Our branch was organized in March of 1955 and received into the Virginia Division that Fall. Composed primarily of young college educated women at home with young children in a young community of newly built homes, it has evolved into an organization of women of many ages with strong interest in current issues, particularly women’s issues. Our branch has stronglly supported AAUW’s mission. We invite you to browse and learn more about our programs, community impact activities and special interest groups.
AAUW Celebrating Over 140 Years
AAUW Mission Statement
To advance gender equity for women and girls through research, education and advocacy. Vision: Equity for all. Values: Non-partisan. Fact based.
AAUW Diversity Statement
In principle and in practice, AAUW values and seeks an inclusive membership, workforce, leadership team, and board of directors. There shall be no barriers to full participation in this organization on the basis of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, geographical location, national origin, race, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or socio-economic status.
Marcy Leverenz
2026 AAUW VA Honoree
Branch member Marcy Leverenz has been selected as a 2026 Named Honoree by AAUW of Virginia, an honor that recognizes exceptional, long-term contributions in advancing AAUW’s mission and priorities
across the Commonwealth. This prestigious recognition celebrates Marcy’s many years of dedicated service and leadership with AAUW’s Lobby Corps, where her commitment has helped ensure that Virginia members remain a strong and visible force in national advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill. This recognition reflects not only Marcy’s personal achievements, but also the collective strength of Virginia’s advocacy community and its continued commitment to equity for women and girls. Marcy will be formally recognized at the AAUW of Virginia State Conference in Richmond on April 18. Congratulations to Marcy on this well-deserved honor, and thank you for the lasting impact of your service and leadership.
Holiday Luncheon at PJ Skidoos
On Saturday, December 6, nearly 40 branch members and guests gathered at PJ Skidoos for our annual Holiday Luncheon. Attendees enjoyed a lovely meal featuring salad, delicious entrées, and an indulgent chocolate mousse dessert. Adding to the festive spirit, member Beth Boivin and guest Kathleen Jacoby delighted attendees with holiday flute duets. The luncheon also served as a charitable giving opportunity for our branch, and we are proud to share that 200 pounds of food and personal hygiene items were donated to ECHO in Springfield. The luncheon was a wonderful opportunity to connect and celebrate the season together while making a meaningful difference for members of our community in need.
Public Policy and Advocacy: Susan Burk, Public Policy Chair
Oyez! Oyez! Oyez! The Virginia General Assembly will begin its 2026 Regular Session at 12 noon on Wednesday, January 14, 2026. It is scheduled to finish (or adjourn sine die) on Saturday, March 14, 2026. There will be old faces and new faces, but all of them will benefit from learning about AAUW and where it
is putting its energy.
2026 AAUW-VA State Lobby Day February 5 in Richmond
For those planning to travel to Richmond the day before, we have an AAUW rate at a Hampton Inn in Richmond. More information on plans for Lobby Day will be provided as soon as it is available. But prospects for significant progress on Paid Family and Medical Leave, Paid Sick Days, affordable child care, and support for public education look brighter than they have in several years. Please consider joining us as we meet with delegates, senators and staff to explain our priorities and why they should support actions to turn proposals into policies.
LWVVA Women’s Legislative Roundtable
The League of Women Voters of Virginia will again host its weekly, virtual Women’s Legislative Roundtable (WLRT) every Wednesday (except February 11 which is the LWVVA’s in-person Lobby Day (In Richmond)
from January 14–March 11, 2026. The WLRTs are scheduled for 8:30 – 9:30 A.M. and cover a variety of topics and included invited speakers. Register for any WLRT: Women’s Legislative Round Table
AAUW’s Position on the Decision to Dismantle the Department of Education:
The Trump administration has taken another major step toward dismantling the U.S. Department of Education. Following deep staff cuts, the Department’s November 18 announcement of six new
“partnerships” shifts the day-to-day work of core K–12 and higher education programs to agencies focused on labor, health, public lands, and foreign policy. This undermines the Department’s ability to enforce civil rights laws and ensure equal educational opportunity.”
Paid Family and Medical Leave has been a long-time AAUW-VA public policy priority. Our members have lobbied legislators on the Hill and in Richmond to expand the current policy (the Family Act) that provides for unpaid leave for family/personal reasons. Many people cannot afford to take extended leave to care for a sick child or family member which is the rationale behind PFML. The recent November election has brightened prospects that legislation on PFML will be passed (for the third time) in the upcoming VA General Assembly session, but this time will be signed by the Governor. In addition to AAUW-VA’s regular lobbying, our State President Lane Stone recently signed on to a letter sponsored by the organization Voices for Virginia’s Children encouraging the VA General Assembly and the incoming Spanberger gubernatorial administration to pass and sign legislation in the 2026 GA session to establish a statewide PFML program. I will provide points on this issue to branch members to use in written communications with your state delegate and senator.
Our Upcoming Programs 2025-26: Women Breaking Boundaries: Amy Crolius and Beth Boivin, Co-VPs of Programs
January 21 at 7pm via Zoom
Lauren Charles is a Fire Effects Monitor with the National Park Service, where she collects long-term ecological data to understand how fire shapes plant communities and fuel conditions. Her work spans fuel reduction projects, ecological monitoring, prescribed fire operations, and wildfire suppression.
Before joining the National Park Service, Lauren served as a Forestry Technician with the Department of Forestry, responding to wildfires in the Shenandoah Valley and assisting private landowners and loggers in implementing best land management practices. She holds a BS in Biology from James Madison University.
February 25 at 7pm via Zoom
Lauren Elliff is a recent graduate of the University of Virginia, holding a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in German. While at UVA, she was a member of Alpha Omega Epsilon, a professional and social sorority for women in engineering and science. Since July 2025, she has worked as a mechanical engineer for Framatome, Inc. in Lynchburg, Virginia. Her current position is as a Mechanical Product Development Engineer in the Fuel division, focusing on the design and manufacture of commercial nuclear fuel. Before joining Framatome full-time, she spent the previous summer interning on the same team and continued her internship part-time throughout her final year of college.
Mark your calendars for our annual Spring Fling fundraiser on Saturday, March 21, at the Springfield Golf and Country Club with featured speaker Olivia Campbell, New York Times bestselling author of Women in White Coats: How the First Women Doctors Changed the World of Medicine and Sisters in Science: How Four Women Physicists Escaped Nazi Germany and Made Scientific History.
AAUW Virginia Updates
Virginia Women’s Municipal Leadership Institute: January 22
Join AAUW-VA members from around the Commonwealth on this Zoom program Thursday, January 22, at 7 p.m. to hear from Bonnie Svrcek, Executive Director of the Virginia Women’s Municipal Leadership Institute. The Institute is a professional education program developed by Virginia Women Leading Government and academic partners to provide connections, content, tools, and opportunities for
women aspiring to become local government leaders. See more information in the January UPDATES.
2026 AAUW Virginia State Conference April 18, 2026
The Northwest District is hosting the next AAUW-VA State Conference—the first conference of our second century. They have secured the venue so please Save This Date—Saturday, April 18, 2026, at the Drury Plaza Hotel Richmond in Glen Allen, VA 23060. There will also be pre-conference activities on Friday, April 17, 2026. Further information will be distributed as it is available on the AAUW Virginia webpage below.
IncIusion Committee: Irene McGhee and Ann Sauberman, Co-Coordinators
The Inclusion Committee met again January 7 at 7 p.m. to continue to finalize the timeline and materials for the 2026 Inclusion Awards. A very colorfull flyer has been designed and will be distributed to schools and libraries in the award area.
This year, juniors at eight local high schools will be eligible to submit a video demonstrating how they value inclusion and demonstrate it in their everyday lives. The top three submissions will receive an award with First Place receiving $1000, Second Place $750 and Third Place $500. The committee will also offer Honorable Mentions to other significant submissions. To celebrate their efforts, all awardees and their families will be invited to our end-of-year picnic on May 30, 2026, where they’ll be recognized by the full branch community. It promises to be a wonderful way to highlight the next generation of leaders who are making inclusion part of everyday life.
Membership: Deborah Dodd and Debbie Gilligan, Co-VPs Membership
The Springfield-Annandale Branch of AAUW is delighted to share that our membership has grown to 62 members! Our branch offers many wonderful opportunities to connect, socialize, and engage with the vital issues that AAUW champions. We encourage all members to stay active and involved—join us for the outstanding programs and activities planned by our Program Vice Presidents this year. We look forward to learning, sharing, and celebrating together!
To join our branch, please use the Contact Us page and select the VP’s for Membership. They will answer your questions and provide a membership form to return with a dues check.
White House Ornament Sale
We sold out in record time this year, thanks to our members and friends who helped make this a successful fundraiser tradition for our branch. We sold the ornaments at a discounted price and made a profit of $500 to help support our Inclusion Awards.
Did You Know? You can sign up now to start your free, online salary negotiation workshop. Just go to https://salary.aauw.org/ to begin. AAUW Start Smart is designed for college women who are approaching the job market. AAUW Work Smart is designed for women in the workforce at any career level.
Please note that phone numbers and street addresses are not used in the main body of the website. Consult your membership directory or the online directory on the Members Only page or use the Contact Us page to contact them.