Valerie McDonald-Roberts
Encyclopedia
Valerie McDonald-Roberts is an American
politician. She is the Allegheny County Recorder of Deeds and in 2006 was an unsuccessful candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania
.
school board from 1989 to 1993, including one year as president
. The next year, in 1994, she was elected to Pittsburgh City Council, becoming the first African-American women to hold that position. During her time, she was President Pro-tempre and chairperson of the Financial and Budget Committee http://www.africanaculture.org/about/boardbios.php. Her main issues while serving on the City Council board included urban redevelopment, education, minority rights, and budgetary issues http://www.valerieforpa.com/docs/Complete_City_Council_VMR_Research.pdf and http://www.valerieforpa.com/docs/Bills_Sponsored_By_Valerie_that_Passed.pdf. In 2001, she was elected Allegheny County Recorder of Deeds, a government office meant to record, archive, organise financial documents to be available to the public http://www.county.allegheny.pa.us/deeds/. Roberts has also been involved in her community in other ways as well. Valerie McDonald-Roberts has been a Girl Scout
Leader for nearly twenty years, a member of her local St. Paul's Church in Point Breeze for most of her life, and a Sunday school teacher http://www.valerieforpa.com/about.asp. She has also been a member of various local community organizations, including the Urban League of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Library
and Science Center, and Zoological Society of Pittsburgh http://valerieforpa.com/media/resume.pdf.
from the University of Pittsburgh
M.S. Forsenic Chemistry
from the University of Pittsburgh http://valerieforpa.com/media/resume.pdf
. Her primary opponents included the incumbent Catherine Baker Knoll
, William Hall III, a building contractor, and Gene Stilp
, an anti-pay raise activist. While fairly popular and politically powerful, Knoll was considered by some political analysts as potentially vulnerable partly because of concerns over her age and competence http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05122/497704.stm. Knoll had had the advantage of being endorsed by the State Democratic Committee, while few elected officials endorsed Roberts http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06085/676771-178.stm. Some progressive
and liberal
circles and groups, annoyed by Knoll's social conservatism
, supported Roberts. Supporters of Ms. Roberts said she not only offers geographical, racial, and gender balance to a Rendell-Roberts ticket but had the ability and courage to bring about changes and reforms in Harrisburg. Her main campaign issues and themes were health care and education http://youngphillypolitics.com/node/734. Mrs. Roberts received important endorsements from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
, The Philadelphia Inquirer
, The Daily and Sunday Review, Pittsburgh
City Councilman Bill Peduto
, Penn State Democrats
, and Pennsylvania's two main pro-choice
groups, Pennsylvania National Organization for Women
and Pennsylvania Planned Parenthood
.
On primary day, Roberts came in second to Knoll, with 139,585 votes to Knoll's 438,287.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician. She is the Allegheny County Recorder of Deeds and in 2006 was an unsuccessful candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania
Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania
The Lieutenant Governor is a constitutional officer of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Lieutenant Governor is elected every four years along with the Governor. Jim Cawley of Bucks County is the incumbent Lieutenant Governor...
.
Community and political experiences
She has served on the PittsburghPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
school board from 1989 to 1993, including one year as president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
. The next year, in 1994, she was elected to Pittsburgh City Council, becoming the first African-American women to hold that position. During her time, she was President Pro-tempre and chairperson of the Financial and Budget Committee http://www.africanaculture.org/about/boardbios.php. Her main issues while serving on the City Council board included urban redevelopment, education, minority rights, and budgetary issues http://www.valerieforpa.com/docs/Complete_City_Council_VMR_Research.pdf and http://www.valerieforpa.com/docs/Bills_Sponsored_By_Valerie_that_Passed.pdf. In 2001, she was elected Allegheny County Recorder of Deeds, a government office meant to record, archive, organise financial documents to be available to the public http://www.county.allegheny.pa.us/deeds/. Roberts has also been involved in her community in other ways as well. Valerie McDonald-Roberts has been a Girl Scout
Girl Scouts of the USA
The Girl Scouts of the United States of America is a youth organization for girls in the United States and American girls living abroad. It describes itself as "the world's preeminent organization dedicated solely to girls". It was founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912 and was organized after Low...
Leader for nearly twenty years, a member of her local St. Paul's Church in Point Breeze for most of her life, and a Sunday school teacher http://www.valerieforpa.com/about.asp. She has also been a member of various local community organizations, including the Urban League of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Library
Carnegie Library
Carnegie Library, Carnegie Public Library, Carnegie Free Library, Carnegie Free Public Library, Andrew Carnegie Library, Andrew Carnegie Free Library or Carnegie Library Building may refer to any of the following Carnegie libraries:- California :*Carnegie Library , listed on the National Register...
and Science Center, and Zoological Society of Pittsburgh http://valerieforpa.com/media/resume.pdf.
Education
B.S. Medical TechnologyMedical technology
Medical Technology encompasses a wide range of healthcare products and is used to diagnose, monitor or treat diseases or medical conditions affecting humans. Such technologies are intended to improve the quality of healthcare delivered through earlier diagnosis, less invasive treatment options and...
from the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
M.S. Forsenic Chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
from the University of Pittsburgh http://valerieforpa.com/media/resume.pdf
Campaign for Lieutenant Governor
On November 14, 2005, Ms. Roberts announced her candidacy for Lieutenant Governor of PennsylvaniaLieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania
The Lieutenant Governor is a constitutional officer of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Lieutenant Governor is elected every four years along with the Governor. Jim Cawley of Bucks County is the incumbent Lieutenant Governor...
. Her primary opponents included the incumbent Catherine Baker Knoll
Catherine Baker Knoll
Catherine Baker Knoll was an American politician and member of the Democratic Party. She was the 30th Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, serving under Governor Ed Rendell from 2003 to 2008.-Background:...
, William Hall III, a building contractor, and Gene Stilp
Gene Stilp
Gene Stilp is a political activist from Pennsylvania. He is best known for opposing the 2005 Pennsylvania General Assembly pay raise controversy and his use of props during political protests.-Political advocacy:...
, an anti-pay raise activist. While fairly popular and politically powerful, Knoll was considered by some political analysts as potentially vulnerable partly because of concerns over her age and competence http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05122/497704.stm. Knoll had had the advantage of being endorsed by the State Democratic Committee, while few elected officials endorsed Roberts http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06085/676771-178.stm. Some progressive
Progressivism
Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...
and liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
circles and groups, annoyed by Knoll's social conservatism
Social conservatism
Social Conservatism is primarily a political, and usually morally influenced, ideology that focuses on the preservation of what are seen as traditional values. Social conservatism is a form of authoritarianism often associated with the position that the federal government should have a greater role...
, supported Roberts. Supporters of Ms. Roberts said she not only offers geographical, racial, and gender balance to a Rendell-Roberts ticket but had the ability and courage to bring about changes and reforms in Harrisburg. Her main campaign issues and themes were health care and education http://youngphillypolitics.com/node/734. Mrs. Roberts received important endorsements from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, also known simply as the "PG," is the largest daily newspaper serving metropolitan Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.-Early history:...
, The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer
The Philadelphia Inquirer is a morning daily newspaper that serves the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, metropolitan area of the United States. The newspaper was founded by John R. Walker and John Norvell in June 1829 as The Pennsylvania Inquirer and is the third-oldest surviving daily newspaper in the...
, The Daily and Sunday Review, Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
City Councilman Bill Peduto
Bill Peduto
William Peduto, Democrat, was elected to Pittsburgh City Council, District 8, in November, 2001, and to a second four-year term in 2005.In the spring primary of 2005, Peduto ran for two positions. Besides running for re-election for his council seat, Peduto was a candidate for mayor...
, Penn State Democrats
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, and Pennsylvania's two main pro-choice
Pro-choice
Support for the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-choice movement, a sociopolitical movement supporting the ethical view that a woman should have the legal right to elective abortion, meaning the right to terminate her pregnancy....
groups, Pennsylvania National Organization for Women
National Organization for Women
The National Organization for Women is the largest feminist organization in the United States. It was founded in 1966 and has a membership of 500,000 contributing members. The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 U.S...
and Pennsylvania Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood Federation of America , commonly shortened to Planned Parenthood, is the U.S. affiliate of the International Planned Parenthood Federation and one of its larger members. PPFA is a non-profit organization providing reproductive health and maternal and child health services. The...
.
On primary day, Roberts came in second to Knoll, with 139,585 votes to Knoll's 438,287.