Norma Riccucci, Editor Janet R. Hutchinson Deirdre M. Condit Virginia Commonwealth University

Being Th ere Matters — Redefi ning the Model Public Administrative Servant: Viola O. Baskerville in Profi le Profile

A descendent of slaves and a woman of proud but Janet R. Hutchinson is an associate humble origins, Viola Osborne Baskerville has professor and coordinator of the public administration program in the L. Douglas ascended to prominence in Virginia public life. As Wilder School of Government and Public only the second African American woman to serve as Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth secretary of administration, her appointment to the University, and she is codirector of the Virginia Family Impact Seminars. Her cabinet of Governor Tim Kaine has aff orded her the research and publications focus on child opportunity to aff ect the policy areas that have long and family policy and theories of feminisms, been her passion. Baskerville is known as a leader particularly as they apply to the fi eld of public administration. She also has a with integrity, as a dedicated public servant, and as research interest in the sociology of a tireless advocate for policies that aff ect the promise knowledge use. She teaches courses in and well-being of women and children, families, and research, feminist methodology, and women and family policy and is affi liated minorities, particularly those who have suff ered from with the women’s studies program at poverty and discrimination. Baskerville, a trailblazing Virginia Commonwealth. African American woman, embodies a new model of E-mail: [email protected] the public servant. Deirdre M. Condit is an associate professor of political science in the L. Douglas ivic trailblazing comes more easily to some Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth than to others. While many struggle to University. Her research interests in feminist break new ground, making their way political theory and ethics encompass issues C of gender within electoral politics, the through the public underbrush, others seem to cut politics of reproductive technologies, and inviting paths to new visions of what is possible in maternal theory and public policy. Her the civic realm. Viola Baskerville is one such natural recent publications include an article on civic trailblazer. Th e swath she has cut in Virginia androgenesis in a forthcoming collection titled Twenty-First Century Motherhood, an politics and government for women of all colors and essay on Sara Ruddick’s contribution to ethnicities has been remarkably wide and generous, political thought, and many journal articles. and she seems to have accomplished it all with E-mail: [email protected] extraordinary grace and élan. career in 1994 when she was elected to the Richmond City Council. Prior to that, she had worked for many Viola Osborne Baskerville was years as a civic volunteer while born in Richmond, Virginia, on Civic trailblazing comes more raising her children. In 1997, October 29, 1951. She was edu- she was elected to the Virginia cated in the segregated Virginia easily to some than to others. House of Delegates, where she public school system until the served four terms before resigning eighth grade, graduated from the College of William in 2005 to run for lieutenant governor in the Demo- & Mary in 1973 —where she was one of six African cratic Party primary. Following her primary loss to Americans in her class —won a Fulbright scholarship fellow Democrat and former U.S. congresswoman in German literature that same year, and earned a law Leslie Byrne, Baskerville was appointed to run the degree from the University of Iowa’s College of Law transition team of the newly elected governor, Demo- in 1979. She is married to her life partner, Dr. Archer crat Tim Kaine. In recognition of her success Baskerville, and is the mother of two grown sons. co-chairing the transition, the governor tapped her to serve as the state’s secretary of administration, Baskerville, a Virginia native who traces her maternal the position she currently holds. In announcing family’s roots in the state to 1790, began her public her appointment, Kaine, a former colleague on the

Administrative Profi le 29 Richmond City Council, noted that Baskerville positions that were previously inaccessible “impressed me as one of the hardest working members ( Riccucci and Saidel 2001 ). Th is profi le, which exam- of the City Council when we served together in ines the personal history and public life of Viola Richmond. She has continued to show that work ethic Baskerville, off ers an intriguing vision of how one and that commitment to making government work African American woman trailblazer is redefi ning the more effi ciently and serve its citizens as a member of model of the public servant in Virginia. the House” (Washington Post 2005). Recognizing Women’s Absence in the In her role as secretary of administration, Baskerville Public Landscape oversees nine state agencies, including the Virginia To be a woman in either high elective or administra- State Board of Elections, Department of General tive offi ce in the United States epitomizes the trail- Services, Department of Human Resources Manage- blazing life. Only a handful of American women have ment, and Department of Mi- been elected to state and national nority Business Enterprise. While legislative offi ce. For example, the governor’s cabinet refl ects To be a woman in either high between the founding of the some diversity, with four of the elective or administrative offi ce republic and April 2008, only 2 14 positions held by people of in the United States epitomizes percent, or 240, of the 11,582 color, and four of the posts held the trailblazing life. members of the U.S. Congress by women, as the sole African have been women, and only 32 American woman in the cabinet, of those women have been Baskerville’s intersectionality distinguishes her women of color. Carol Moseley Braun is the only among her colleagues ( Crenshaw 1998 ). African American woman ever to have been elected to the U.S. Senate ( CAWP 2007a ). According to a 1994 Our profi le of Baskerville is part of a two-year-long estimate from the U.S. Department of State , at the research project examining women in elective offi ce in current rate, women will not gain proportional repre- Virginia. During the fi rst project year, a series of sentation in Congress until the year 2333. While unstructured, in-depth interviews was conducted women have a greater presence in state legislatures, with Secretary Baskerville to elicit an understanding their relative numbers remain low there as well. As of of her background, her history, her philosophy and April 2008, only 23.7 percent or 1,746 of 7,382 state motivation to engage in public service, and her legislators in the United States were women, and of perceptions of herself as a woman and African those, a mere 329 or 4.5 percent were women of color American policy maker in Virginia. (CAWP 2008). Th e 1994 State Department project for gender parity in America’s state legislatures Th e highest offi ces of public service in the United predicts that women could reach 50 percent of all States continue to exclude women, in general, and legislative seats as early as 2038. African American women, in particular. Some have expressed skepticism that the absence of historically Women fare only slightly better in public administra- marginalized populations “makes a diff erence” to our tive posts. As of 2007, a total of 33 women have democracy; research indicates that they do. Research- served in federal cabinet-level positions ( CAWP ers writing on representative bureaucracy point to the 2007b ), and data from the previous year found that relationship between having a government that “looks women occupied only 27 percent of the elite ranks of like America” and the ability to fully represent the the federal Senior Executive Service ( Dolan, Deckman, interests of a diverse electorate ( Naff 2001; Selden and Swers 2007 ). At the state level, research con- 1997 ). Diff erent life experiences aff ord diff erent abili- ducted in 2001 found that 30 percent of all state ties, perspectives, and leadership styles. Moreover, executive department heads were women ( CWG according to a research report of the Institute for 2001 ), and research by Riccucci and Saidel (1997) Women’s Policy Research, women’s representation in found that white women held only 22.1 percent, and elective offi ce has a measurable eff ect on policy making persons of color only 13.4 percent, of gubernatorial and outcomes: “[W]omen’s presence in legislatures posts around the country. Th ere is little evidence that and other state-level elected offi ces is closely associated women have made signifi cant gains as appointed with better policy for women” ( Caiazza 2002, 4 ). An policy makers over a decade later. earlier study on women in Congress, conducted on behalf of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research by Th e history and status of elected and public adminis- Swers and Caiazza (2000) , also found that women trative women in the Commonwealth of Virginia lags members of Congress sponsored legislation relevant to even more markedly behind the nation. By April women’s unique experiences and shared concerns 2008, Virginia ranked forty-second among the states much more frequently than did men. Elected women in the number of women elected to the legislative and minorities also tend to bring with them other body; only 16.4 percent, or 23 of 140, of the state women and minorities, thereby opening up government House seats were held by women. Between 1791 (the

30 Public Administration Review • January | February 2009 earliest date of our research database) to 2006, only party elites are less likely to select, recruit, or encourage 62 of the 6,830 people who have served in the women than they are men. Moreover, women are Virginia House of Delegates have been women. (Th e more likely than men to rely on their own internal Virginia House of Burgesses was initiated in 1619 but perceptions about what it means to be “qualifi ed.” became the House of Delegates in 1791.) As a result, they are less likely than men to perceive themselves as qualifi ed. Th e upshot is that, overall, Since the commonwealth’s founding, no woman has women are less likely to self-select and thus self- ever served as Virginia’s governor or lieutenant governor. promote themselves toward seeking public offi ce In 1993, the only Virginia woman to have ever ( Fox and Lawless 2004, 275 ). secured a major party nomination to run for the top executive spot was defeated in the general election Th e size of women’s eligibility pool is also aff ected by when Democrat Mary Sue Terry lost to Republican the diff ering family constraints typically experienced George Allen. Terry was the fi rst and only woman to by women. Many women who wait until their children date to run for and win as attorney general. Until are grown to seek offi ce confi ne themselves to local Viola Baskerville competed with former Congress- offi ces such as school boards and county councils. Th e woman Leslie Byrne, the only Virginia woman result is a “substantial winnowing process” of potential Democrat ever elected to the U.S. Congress, Virginia’s women candidates, thus shrinking the pool of those candidates for lieutenant governor had all been men. women who will eventually seek public life ( Fox and Women are equally absent from the administrative Lawless 2004, 275 ). posts in Virginia’s government. Th e historical paucity of women public administrators in Virginia appears to For African American women, who have grown up confi rm the fi ndings of Riccucci and Saidel (1997) , surrounded by both racism and sexism, the issue is just as they mirror the data on elected women’s his- surely compounded. Our interviews with African torical underrepresentation at the national level. American women reveal a determination and drive to succeed and to make a diff erence that equals, if not When Viola Baskerville was elected to the Virginia surpasses, that of their white women colleagues. At House of Delegates in 1998, only 15 percent of the least anecdotally, this suggests that African American members were women. Baskerville’s election made a women in our study might be less inclined to see total of three seats that were occupied by African themselves as unqualifi ed when compared to their American women. As of January 2008, fi ve African white women colleagues. Our interviews with both American women serve together in the House of African American and white Virginia delegates Delegates, marking an all-time high in representation demonstrate that a common thread among them is a by women of color. moral certitude and strong sense of self-confi dence that, we suspect, is the result of strong family support Explaining Women’s Absence and the unwavering encouragement to succeed passed A robust literature has considered women’s absence on by one or both parents. Experience with adversity from the public landscape. Ample evidence demon- may also play a role. strates that when women run, they are as likely as their male counterparts to win ( Darcy, Welch, and When asked why she thinks so few women run for Clark 1994; Dolan, Deckman, and Swers 2007 ). Th e political offi ce, Baskerville speaks about her own explanation for their absence lies elsewhere. Researchers experiences. She married very young and had her fi rst point to the fact that Americans’ devotion to child at 24, while a law student. It was not until her incumbents results in their reelection over 90 percent two children were in school and her family had moved of the time, which then locks out all newcomers to back to Richmond that she became involved in civic the public landscape. Th us, increasing the number of and professional organizations and with political women in public offi ce fi rst requires that the seats of campaigns. As her network in the community entrenched incumbents be vacated ( Seltzer, Newman, expanded, she was encouraged to run for Richmond and Leighton 1997 ). City Council. Th ree years later, when the 71st State Legislative District incumbent, Jean Cunningham, Other literature indicates that the pool of eligible announced her retirement, Baskerville ran for, and women candidates is smaller when compared to that easily won, Cunningham’s seat. As noted earlier, of men ( Fox and Lawless 2004 ). Th is is so because researchers Fox and Lawless (2004) support the view “too few women occupy high-level positions in the that it is at the emergence stage of political candidacy professions that serve as pipelines to careers in poli- that women lag men; the eligibility pool diff ers by tics” (Fox and Lawless 264 – 65, citing Darcy, Welch, gender, with men receiving encouragement to enter and Clark 1994 ). However, more recent research by the fi eld. If, as was Baskerville’s experience, women are the same authors points to the “candidate emergence encouraged to enter the race, they are equally likely to phase” as a signifi cant source of the underrepresentation win it. Baskerville also notes that women may be of women in public offi ce. Th ey found that parties and less inclined to play the games that men play, referring

Administrative Profi le 31 to political gamesmanship: “[Y]ou have to play register to vote. She did, and she has voted at every your own game and be comfortable with it and opportunity since. stick to it. But you’ve got to be wise to the other game, too.” Civic interest ran strong in the Osborne family. Baskerville recalls that her illiterate maternal grand- On Becoming “Qualifi ed” father had an avid interest in community and civic Viola Baskerville’s Virginia roots go deep. She aff airs. He was proud of who he was and proud of his describes memories of her childhood growing heritage. He was also a continuing infl uence on the up in Woodville, a predominantly African Osborne children as their frequent caretaker while American working-class neighborhood in their parents worked. Th e family shared a fundamental Richmond, Virginia: resourcefulness. Although poor, there was always food on the table. Th e family gardened, canned fruits and I’m a native Richmonder born at Saint Philips vegetables, and brought wild game from their relatives Hospital (a racially segregated hospital that later in the country. Baskerville emphasizes the importance became the Medical College of Virginia) in to the family that they not take anything from the October, 1951, one of a set of twins, born government. prematurely. I was 4 lbs. 12 oz. My sister weighed 3 lbs. 15 oz. I wasn’t expected to Th e family, like so many others in their circumstances, survive. But I did. I have an older sister and saved enough money for a set of encyclopedias, the younger brother. We were baby boomers, post- World Book Encyclopedia. “Like almost every other WWII babies. My dad was a carpenter and my African American family we knew, we had a picture of mom was a nurse’s aid. My dad didn’t fi nish the Jesus, Martin Luther King and John F. Kennedy hanging eighth grade, and my mom, the youngest of somewhere in our house, and a set of encyclopedias.” twelve children, was the fi rst to go to college Th ey read the encyclopedias from cover to cover, and when she entered Virginia Union University in took piano and band lessons. Baskerville played the 1939. Her father was a laborer born December viola and the clarinet and sang in the church choir. 25, 1872. His father was born in 1848, and his Th e family went to Mount Olivet Baptist Church, father was born in 1814, and his father born in which Baskerville’s grandparents had founded in the 1790. So I can trace my family on my mother’s late 1800s in Richmond. Th e church still exists today. side to 1790 when my great, great, great grand- father Robbin Braxton was born on a plantation Th e Osborne girls’ strong work ethic toward their in Hanover County. He was either a slave of schooling, instilled by their parents, resulted in a Carter Braxton or was owned by one of Carter prestigious scholarship for Baskerville from the Braxton’s relatives. Braxton was one of the sign- A Better Chance (ABC) Program of Boston, ers of the Declaration of Independence and a Massachusetts. Th e program was designed to give member of the Virginia General Assembly. promising urban minority children the rare opportu- nity to expand their horizons by attending a scholastic Her pride in her family, especially her mother and summer camp held at Mount Holyoke College. grandmother, is palpable. She tells of the bit of land Baskerville was thirteen at the time. At the end of the that her grandparents owned, which was then given to six-week program, she was off ered a scholarship to her own parents on their wedding day, and she speaks attend a member school for her high school fondly of a photograph of her parents working side by education. She attended Northfi eld School (now side to build their home with their own hands. She Northfi eld Mount Hermon), a preparatory school in proudly notes, “My mother could wield a hammer East Northfi eld, Massachusetts, on a full, four-year just as well as my dad; she could cook, hoe a garden.” scholarship. Baskerville underscores the historical view that the strength of African American women grew out of a After graduating from Northfi eld, Baskerville entered necessity to command a living and to maintain family the College of William & Mary, also on a full four-year ties in the face of uncertainty. Th is uncertainty ema- scholarship. She placed into a third-year German litera- nates from a lack of assurance that their male partners ture class in her freshman year. Although academically will always be there for reasons that suggest institu- successful, she was one of only six African Americans in tionalized racism. To paraphrase Baskerville, this her class in a student body of 4,000, and she was tradition of survivorship creates strong black women unhappy in what was, at the time, an indiff erent and with an equally strong sense of motherhood and sacri- insensitive environment. Nevertheless, to honor her fi ce for their children. In her own case, civic participa- parents’ sacrifi ces and to demonstrate the tenacity that tion was emphasized by Baskerville’s mother, who her parents had taught her, she remained there until remembered the poll taxes created to prevent African graduation. With the support and encouragement of Americans from voting. Her mother wished her hap- her German literature professor, she applied for and piness on her eighteenth birthday then told her to won a Fulbright scholarship to study in Germany. With

32 Public Administration Review • January | February 2009 her degree in German literature, Baskerville spent a year by senior members against taking an unpopular stand in Bonn studying post –World War II German women or speaking out on the fl oor; however, she did both — writers. successfully. Less than 30 days into her fi rst term, she chose to speak out on a last-minute Richmond city Upon her return from Germany, she married her charter amendment that was supported by infl uential fi ancé, who had graduated from the Medical College senior delegates but opposed by her constituents. of Virginia in 1973. While he was training at the Remarkably, she was able to persuade a small majority Mayo Clinic, Baskerville applied to and was accepted of delegates to remove the off ending language, a on a full scholarship to the University of Iowa’s unique success for a fi rst-term woman legislator, College of Law. She attended law school while raising according to researchers ( Bratton and Haynie 1999; their fi rst child; after completing law school, the family Kathlene 2001; Rosenthal 2000 ). moved to California, where their second son was born. Once Archer Baskerville completed his training Engineering legislation through to a successful vote is at the University of Loma Linda Medical School, the not for the faint of heart. If you are not a horse trader, Baskervilles returned to Richmond. While a home- then votes are earned through the sponsor’s ability to maker, Baskerville became active in the neighborhood convince colleagues that the legislation is good for, or civic association and joined the hospital auxiliary, a at least not harmful to, their constituents and to their local chapter of One Hundred Black Women, and the party. Baskerville became known for “doing her local chapter of the NAACP, developing the networks homework” for each piece of legislation, which at that eventually propelled her into public offi ce. times entailed consulting with constituents, reading detailed reports, and, as she says, “Googling.” Rosenthal A Public Life That Makes a Difference (1998a) suggests that women legislators are more Baskerville began her political career when she was inclined to research issues than their male counter- elected to the Richmond City Council in 1994. She parts. Baskerville believes that good research is a mani- chose to run for political offi ce after being encouraged festation of the democratic process. Her work ethic to do so by a network of friends and neighbors who helped build her reputation for leadership, integrity, were impressed by her civic leadership in the commu- attention to detail, and commitment to the legislative nity. Baskerville’s story confi rms our research, which process. suggests that encouragement from women peers is the single Her committee work often fo- most common reason for women’s Baskerville’s story confi rms … cused on families and children; entry into politics. Th is fi nding is that encouragement from she served on the Health, Welfare supported by Githens’s (2003) women peers is the single most and Institutions Committee and work on women’s “recruitment” common reason for women’s on the Commerce and Labor into elective offi ce. entry into politics. Committee, where she champi- oned the development of oppor- Baskerville was also motivated to tunities for women and minority run by a desire to bring a sense of dignity and leader- business owners. Her work on the Joint Subcommittee ship to the often rancorous city council deliberations, on Lead Poisoning and the Committee Studying a motivation common to many women in public Access and Diversity in Higher Education refl ected leadership roles ( Fine 2007 ). Her ambition was to her central concern with children, their economic change the image of council deliberations in the eyes empowerment, and the ways in which issues of race of Richmond’s citizens, who, she felt, were disen- and gender aff ect them. She was one of only three chanted, even disgusted, with their government. She African American women serving in the House was elected to the position of vice mayor by her coun- at the time of her election. She also served as cil peers, who were clearly infl uenced by her leader- secretary of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus ship, her dignifi ed demeanor, and her ability to get from 2000 until leaving the House of Delegates warring factions to negotiate. in 2005.

Later, as a member of the House of Delegates, Baskerville As an unabashed liberal in a conservative House, an saw herself as a loner seeking to remain aloof from the independent woman in an overwhelmingly male “horse trading” that is the common quid pro quo delegation, and an African American in a largely white among legislators. It was her belief that the bills she House, her record of accomplishments is indeed sponsored should stand on their own merits, and that exemplary. Policy sea changes require, at a minimum, her colleagues should vote for them because they were both inaugurating new ideas and marshalling them worthwhile, not because they sought her vote on their into legislative reality. Th e fi rst requires a kind of own legislation. Fine (2007) notes that women leaders singular courage — the willingness to break new tend to defi ne themselves by such ethical norms. As a ground and go it alone, if necessary. Th e second fi rst-term legislator, Baskerville was strongly warned requires garnering numbers of supporters. Baskerville

Administrative Profi le 33 succeeded admirably in the fi rst. Her comparative lack powerful administrators. Th e array of offi ces and of success in the second is attributable in large measure responsibilities that come under her auspices is to her status as a minority party member in a pre- impressive. Th e secretary of administration has wide dominantly conservative, Republican House of reach and authority. Th e secretary’s scope of responsibility Delegates, dominated by an overwhelming majority involves managing the state’s properties and buildings, of white men. administering employee policies and benefi ts, oversee- ing state procurement, overseeing elections, directing Research demonstrates that when women make up state funds to constitutional offi cers and public broad- only a small proportion of an organization, their casting entities, overseeing charitable gaming, and the willingness to engage in “critical acts,” such as off ering broad and daunting task of protecting Virginians’ legislation, may actually be constrained ( Childs and human rights. In our interviews with her, Baskerville Krook 2006; Dahlerup 1988; Dahlerup and Freidenvall repeatedly emphasized service to the people as her 2005; Kanter 1997 ). Baskerville is not much con- fi rst priority. cerned with such legislative setbacks. Rather, she simply transferred her commitment to civil rights, Common among the many diverse departments, women, children, and small business owners to her agencies, and responsibilities housed under the work as Virginia’s secretary of administration. Th ere umbrella of the secretary of administration in Virginia are many routes to policy change, and Baskerville has is care for the people’s investment in themselves, their seized every opportunity — and continues to do so — communities, and their government. Serving as the to fulfi ll her lifelong commitment to economic and chief protector of such precious public treasures is a social justice. natural role for one who sees herself as a public servant concerned not with her own welfare, but with Baskerville vacated her 71st District legislative seat to the welfare of those whom she serves. seek the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor in 2005. During the campaign, the Washington Post As a delegate, and now as secretary, Baskerville has described Baskerville as “by far the best candidate in had a particular interest in and passion for enhancing the Democratic fi eld … a principled liberal who does the opportunities for working people, particularly not try to cloak her views … and an independent women and minorities. Bills introduced during her thinker” ( Scarborough 2005 ). Despite such accolades, career as delegate included measures to assist with Baskerville lost a close primary election. procurement opportunities for women and minorities, options for military spouses to collect unemployment With her history of academic opportunities and compensation when leaving employment because of accomplishments, Baskerville has actively supported spousal redeployment, state tax relief aimed at saving education for all children, but especially those who rural family farms and family-held businesses, and have lived with discrimination and poverty. On the authorization for a study on the status of women- day after Baskerville lost out on the democratic nomi- owned businesses. As secretary of administration, nation for lieutenant governor in 2005, she was Baskerville supports increasing procurement opportu- awarded Good Housekeeping magazine’s “Women in nities for small businesses and for women- and minority- Government” award. Th e award recognized her work owned businesses. As delegate, her time spent on the to repair the harm done by the massive resistance to Sciences and Technology Committee has continued desegregation that occurred in Virginia during the with her instrumental role in the development of 1950s and 1960s. Baskerville sponsored legislation Virginia’s eVA program to streamline the state’s (H.B. 846, 2004) to create state-funded scholarships procurement and purchasing systems by making for those whose educations had been disrupted by them available online. public school systems that had closed rather than desegregate. According to the press release, the Good Th roughout her career, Baskerville has remained Housekeeping award is intended to honor “remarkable grounded with her local community, with grassroots women who have worked endless hours overcoming interests, and with regional and national organiza- huge hurdles to make the world a better place” ( Ruff tions that refl ect her policy concerns and her values. 2005 ). Th is award was one among dozens over the She is a lifetime member of the National Council of years honoring Baskerville for her outstanding public Negro Women and the Coalition of 100 Black service. As secretary of administration, she has contin- Women. She also sits on the board of directors of ued to champion children’s education by maintaining the Virginia Foundation for Women. Her eff orts and directing state funds to public broadcasting enti- have been recognized with numerous awards and ties to implement instructional television program- honors. Th e Planned Parenthood Federation of ming for K – 12 schools, even in tight budget years. Virginia awarded her its prestigious Best Choices award in 2002, and she was recognized as the Out- In many ways, Viola Baskerville’s life was an apt standing Domestic Violence Advocate by the Richmond prelude to her appointment as one of the state’s most Domestic Violence Coordinating Committee in

34 Public Administration Review • January | February 2009 2001. Most recently, in 2006, she was honored for and Hutchinson’s ongoing research confi rms this. her outstanding commitment to civil rights by Baskerville exemplifi es this ethic of public caring. As Equality Virginia, a grassroots organization dedi- we came to know her through our interviews, we cated to lobbying against discrimination in all concluded that there are several lessons that can be forms. Again in 2008, Equality Virginia gave useful for women and minority public administrators. Baskerville its Public Servant Award. In her accep- tance speech, Baskerville responded to a question · Envision success and dare to fail. Th is implies a about the active role of the African American com- willingness to take risks in one’s professional life. munity in the passage of Virginia’s regressive Cantor, Bernay, and Stoess note that “[t]he word “marriage amendment,” saying, risk comes from the Greek ‘to sail around a cliff ’ which implies that we don’t know what’s around I only wish the same amount of energy could be the bend” (1992, 165) . Baskerville repeatedly artic- spent combating poverty, health care disparity, ulated this in our interviews with her. For example, educational disparities, economic disparities, she sponsored controversial legislation on racial the escalating imprisonment of fathers and sons reparations that, through her able stewardship, was in the black community, and underage parents enacted into law. Her unsuccessful yet ground- with limited or no support systems. Th ese are breaking run for lieutenant governor exemplifi es some of the true stresses in the black family that her mettle. She is not afraid to take on challenges, need to be addressed … I stand here as a repre- and she is not afraid to fail. sentative of two minorities, to urge those who · Build coalitions and work collaboratively. Flammang look like me to join in this fi ght by speaking fi nds that women attribute their distinctive leader- out for human rights and human dignity. ship styles to “[a]n insistence on mutual respect, consensus decision-making, validation of the Lessons Learned feelings of others, and non-competitive power” Th e impact of Viola Baskerville’s achievements is not (1985, 111) . Baskerville’s successful professional easily quantifi able; however, her record of leadership career is based on her ability to generate coali- as an active and involved private citizen, as a member tions and to work collaboratively with those who of the Richmond City Council, as a delegate in the would thwart her policy goals. In both her city Virginia state legislature, and now as a member of the council and House of Delegate roles, she made a governor’s cabinet must, by virtue of her uniqueness, point of working with the opposition, and there personality, accomplishments, and visibility, off er a is evidence that doing so worked to the benefi t of role model for all women, and women of color who her constituents. She has always been a consensus aspire to positions of leadership. seeker and is more than willing to share the credit for success. Th ere appears to be a relationship between similarities with one’s constituency and the ability to eff ect policy In contrast to James McGregor Burns’s famous making and policy outcomes. Th e presence of women research in 1978 that distinguished male leadership and minorities in the bureaucracy and in state-level styles as either transactional or transformative, more elective offi ces has a salutary eff ect on policies that recent studies on women’s leadership styles suggest a aff ect both. Furthermore, the more integrative, collaborative, presence of women and minori- and cooperative style of leader- ties increases the accessibility to Th e presence of women and ship ( Fine 2007; Rosenthal professional positions and to minorities in the bureaucracy 1998b ). Th is integrative style elective offi ce of others who share and in state-level elective offi ces is marked by power sharing, these attributes. Empirical evi- has a salutary eff ect on policies empowering those who come dence supporting these assertions that aff ect both. behind them, creating noncom- has been found in the research of petitive and inclusive environ- several prominent public admin- ments, and consensus seeking in istration theorists ( Dolan 2002; a participatory environment. Eff ectiveness is valued Keiser et al. 2002; Meier and Bohte 2001; Meier, over status seeking ( Rosenthal 1998b , 5). When she Wrinkle, and Polinard 1999; Riccucci and Saidel speaks of her experience on the city council, Basker- 2001; Selden 1997 ). ville’s comments frequently refer to “coalitions” and “co operation” and “communication” — all values Women are often motivated to enter public service by characteristic of women leaders ( Fine 2007 ). a desire to positively aff ect the lives of others. Th is is a common theme when students are queried about their · Do the work . Th is may be one of the most reasons for entering public administration programs. important lessons that we have learned from Viola It is also a common conclusion drawn by researchers Baskerville. She is meticulous in her research. in women’s leadership studies ( Fine 2007, 182 ). Condit She repeatedly affi rms the importance of detailed

Administrative Profi le 35 preparation, and she enjoys doing it! Doing her question of whether leaders make any diff erence gets homework, according to Baskerville, is a reason translated into the questions of how much diff erence that she has engendered the respect of both her col- and when” (2003, 221) . We must leave the “how leagues and her constituents, even when her much” question on Baskerville’s leadership in support for a bill or policy has been unsuccessful. Virginia until she is done trailblazing. However, the · Value lifelong learning. Th is is not, of course, a “when” question — the diff erence her leadership has lesson specifi c to women or to African Americans. made to women and people of color — can be ad- Nevertheless, it is a value that is dearly held by dressed in the moment. Baskerville is a vanguard Baskerville, and one that she has demonstrated fi gure in Virginia public life, a model for young, in her own life. Th is is exemplifi ed by her experi- aspiring women, one of the few African American ences as a scholarship student in Massachusetts, women to serve in the Virginia State house in the as a Fulbright scholar studying women writers in state’s history, and the fi rst African American woman Germany, as a law student, and as an energetic to run for statewide elective offi ce. As Kelly so as- supporter of policies to strengthen education in tutely concludes, Virginia. · Mentor future leaders . Women’s mentoring role is Th e role of both elected and appointed leaders important to bringing women into public life and to in promoting and supporting multiracial, multi- their success as leaders. Citing the characteristics inher- ethnic, and gender diversity can not be over- ent to good mentorship, including fostering autonomy, stated. ‘Being there’ matters. If someone like personal responsibility, and self-development, Porter oneself is not present, the likelihood of adequate and Daniel note that “Contemporary organizational substantive representation most likely will theorists increasingly view such qualities as crucial decline, and often decline sharply. When that for all leaders of eff ective organizations” (2007, 254) . happens, an inclusive democratic polity be- Citing Eagly, Johannesen-Schmidt, and Van Engen comes less viable and less feasible. (1998, 204) (2003) , Porter and Daniel note further that “men- toring is a transformational In breaking this new ground for behavior that serves women women and people of color who leaders well.” Central to Baskerville’s lived follow, Baskerville personifi es the philosophy is the importance of model public servant. She marks Central to Baskerville’s lived bringing along those who come a new and more hopeful future philosophy is the importance of behind. Baskerville values for public service in Virginia. bringing along those who come mentoring. behind. Baskerville values men- toring. She has experienced it in her career and is determined to extend the benefi ts of References her experience to young women and African Baskerville , Viola O . 2006 . Interview with the Americans who aspire to public leadership. For example, authors, March 6, May 1 . upon leaving her seat in the House of Delegates in Bratton , Kathleen A. , and Kerry L. Haynie . 1999 . 2005, Baskerville encouraged Jennifer McClellan, Agenda Setting and Legislative Success in State another young African American woman, to seek the Legislatures: Th e Eff ects of Gender and Race . seat that Baskerville was vacating, a seat that McClellan Journal of Politics 61 ( 3 ): 658 – 79 . still holds today. Mentoring has a clear connection to Caiazza , Amy . 2002 . Does Women’s Representation in a central tenet of representative bureaucracy: As more Elected Offi ce Lead to Women-Friendly Policy? women and minorities are brought into leadership Publication no. I-910, Institute for Women’s Policy positions, constituents benefi t. Th is is further sup- Research . http://www.iwpr.org/pdf/i910.pdf ported by the representative bureaucracy literature [accessed September 22, 2008] . that has become a part of the public administration Cantor , Dorothy W. , Toni Bernay , and Jean Stoess . discourse (see Keiser et al. 2002; Meier and Bohte 1992 . Women in Power: Th e Secrets of Leadership . 2001; Meier, Wrinkle, and Polinard 1999 for more on New York : Houghton Miffl in . representative bureaucracy). Center for the American Woman and Politics (CAWP) . 2007a . Fact Sheet: Women of Color in Elective Offi ces . New Brunswick, NJ : Eagleton Conclusion Institute of Politics, Rutgers University . In examining the strain of literature on leadership — — — . 2007b . Fact Sheet: Women in Presidential and on “the diff erence leaders make,” Van Wart notes Cabinets . New Brunswick, NJ : Eagleton Institute that “it is important to remember that leaders do not of Politics, Rutgers University . act in a vacuum — they are a part of the fl ow of history — — — . 2008 . Fact Sheet: Women in State Legislatures . and set in a culture fi lled with crises, opportunities, and New Brunswick, NJ : Eagleton Institute of Politics, even dumb luck. In practical terms, however, the Rutgers University .

36 Public Administration Review • January | February 2009 Center for Women in Government . 2001 . Women’s Kanter , Rosabeth Moss . 1977 . Men and Women of the Leadership Profi le Compendium Report . Albany, NY : Corporation . New York : Basic Books . Center for Women in Government . Kathlene , Lyn . 2001 . Words Th at Matter: Women’s Childs , Sarah , and Mona Lena Krook . 2006 . Th e Voice and Institutional Bias in Public Policy Substantive Representation of Women: Rethinking Formation . In Th e Impact of Women in Public the “Critical Mass” Debate . http://www.psa.ac. Offi ce , edited by Susan J. Carroll , 22 – 48 . uk/2006/pps/Childs.pdf [accessed September Bloomington : Indiana University Press . 22, 2008] . Keiser , Lael R. , Vicky M. Wilkins , Kenneth J. Meier , Crenshaw , Kimberlé . 1998 . A Black Feminist and Catherine A. Holland . 2002 . Lipstick and Critique of Antidiscrimination Law and Politics . Logarithms: Gender, Institutional Context, and I n Th e Politics of Law: A Progressive Critique , 3 r d Representative Bureaucracy . American Political ed., edited by David Kairys , 356 – 80 . New York: Science Review 96 ( 3 ): 553 – 64 . Basic Books . Kelly , Rita Mae . 1998 . An Inclusive Democratic Dahlerup , Drude . 1988 . From a Small to a Large Polity, Representative Bureaucracies, and the New Minority: Women in Scandinavian Politics. Public Management . Public Administration Review Scandinavian Political Studies 11 ( 4 ): 58 ( 3 ): 201 – 8 . 275 – 98 . Meier , Kenneth J. , and John Bohte . 2001 . Structure Dahlerup , Drude , and Lenita Freidenvall . 2005 . and Discretion: Missing Links in Representative Quotas as a “Fast Track” to Equal Political Bureaucracy . Journal of Public Administration Representation for Women: Why Scandinavia Is Research and Th eory 11 ( 4 ): 455 – 70 . No Longer the Model . International Feminist Meier , Kenneth J., Robert D. Wrinkle , and Journal of Politics 7 ( 1 ): 26 – 48 . J. L. Polinard . 1999 . Representative Bureaucracy Darcy , R. , Susan Welch , and Janet Clark . 1994 . and Distributional Equity: Addressing the Women, Elections, and Representation . 2nd ed . Hard Question. Journal of Politics 61 ( 4 ): Lincoln : University of Nebraska Press . 1025– 39 . Dolan , Julie . 2002 . Representative Bureaucracy in the N a ff , Katherine C . 2001 . To Look Like America: Federal Executive: Gender and Spending Priorities . Dismantling Barriers for Women and Minorities in Journal of Public Administration Research and Government . Boulder, CO : Westview Press . Th eory 12 ( 3 ): 353 – 75 . Porter , Natalie , and Jessica Henderson Daniel . 2007 . Dolan , Julie , Melissa Deckman , and Michele L. Swers . Developing Transformational Leaders: Th eory to 2007 . Women and Politics: Paths to Power and Practice . In Women and Leadership: Transforming Political Infl uence . Upper Saddle River, NJ : Visions and Diverse Voices , edited by Jean Lau Chin , Pearson/Prentice Hall . Bernice E. Lott , Joy K. Rice and Janis Sanchez-Hucles , Eagly , Alice H., Mary C. Johannesen-Schmidt , and 245 – 63 . Malden, MA : Blackwell . Marloes L. van Engen. 2003 . Transformational, Riccucci , Norma M. , and Judith R. Saidel . 1997 . Th e Transactional, and Laissez-Faire Leadership Representativeness of State-Level Bureaucratic Styles: A Meta-Analysis Comparing Women Leaders: A Missing Piece of the Representative and Men. Psychological Bulletin 129 ( 4 ): Bureaucracy Puzzle . Public Administrative Review 569 – 91 . 57 ( 5 ): 423 – 30 . Flammang , Janet A. 1985 . Female Offi cials in the — — — . 2001 . Th e Demographics of Gubernatorial Feminist Capital: Th e Case of Santa Clara Appointees: Toward an Explanation of Variation . County. Western Political Quarterly 38 ( 1 ): Policy Studies Journal 29 ( 1 ): 11 – 22 . 94 – 118 . Rosenthal , Cindy Simon . 1998a . Determinants of Fine , Marlene G. 2007 . Women, Collaboration, and Collaborative Leadership: Civil Engagement, Social Change: An Ethics-Based Model of Gender or Organizational Norms? Political Leadership. In Women and Leadership: Research Quarterly 51 ( 4 ): 847 – 68 . Transforming Visions and Diverse Voices , edited by — — — . 1998b . When Women Lead: Integrative Jean Lau Chin , Bernice E. Lott , Joy K. Rice , and Leadership in State Legislatures . New York : Oxford Janis Sanchez-Hucles , 177 – 91 . Malden, MA: University Press . Blackwell . — — — . 2000 . Gender Styles in State Legislative Fox , Richard L. , and Jennifer L. Lawless . 2004 . Committees: Raising Th eir Voices in Resolving Entering the Arena? Gender and the Decision to Confl ict. Women in Politics 21 ( 2 ): Run for Offi ce . American Journal of Political Science 21 – 45 . 48 ( 2 ): 264 – 80 . R u ff , J. C. 2005 . Eff ort to Right a Wrong Githens , Marianne . 2003 . Accounting for Women’s Honored — Good Housekeeping Lauded Political Involvement: Th e Perennial Problem of Baskerville for Scholarship Push . Richmond Times Recruitment . In Women and American Politics , Dispatch , July 4 . edited by Susan J. Carroll , 33 – 53 . New York : Scarborough , M. 2005 . A Classic Choice for Virginia’s Oxford University Press . No. 2 Job . Washington Post , June 5 .

Administrative Profi le 37 Selden , Sally Coleman . 1997 . Th e Promise of Research . http://www.iwpr.org/pdf/transforming% Representative Bureaucracy: Diversity and 20agenda%2010-00.pdf [accessed September Responsiveness in a Government Agency . Armonk, 22, 2008]. NY : M.E. Sharpe . U.S. Department of State . 1994 . Report to UN on Seltzer , Robert A. , Jody Newman , and Melissa Status of Women 1985 – 1994 . http://dosfan.lib. Voorhees Leighton . 1997 . Sex as a Political uic.edu/ERC/intlorg/Status_of_Women/s2.html Variable: Women as Candidates and Voters in U.S. [accessed September 22, 2008] . Elections . Boulder, CO : Lynn Rienner . Van Wart , Montgomery 2003 . Public-Sector Swers , Michele , and Amy Caiazza . 2000 . Leadership Th eory: An Assessment . Public Transforming the Political Agenda? Gender Administration Review 63 ( 2 ): 214 – 28 . Diff erences in Bill Sponsorship on Women’s Issues. Washington Post . 2005 . Kaine Names Cabinet Publication no. I-906, Institute for Women’s Policy Members . December 29 .

2009 ASPA Annual Conference

ASPA’s 2009 Annual Conference will be held March 20-24 in Miami, Florida at the Hyatt Regency Miami. Th e conference will explore and develop innovative practices for public administration to address the growing diversity of communities around the country.

It emphasizes the importance of context and culture on the sustainability of innovations, and ASPA’s role in supporting public administration globally from a U.S. perspective. More than 400 proposal submissions were received for the conference! Th e deadline for submitting abstracts has closed, but for more information on the conference go to:

http://www.aspanet.org/scriptcontent/index_aspaconference.cfm

38 Public Administration Review • January | February 2009