Women's Work

Stories of Persistence and Influence

The Center for Local History’s Community Archives contains many collections pertaining to women’s history, and the history of Arlington County. But the names of these women were often not well known. Though frequently hidden in the background until now, these women were nonetheless groundbreakers and trailblazers, important forces working for better education, libraries, and conservation. They helped found Arlington’s first hospital, and they fought for civil rights. Their contributions to the growth and development of their community were immense, and Arlington today would not be the same without them.

 

“Typing in the office, knocking on a neighbor’s door, or visiting over a backyard clothes line, Arlington women have frequently followed modest paths to larger social activism and professional responsibility.  We salute them here and offer them as models of how ordinary people, willing to fight for a cause, work for change, or challenge assumptions can accomplish the extraordinary.”
- Notable Women of Arlington, Third Series, March 1993

Featured Profiles

Anna Barber

Nominated by the Arlington Food Assistance Center One of the founding members of the Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC), Anna Barber was known as a community advocate and activist throughout her life. After beginning her career in government at the Census Bureau, Barber later taught high school and became involved in numerous social causes. Some […]

Charlene Bickford

Nominated by WomenWork (WoW) Employee Resource Group For decades, Charlene Bickford has been a prominent leader in the community in a variety of capacities. Bickford has served two stints on the Arlington Electoral Board, from 1987 – 1994 and again from 2003 to present. She began her most recent 3-year appointment to the board in […]

Judith Brewer

Nominated by the Arlington County Fire Department Judith Brewer made history in 1974 when, at age 25, she was hired as the first female career firefighter in the nation, breaking the glass ceiling to join the Arlington County Fire Department at Firehouse Number 4 in Clarendon. Her appointment to the position caused a social and […]

Saundra Green

Nominated by the Department of Parks and Recreation Saundra Green, a lifelong Arlingtonian, has been working to amplify the voices of the underserved since she was a community organizer for the United Planning Organization under President Lyndon B. Johnson. Starting in 1973, her work with the Department of Parks and Recreation has ranged from the […]

Critchett Hodukavich

Nominated by Girl Scouts Association 60 For over 40 years, Critchett Hodukavich has been a leading force for the Girl Scouts in Arlington County. Hodukavich has provided support for local troops by acting as money manager, first aider, certified camper, troop cookie manager, and adult leader, and has been active in creating new Girl Scouts […]

Seema Jain

Nominated by the League of Women Voters of Arlington Seema Jain has long been a prolific and active member of the Arlington community, particularly through her work with the League of Women Voters of Arlington, of which she has been a member since 2014. Jain has been a member of the League’s board of directors […]

Cintia Johnson

Nominated by Arlington Public Schools In July 2019, Cintia Johnson was unanimously appointed interim superintendent for the Arlington Public Schools and has since achieved a number of milestones as a leader in the Arlington community. Stepping into this role, Johnson made history as the first Black and Latina woman superintendent of the Arlington Public Schools. […]

Puwen Lee

Nominated by the Arlington Food Assistance Center For more than a decade, Puwen Lee has been a major force in the mission to bring fresh produce to food-insecure families in the Arlington area. Lee served as a volunteer with the Arlington Food Assistance Center for more than 13 years, holding positions as Volunteer Coordinator, Associate […]

Marguerete Luter

Nominated by the Commission on the Status of Women As the president and owner of The Process Pro, Marguerete Luter has been a crucial force in the growth of numerous local business organizations and is an active volunteer in the Arlington community. In addition to starting her own business, Luter has previously held positions at […]

Mary A.R. Marshall

Nominated by the Department of Human Services Mary A.R. Marshall came to the forefront of County politics in the 1950s when she joined the efforts of the League of Women Voters to fight Virginia’s policy of massive resistance to U.S. Supreme Court mandates to desegregate all school systems. In the 1960s, she was elected to […]

Constance (Connie) Ramirez

Nominated by CPHD – Historic Preservation Constance (Connie) Ramirez was first appointed to the Historic Landmark Review Board (HLRB) in 1977, working to identify and protect historic properties in Arlington. That same year, Ramirez started working at the Department of the Army, developing its cultural resources management program. In 1983, the HLRB was replaced by […]

Sushmita Mazumdar

Nominated by AED-Cultural Arts Sushmita Mazumdar is an artist, writer, educator, and founder of Studio PAUSE, a space where all people are invited to make time to explore creativity and celebrate community. For the past 10 years, her work has encouraged children, families, and older adults to share their stories of home, heritage, and migration […]

Caroline Gary Romano

Nominated by the Commission on the Status For nearly 20 years, Caroline Gary Romano has been an active supporter of those affected by sexual and domestic violence. In 2012, Romano founded Rally Against Rape, a community-action based organization that focuses on combatting sexual violence through awareness, activism, and advocacy. She has also served as a […]

Virginia Lillis Smith

Nominated by Arlington Public Library A lifelong County resident, in 1973 Virginia Lillis Smith began conducting oral history interviews for the Library under the guidance of Sara Collins, who was then Head of the Virginia Room, now the Center for Local History (CLH). After her career as the Director of the Atlantic Gallery of Georgetown […]

Florence Starzynski

Nominated by the Arlington County Police Department As a member of the Arlington County Police Department for more than 20 years, Florence Starzynski has left an indelible mark on the Arlington community — including serving as the first female lieutenant in the department. In 1971, Starzynski and her family moved to Arlington, where — after […]

Nancy Tate

Nominated by the League of Women Voters of Arlington A resident of Arlington for 40 years, Nancy Tate has been a prominent member of both the National and Arlington League of Women Voters organizations and an active member of the local community at large. In addition to holding positions at the National Academy of Public […]

Marjorie Varner

Nominated by Encore Learning For 15 years, Marjorie Varner was the public face of Encore Learning, a nonprofit educational organization founded in 2002, which offers a wide variety of daytime college-level noncredit courses and activities to anyone over age 50. As Executive Director, she increased membership by more than 100%, and, with her support, Encore […]

Dr. Emma Violand-Sanchez

Nominated by the Friends of the Arlington Public Library During her long career in the Arlington Public Schools, including two terms on the Arlington School Board, Dr. Emma Violand-Sanchez has been dedicated to helping low-income students, particularly in the immigrant community. Her accomplishments include developing and implementing a comprehensive English Language program which has been […]

Eleanor Lee Templeman, C.B. Rose, Jr. and Ann “Nan” Netherton

“I always feel that people who know something about the community they live in…. are much better citizens.”

Carrie Johnson

She was known as the “List Lady,” and later called the “Michael Jordan of planning.”

Elizabeth Campbell

…“to provide public kindergarten and to provide education for every child—the handicapped and those who were especially bright.”

Organized Women Voters / League of Women Voters

Six months before women officially won the right to vote, Carrie Chapman Catt called for a national “League of Women Voters” to mobilize and educate new women voters.

Ruby Lee Minar

In the 1920s, entrepreneur Ruby Lee Minar built a real estate empire so expansive that the American Business Review described her as the “most successful woman in realty development in the country.”

Overlee Preschool

Arlington’s population grew rapidly during World War II. As many stayed after the war, Arlington found its school system, which had previously served a much smaller and more more rural population, stretched thin.

Ellen Bozman

In 1973, Ellen Bozman first ran for the Arlington County Board under the slogan “Let’s keep Arlington a good place to live…and make it better.”