About Margi

Margaret “Margi” Vanderhye was elected in November, 2007, to represent the 34th District (Great Falls, parts of McLean, Vienna and Herndon) in the Virginia House of Delegates.  She took office on January 9, 2008, and currently serves on the Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources Committee and the Science and Technology Committee.

Margi has lived in Northern Virginia for more than 30 years. Throughout that time, she has proven her skills in public service, as a community leader and activist on issues ranging from transportation and land use planning to national security and child safety.

She was appointed by Governor Mark Warner and re-appointed by Governor Tim Kaine to the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, working with local communities on regional transportation policies to reduce congestion and improve air quality.

Margi previously was appointed by President Bill Clinton to the National Capital Planning Commission and was the NCPC representative to the Transportation Planning Board for the Washington Metropolitan Council of Governments. At NCPC, she was also chairman of the Task Force for Memorials, which developed the award-winning Master Plan for Museums and Memorials for the National Capital Area.

Governor Doug Wilder appointed Margi to the Chesapeake Bay Local Assistance Board where she represented business, agriculture, land development, local government, and environmental interests of the region. Governor Wilder also appointed Margi to the Commission on Population Growth and Development that examined land use, transportation and environment policies. She is a past president of the Virginia Association of Planning District Commissions and past chairman of the Northern Virginia Planning District Commission.

Margi serves on the boards of the Cancer Research and Prevention Foundation, the Claude Moore Colonial Farm, and Our Military Kids, a non profit that assists the children of National Guard and Reserve members deployed in the war on terrorism. She is an active member of Saint John’s Episcopal Church in McLean where she teaches Sunday School.

Margi is a founder of “Project Hospitality,” an award-winning program that has forged coalitions among school, hotel, law enforcement, business and parent communities to promote safe prom nights for teenagers. Recognized by Fairfax County for its effectiveness, Project Hospitality is now a region wide program.

Earlier in her distinguished career, Margi served as assistant to both Henry Kissinger and Brent Scowcroft at the National Security Council in the White House and as a research assistant for the Brookings Institution. She is a graduate of Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern University and a masters degree in International Relations and Economics from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.

Margi and her husband Robert, an attorney, live in McLean and have two adult children.