhoods and want to further advocate for us on City Council. I served my country as a United States Marine, achieving the rank of Gunnery Sergeant. I am a former police officer and I have earned a bachelor’s degree in Business Management. These experiences have prepared me to be an effective Councilmember as we deal with the fiscal realities of budgeting, revenues, expenditures, affordable housing, quality of life, flooding and other crucial issues in our city.
If elected, what would be your top priority and how would you get it done?
Putting neighborhoods first. Your City Council representative should come from our neighborhoods with real experience solving problems at the local level. I have worked for years in our neighborhoods organizing National Night Out, community events and local capital improvement projects. This includes making Virginia Beach affordable. Inflation is hurting communities like ours and we need someone with experience in financial management who can bring more and higher paying jobs for our families. Flooding continues to be a neighborhood issue, and I have led in solving flooding issues and securing funding for needed improvements to keep our neighborhoods safe from flooding. Our neighborhoods should be safe for our families. I will continue to work with community leaders, city officials and the police department to make needed improvements to enhance safety and emergency services for everyone.
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Jennifer Valentine Rouse
Age: 36
Occupation: Assistant Professor of Sociology
Previous office held: N/A
Education: Virginia Wesleyan University, bachelor of arts in English, 2008; Virginia Commonwealth University, master of science in sociology, 2010
What experience do you have that makes you qualified to be a City Council member?
For ten years, I have interacted with members of our community as an educator in the college classroom. These interactions provide me with unique insight into the broad and diverse experiences of residents. I’ve worked with military families and veterans transitioning from service to civilian life, and with recent high school graduates to navigate their path forward as they explore careers, hopefully here in Virginia Beach. I’ve worked with adults who have been out of a classroom for decades, whether because they were raising children or in the workforce, and who now find themselves transitioning roles in an ever-changing world. As a sociologist, I understand issues of culture and this perspective is very much needed on City Council. I have the experience to understand multiple perspectives, and to help build bridges wherever possible. My expertise qualifies me to help guide policies that are equitable and balanced for our residents.
If elected, what would be your top priority and how would you get it done?
Our city’s most pressing issue is preparing for the demands of the 21st century, particularly in a post-Covid world. This includes fully funding our public schools, to ensure we have the staff in place to educate our children. Our city is hurting to recruit and retain employees to fill numerous roles required to keep our city operating. Recruiting and retaining talented staff in areas like public education, public safety, and public workers will ensure we keep the work of the city moving forward. A fully functioning city government is more equipped to address economic development, workforce development, stormwater management, housing affordability, human services, and public safety. I would collaborate with my colleagues to examine opportunities for identifying and improving incentives to recruit and retain talented staff.
