Susheela Varky, Esq. – Director of the Center for Family Advocacy and Legal Assistance for Victim-Immigrants of Domestic Abuse

Susheela Varky has been involved in the public interest arena for over 29 years. In DC, she gained national and local experience in housing and women’s issues at organizations such as McAuley Institute, The National Housing Trust and Women Empowered Against Violence. In 1998, she joined the national drafting committee of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and helped write VAWA’s original housing provisions. Since moving to Richmond in 2003, Ms. Varky has worked for Legal Information Network for Cancer, the Office of the Executive Secretary of the Supreme Court of Virginia and is currently the Domestic and Sexual Violence Attorney at Virginia Poverty Law Center. At the Court, Ms. Varky worked with other state agencies to improve domestic violence protective order policies and procedures in six diverse localities in Virginia. Since September 2007, Ms. Varky has continued her work in the domestic and sexual violence arena as a staff attorney for Virginia Poverty Law Center (VPLC), the statewide support organization for local legal aid offices in Virginia, collaborating with state and local stakeholders, conducting trainings, engaging in advocacy, providing legal consultations and taking compelling domestic violence- or sexual violence immigration related cases through VPLC’s Legal Assistance to Victim-Immigrants of Domestic Abuse (LA VIDA) Project. In addition to these responsibilities, Ms. Varky leads VPLC’s Center for Family Advocacy, where she oversees team members’ work on family law, immigration, child welfare and elder law issues.  Ms. Varky received her B.A. from Tufts University in 1986 and her J.D. from the Washington College of Law at The American University in 1993. She is licensed in VA, DC and in PA and lives in Richmond, VA.

Andrea Miller – Founding Member of the Center for Common Ground 

Andrea Miller is the Founding Board Member of the Center for Common Ground, Executive Director of People Demanding Action, Founding President of the National Women’s Political Caucus of Virginia. Andrea is an IT and Political Director and a digital and elections strategist. She designs and administers digital phone banks and texting programs. From 2013 to 2015, she led the Progressive Round Table on Capitol Hill, bringing together members of Congress, activists, and non-profit leaders. Her expertise is in voting rights, climate, and the Equal Rights Amendment. She has successfully advocated for legislation on both the Federal and State level. In 2008 she was the Democratic nominee for the Virginia 4th Congressional district.