Chloe I. Edwards, Advocacy & Engagement Manager
Chloe Edwards is the Advocacy & Engagement Manager at Voices for Virginia’s Children. She serves as a liaison between partners, advocates, and Voices policy team. She specializes in cross-disciplinary issues, such as trauma-informed care and equity. In August 2020, Edwards launched Virginia’s first Racial Truth & Reconciliation Week, which was recognized by Governor Ralph Northam and is now Racial Truth & Reconciliation Virginia, an evolvement of the Campaign for a Trauma-Informed Virginia.
Through the Campaign, Edwards provides technical assistance to connect local-level trends to policy opportunities. She provides advocacy support & trainings to center the experiences of advocates with lived experience and professionals working within systems to mobilize change at the local and state-level. Edwards has experience advocating at the local, state, and national level. Currently, she serves as the President of Black Lives Matter 804 and Assistant Director & Digital Organizer for the Truth Telling Project. Chloe completed the Minority Research and Law Institute Program at Southern University in 2013 and the University of Virginia’s Sorensen Institute for Political Emerging Leaders program in 2019. She holds a Bachelor’s in English from Hollins University and Master’s of Public Policy in Leadership from Liberty University.
Chloe can be reached at chloe_at_vakids_dot_org, 804-649-0184 ext. 106.
Emily Griffey, Policy Director
Emily Griffey is Voices’ policy director, leading Voices’ policy team and tackling cross-cutting issues, such as economic opportunity and trauma-informed policy. With the Campaign for a Trauma-Informed Virginia Emily helps connect Voices’ policy expertise to opportunities to advocate for trauma-informed policies. In this role she helps connect partners working on trauma-informed practice and policy change to form a state-level unified agenda on trauma-informed policy. Emily serves on the Governor’s Children’s Cabinet Trauma-Informed Care Workgroup, the Three Branch Initiative focused on implementing the Family First Prevention Services Act, and on partner advocacy coalitions.
Emily comes to Voices with experience in working on early childhood issues at a local and regional level for Greater Richmond’s Smart Beginnings, Richmond City Social Services, and Baltimore’s Safe and Sound Campaign. Emily is a graduate of the Jepson School of Leadership Studies at the University of Richmond and earned her master’s degree in public policy at Johns Hopkins University.
Contact: emily_at_vakids_dot_org, 804-649-0184 ext. 101
Mary Beth Salomone Testa, Northern Virginia Consultant
Mary Beth Salomone Testa is Voices’ consultant in Northern Virginia. Mary Beth became a part of the Voices team in 2014 to connect the organization’s work with agencies, programs and advocates in the Northern Virginia localities.
As part of the Campaign for a Trauma-Informed Virginia, Mary Beth advocates for smart policies and investments for child and family well-being; to ensure policy makers are considering the whole child and family; and encouraging advocates to tell the stories behind the data. Mary Beth works with Trauma-Informed Community Networks in the Northern region, as well as advisory councils, work groups, and coalitions of providers and families. Mary Beth brings nearly 20 years of experience in advocacy and policy development, with expertise in connecting policy and practice. Mary Beth graduated from American University in Washington, DC and lives in Fairfax County.
Contact: Marybeth@mbstsolutions.com, (202) 465-6278
Voices’ staff contributes policy and data expertise to the campaign. Visit our staff page for more information.