About Jeion
Biography
Delegate Jeion Ward began serving as a member of the Virginia General Assembly, representing the 92nd District of the House of Delegates, in 2004. As a member of the House of Delegates, she serves on the commerce and labor, transportation and general laws committees.
As a lifelong resident of the Hampton Roads area, Jeion and her family have remained active in the community for over thirty years. Jeion attended Huntington High School until the close of the eleventh grade. She then went on to graduate from the first fully integrated class at Warwick High School in Newport News.
Jeion has been married for over 50 years to her high school sweetheart James Ward. The Wards have three sons: James Jr., Jason and Jeremy. As her children reached school age, Jeion became more active in her children’s elementary, middle and high school development. Her roles have included PTA board member, room mother, band booster and athletics team mom.
Jeion became active in the newly chartered Hampton Federation of Teachers, AFT Local 4260 and began working to improve the professional opportunities for teacher assistants. While working full-time as a teacher assistant, Jeion completed the first two years of her degree at Thomas Nelson Community College with a 4.0 GPA and then transferred to Christopher Newport University, where she was placed on the Dean’s List each semester. She was inducted into Sigma Tau Delta, English Honor Society and graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and Certification in Middle Education, grades 5-8.
In 1998, after serving four years as Vice President, Jeion was elected President of the Hampton Federation of Teachers, AFT Local 4260, a position she currently holds. Jeion is a member of the Executive Council of the Virginia AFL-CIO. She has coordinated both partisan and non-partisan “Get-Out-The Vote” campaigns in targeted areas of Hampton and Newport News since 1997. In addition, she has organized voter registration drives and restoration of rights campaigns.
With community service at the forefront of her agenda, Jeion remains active in the Hampton Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the Hampton Branch NAACP, the National Council of Negro Women, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the Democratic Women’s Club, the Coalition of Labor Union Women, Hampton Democratic Committee, and the Hampton Roads Chapter of the American Red Cross and Transitions Family Violent Services.
Personal Information
Born: Newport News, VA, January 6, 1954
Gender: Female
Race: African American
Religion: Christian
Education: Warwick High School (1972)
Virginia Colleges and Universities:
Thomas Nelson Community College
Christopher Newport University (B.A., 1995)
Middle School Teacher Certification
Occupation/Profession:
Hampton Federation of Teachers, President
Middle School Teacher
Membership & Affiliation:
- Sixth Mount Zion Baptist Temple
- Hampton Branch NAACP
- National Council of Negro Women
- Peninsula Central Labor Council
- Democratic Women’s Club
- Hampton Federation of Teachers (President)
- Coalition of Labor Union Women
- Virginia AFL-CIO, Executive Council
- Southern Christian Leadership Council
- Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. (Hampton Alumnae Chapter)
- Transitions Family Violence Services (Board Member)
- American Red Cross, Hampton Roads Chapter (Board Member)
Awards
- American Federation of Teachers Pioneer Award (1997) .
- Coalition of Labor Union Women Woman of the Year (2004)
- Coalition of Labor Union Women Profiles in Courage Award (2007)
- Women in Government Presidential Award (2007)
- Insight Enterprises Center for Independent Living Award (2006 and 2007)
- Sister II Sister Award
- National Black Caucus of State Legislators Legislators Award (2008)
- …and others