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.
Holiday Luncheon at PJ Skidoos: December 6, 11:30am – 2pm
Nearly 40 branch members and guests are signed up for our holiday luncheon at PJ Skidoos! It’s shaping up to be a festive, joy-filled afternoon packed with good cheer, great conversation, and the chance to connect and celebrate together. We’re also thrilled to turn this event into a moment of giving by collecting food and personal care items for ECHO in Springfield.
Public Policy and Advocacy: Susan Burk, Public Policy Chair
Getting Out the Vote — Your Vote is Your Voice!
There are many ways to Get Out the Vote, and postcard writing has proven to be an activity that our branch has embraced with energy and enthusiasm. Thanks again to all branch members who helped write the 825 postcards we contributed to the Reclaim Our Vote campaign.
The following is the report from Andrea Miller, leader of Center for Common Ground which sponsors ROV: Virginia just witnessed its second-highest voter turnout ever in a gubernatorial election. This
election shattered early voting records for a Virginia gubernatorial race. Thanks to your dedication, we helped mobilize voters across the Commonwealth.
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.” Read AAUW’s statement here. Read AAUW’s Statement Here
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.
SAVE THE DATE:
2026 AAUW-VA State Lobby Day will be held on 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.
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 fireoperations, 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.
On Wednesday, October 29, we had a wonderful second hybrid program for this year, with guest speaker Kate McDonald, Partner at McDermott, Will and Schulte. Kate’s presentation, “One Big Beautiful Bill: How Does it Impact Women?,” analyzed the major policy changes of the OBBBA, a law passed in July 2025 addressing taxes, health care, social programs, as well as defense, border security and immigration enforcement. The presentation detailed significant negative impacts on women’s health coverage and social safety nets.
Photo courtesy of Ainsley Gottrich: Amy Crolius on left, Kate McDonald on right.
AAUW Virginia 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.
IncIusion Committee: Irene McGhee and Ann Sauberman, Co-Coordinators
The Inclusion Committee met again via Zoom November 12 at 7 p.m. to continue the work of preparing to launch the enhanced 2026 Student Inclusion Award selection and recognition process. Committee members reviewed drafted criteria and planned the timeline for the communication, application window, and selection process for the awards.The next meeting of the Inclusion Committee is Wednesday, January 7 at 7 p.m. via Zoom.
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
Thanks to the wonderful support of our members and friends, we sold out in record time this year. Thanks to everyone who helped make this a successful fundraiser tradition for our branch.
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.