Valerie McDonald Roberts

OffQ Panelist Valerie McDonald Roberts was first elected in 1989 to the Pittsburgh School Board. She served for 5 years, including one year as President. She was elected in 1994 to Pittsburgh City Council. She was the first African American woman to be elected to this position. She served as President Pro-Tempore and as Chairperson of the Committee on Finance and Budget, the first woman ever in the history of the City of Pittsburgh to serve as chair of this committee. In 2001, she was elected to Recorder of Deeds of Allegheny County, and was the first African American in the history of the County to be elected to a County Row Office.

After being sworn in January 2002, she hit the ground running. In two years she re-engineered the office into one with advanced technology with free Internet access for all citizens, and reformed the office by implementing best practices in efficiency and personnel policies. In 2005, she was elected Vice President of the Pennsylvania Recorders of Deeds Association, another first for an African American.

In November 2005, Valerie McDonald Roberts announced her intention to run statewide for Lieutenant Governor in the May 2006 Democratic Primary, another first for an African American woman. It was her first foray into statewide politics. With very limited funds, and in a four way race which included the incumbent, Valerie came in second. She actively campaigned in 25 counties across the state, and is now positioned to be a major player in state politics.

Valerie McDonald Roberts' education includes a B.S. in Medical Technology and M.S. in Forensic Chemistry, both from the University of Pittsburgh, Summa cum Laude. She has served on numerous boards including the Kingsley Association, University of Pittsburgh Alumni Board, Sickle Cell Society, Pittsburgh Zoological Society, Girl Scouts of SW PA, Carnegie Library, Carnegie Science Center, Pittsburgh Parking Authority and Amen Corner. She served in the past as member of the U.S. Presidential Electoral College of 1996 and as Delegate for the 1996, 2000, and 2004 Democratic National Conventions. In 2004, she was Co-Chair of the Steering Committee for African American Outreach for the Kerry/Edwards Presidential campaign. Valerie was a children's Christian educator for 20 years and Girl Scout leader for 8 years, helping to develop 26 girls. She is married to Theodore Roberts, Jr., has four adult children and two grandchildren.