Profile: Delegate Eileen Filler-Corn, 41st District

• Born: New York City, NY
• Education: Ithaca College, NY (B.A., 1986). American University Washington College of Law, Washington, DC (J.D., 1993)
• Family: Married, two children
• Occupation:

As a woman in the Virginia State Legislature with school-aged children, Delegate Eileen Filler-Corn said that she brings a unique perspective to her office.

“I feel that because of my children, it was a big decision for me to decide to run” Filler-Corn, 47, said. “Since I’m a mom though, I live the issues that are most important to my constituents.”

Filler-Corn has represented the 41rst District in the Virginia House of Delegates since March of 2010 in a special election. The district represents portions of Fairfax Station, Burke, and Springfield. She won her seat by 37 votes against Republican Kerry D. Bolognese.

“After the election, I drove to Richmond the next day at 6 a.m., I was sworn in by noon, and started voting that afternoon,” Filler-Corn said. “Everyone was very helpful.”

Since maintaining office, Filler-Corn said she is “big with constituent services.”

“The thing is making sure that constituents know what you can do for them as an elected official,” Filler-Corn said.

One example was her assistance in the campaign to create a full-day kindergarten in all Fairfax County Schools, said Rebecca Geller, who has known Filler-Corn for 6 years. They met through their synagogue, Congregation Adat Reyim in Springfield.

“I was very involved in the full day kindergarten campaign and she really helped us to bring attention to the issue,” Geller said.

Filler-Corn spoke at a rally to support the kindergarten campaign and also put in a resolution to form a subcommittee to evaluate the prospect of having all-day kindergarten in all Virginia public schools.

“My legislation ideas come from the constituents,” Filler-Corn said.

Much of the legislation she produced was focused on education, transportation, and public safety.

“We moved to Fairfax County because we wanted to feel safe and be in an excellent school system,” Filler-Corn, who has lived in Fairfax County for nearly 20 years, said. “And that’s also what I hear from people when I’m knocking on doors.”