Anne Holton
Anne Holton, Governor Tim Kaine’s wife, has devoted her career to serving as an advocate for Virginia’s families and children. Holton graduated from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs in 1980. She went on to earn her J.D. from Harvard Law School, where she met Tim Kaine and graduated in 1983.
After marrying Tim Kaine, and convincing him to become a Virginian, Anne Holton served for many years as a legal aid lawyer representing low-income families and then as a juvenile and domestic relations district court judge in the City of Richmond. Through her work on the bench, Ms. Holton came to be deeply involved in foster care and adoption, and has worked tirelessly to improve outcomes for Virginia’s neglected and abused children. For that work and her service on the bench and in the legal profession, Ms. Holton has received many awards and honors including the YWCA of Richmond 2006 Outstanding Woman Award in the category of law.
As First Lady, Ms. Holton remains dedicated to improving the welfare of Virginia’s children and families – and to see that all Virginia children have the opportunity to reach their God-given potential. In January of 2007 she launched her signature initiative, “For Keeps: Families for all Virginia Teens”. Through the initiative she is focusing on helping Virginia find and strengthen permanent families particularly for older children in foster care or at risk of entering foster care. For this work, she has received many awards and honors including The Annie E. Casey Foundation Families for Life Award of Distinction in May of 2008.
Holton’s move into the Executive Mansion has been a homecoming. Her father, Linwood Holton, served as Virginia’s governor while Anne was a teenager, from 1970-1974. She and Governor Kaine have 3 children, Nat, Woody and Annella and a family dog, Gina, all of whom are enjoying their tenure in the Mansion.