Heather Cordasco was the only new face on the dais when she was elected to the Williamsburg-James City County School Board in 2011, but she said she quickly made a name for herself with new initiatives she brought to the Board.
In her bid for the Roberts seat on the JCC Board of Supervisors, Cordasco said she hopes to bring new ideas and engagement like she did on the School Board while continuing to approach public office as an act of service.
“I want an opportunity to improve where I live and make life better for the people who live here,” she said.
Cordasco, 52, has lived in the county for more than 10 years, first living in Monticello Woods before moving to Kingsmill. She works with active older adults as an exercise specialist and personal trainer but had previously worked in recruiting and human resources.
Cordasco said she has been extremely involved in the community but said no when she was first asked to run for the WJCC School Board. She eventually said yes after repeated requests, defeating Richard Locke in her first contest in 2011 by more than 500 votes.
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Roberts District Race
Click here to learn more about Cordasco’s opponent, incumbent John McGlennon.
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She said her accomplishments in her first term includ introducing Manufacturing Day to the school division and process management as an approach to the business of the board. Cordasco said her experience offering fresh ideas, considering different perspectives and “giving a voice to every voice” on the School Board could be applied to the Board of Supervisors.
“I can only speak to what I’ve observed, but I seem like I have a bunch more energy than a lot people, so I tend to get a lot done,” Cordasco said. “I don’t like the ‘no’ answer. I always try to find a way to get to ‘yes,’ even if there has to be adjustments to that.”
Cordasco said she decided to run for the Board of Supervisors because she wants to bring her passion for manufacturing to the Board, help form the county’s strategic plan and encourage greater collaboration between the supervisors and the school board members.
If elected, she said her priorities would include repealing the tax rate increase until after the strategic planning process has been completed, encouraging businesses and startups to put down roots in the county and promoting more citizen involvement.
“I like to let people do what they’re best at and encourage them in it,” Cordasco said.
She said her work ethic, commitment to problem-solving and ability to connect people with opportunities that suit them are strengths that will help her win the Roberts seat, which is currently held by incumbent John McGlennon.
“If it isn’t about you, it doesn’t matter who gets the credit,” Cordasco said. “For me it’s always about, ‘Are we making a change?’”
By the end of a prospective four-year term, Cordasco said she hopes to say the strategic plan had been completed, new businesses are filling vacant storefronts, citizens feel their input is valued and decisions had been made regarding the county’s future water needs.
