About

A proud native Virginian, Tom Perriello has spent the last 25 years serving his community and country as a Congressman, diplomat, non-profit leader and teacher. 

In 2008, Tom was elected to represent the people of Virginia’s 5th District in Congress amidst the worst financial and housing crisis since the Great Depression. Supporting bold actions to prevent economic collapse, Tom delivered historic investments in infrastructure, education, law enforcement, and rural healthcare. He was widely recognized by supporters and critics for listening to all constituents and conducting over 100 hours of town hall meetings across the district. 

Tom stood up to intense political pressure from the insurance industry and corporate lobbyists to cast a vote to pass the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which delivered affordable health care access to more than 32,000 people in his district and brought down prescription drug prices. His vote meant that young people could stay on their family insurance until 26 years of age, and insurance companies could no longer deny coverage for pre or post natal care or kick people off their insurance for a pre-existing condition. He was also known for standing up to leadership in his own party to be tougher on Wall Street and corporate lobbyists. In Congress, he served on the Veterans Affairs Committee, where his tireless efforts to reform the VA and implement the new GI bill earned him a rare A+ from the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America Action Fund. 

As a civil society leader, Tom has fought for economic reforms that give hard-working people a fair shot at the American dream and protect our freedoms, including voting rights, civil liberties, and reproductive freedom. He has marched with union workers in Southside and protested hate groups in the streets of Charlottesville. 

As a diplomat, Tom had the honor of representing our country as the United States Envoy for the African Great Lakes under President Obama and as the U.S. Special Envoy for Sudan in the Biden Administration. Most recently, he led negotiations to broker breakthroughs of the world’s largest humanitarian embargo, impacting over 35 million Sudanese people. He volunteers with MutualAidSudan.org, a charitable platform supporting the Emergency Response Rooms and related efforts to provide lifesaving food and medicine inside Sudan. Previously and with generous support from Charlotteville donors, Tom co-founded Bird of Light Ukraine working on the ground to provide emergency relief to Ukrainian civilians caught on the frontlines.  

Born and raised in Albemarle County, Tom is the youngest of the four children of Linda and Vito Perriello. Tom attended Albemarle County public schools and St. Anne’s-Belfield and was an Eagle Scout in Troop 114. He is a graduate of Yale College and Yale Law School, and he has taught at the University of Sierra Leone and the University of Virginia School of Law.  His parents and his parish taught him the ethic of service and the value of a purpose-driven life. Tom now resides in Charlottesville and is a proud uncle of 10 nieces and nephews. 
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