Senator Lorraine L. Berry

SENATOR LORRAINE L.BERRY District: St. Thomas/St.John
Date of Birth: November 15 1949
Place of Birth: St. Thomas, Virgin Islands
Party: Democrat
Term: Eleventh

Senator Lorraine L. Berry, currently serving as Vice-President of the 25th Legislature of the Virgin Islands was born on St. Thomas, November 15, 1949, to Joseph and Emelda Ledee, the eldest of nine children. She is a 1967 graduate of Sts. Peter and Paul high school and later attended the University of the Virgin Islands, majoring in Business Administration. Senator Berry’s entire professional life has been dedicated to public service, serving in a number of government posts before winning her bid to the 15th Legislature in 1982. Senator Berry was subsequently re-elected to succeeding Legislatures, now being the only sitting Senator currently serving eleven consecutive terms.

In the 25th Legislature, Senator Berry chairs the Committee on Public Safety, the Judiciary, Homeland Security and Justice. She is also Vice-Chairperson of the committee on Economic Development, Agriculture and Consumer Protection; Vice-Chairperson of the Committee on Health, Hospitals and Human Services and a member of the Committees on Government Operations and on Rules. She also serves on the Judicial Council, the Law Revision Commission and the New Task force on the Cruise Ship Agreement.

During her tenure, Senator Berry has served as Chairperson of the Committee on Government Operations in the 15th Legislature; Chairperson of the Committee on Finance in the 17th, 18th and the 23rd Legislatures; Chairperson of the Committee on Health in the 19th and 20th Legislatures and was Majority Leader in the 18th Legislature. During the 22nd Legislature, Senator Berry was honoured to serve as President of the Legislature, the second of only two women in Virgin Islands history to serve in that post. Additionally, her vast experience in government, has exposed her to wide-ranging societal concerns and endeavours, such as: Partners for Health; The Cancer Task Force; ex-officio member of the Public Services Commission; Co-Chairperson of the Commission on Status and Federal Relations, member of the Association of Caribbean Organizations and a member of the Cruise Ship Long Term Agreement Task Force.

Because of her unselfish devotion to the people of the Virgin Islands, Senator Berry became the 17th person, fourth woman and the only elected official to date to be named “Person of the Year” in 1997 by the Rotary Club of St. Thomas which, in extolling her devotion to the public interest, noted Senator Berry exemplifies “Service Above Self”, further stating, “Senator Berry tells it like it is, with a dauntless disdain for the consequences, willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause if that is what it takes.” Among other numerous awards of recognition were the Hope Award from the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Educational Feddy Award. Senator Berry is a member of the Friends of St. Thomas Public Libraries, the League of Women Voters; the Business and Professional Women’s Club; The American Lung Association of the Virgin Islands; the Democratic Territorial Committee; President of VIDAC (Virgin Islanders for Democratic Action Club); Founder of the Northside Civic Organization; and the catalyst who assisted in establishing the Beacon Schools in the Virgin Islands. Senator Berry is also actively involved in community issues, which includes among many, an Annual Youth Symposium and Women’s Conference.

Prior to her election to the Senate, Senator Berry’s public service included: Manager of the St. Thomas District Office of the Virgin Islands Delegate to Congress; the Bureau of Audit and Control of the Department of Finance; the Industrial Incentive Board of the Department of Commerce; and the Neighbourhood Youth Corps in Schools Program within the Department of Education.

A member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish, Senator Berry resides on the Northside of St. Thomas with her husband Richard, (Proprietor of Berry’s Refrigeration and Air-Conditioning). He daughter, Roxanne, a graduate of the Masters Program at Smith College, School of Social Work, is married to Anthony Bellotti and resides in Alameda, California and her son, Kurt, a graduate of Central Florida University, resides in Winter Springs, Florida.