About Virginia

Virginia Leigh is a bilingual clinical social worker with over 12 years of experience working in community health centers, detention centers, and schools. Virginia will bring a clinical approach as Sheriff of Essex County. Virginia’s expertise in mental health and substance use programs, and her deep connections in the communities most impacted by crime will bring an innovative and human-centered approach to reducing recidivism in Essex County. Her expertise comes from years of hard work combined with lived and professional experience working with families, at-risk youth and adults, victims of crime and formerly incarcerated individuals.

 

In 2008 fresh out of college, Virginia founded, funded and directed an educational initiative inside Mexican juvenile detention centers called The Albergue Bolivia Project and from 2008-2010 established herself as a champion and voice for unaccompanied children along the US Mexican Border. After completing her work in Mexico, she provided translation support and legal information at the Texas Civil Rights Project aiding undocumented victims of domestic violence.

 

Virginia obtained her MSW in Clinical Social Work from Simmons College and has worked with complex trauma, community violence, and immigration. She co-founded a medical legal partnership while working in Brockton. Within months of beginning her work at the Lynn Community Health center, Virginia had already co-founded and led a coalition of 30+ community organizations supporting Immigrant Families in Lynn.

 

For the past six years, Virginia has worked tirelessly for the city of Lynn earning her recognition from community partners and other agencies for her excellence and rigorous accountability for the highest of ethical standards in clinical practice and community advocacy.

 

Join the grassroots coalition to help elect VIRGINIA LEIGH. Let’s work together toward rehabilitation of those incarcerated and reduce recidivism.