Staff

Betsy Wells Edwards

Betsy is the director of the Virginia Fair Trial Project and has extensive experience working on criminal justice awareness campaigns and reform initiatives. For the past six years Betsy has managed VFTP's statewide awareness campaigns and efforts to reform Virginia's indigent defense system. These efforts led the Virginia General Assembly to budget an additional $15 million for court-appointed fees and several million more for public defenders. Prior to joining the Virginia Fair Trial Project, Betsy served as the public relations director for the Indiana Public Service Commission and the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. She has also worked in public relations for the Indiana State Senate, the Virginia Department of Transportation and McGuireWoods. For eight years she was president of Heron Hill Communications, a public relations consulting firm with government, corporate and non-profit clients. Betsy has overseen many statewide awareness and reform campaigns for state, federal agencies and non-profits on issues such as utility regulation, transportation safety and criminal justice reform.

Betsy holds a B.S in political science and journalism from Indiana University. She has taught adjunct courses in public relations at Virginia Commonwealth University and has guest lectured on government public relations, indigent defense reform, strategic PR planning and campaigns. She was named a 2007 Leader in the Law by Virginia Lawyers Weekly. Betsy has published numerous articles in regional and national magazines and is the author of Virginia Country, Simon & Schuster, 1998.

Aimee Perron Seibert

Aimee manages the Virginia Fair Trial Project's governmental affairs program. Aimee brings years of experience in the non-profit and advocacy arena to VFTP. Aimee has built very successful coalitions with significant contacts in the non-profit sector. Aimee conducted legislative affairs for Virginia State Senator John Watkins (R-Chesterfield) from 2001-2002. She was the former legislative director at the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia. While at the ACLU, Aimee lobbied on a variety of civil rights and civil liberties issues. In addition, Aimee has built very successful coalitions with significant contacts in the non-profit sector.

Aimee completed her B.A. magna cum laude from Boston College and holds a Master's degree in Social Work-Policy, Planning and Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University. Aimee is also a 2004 graduate of the Sorenson Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia.

Aimee is a senior vice president at Hirschler Fleischer Consulting LLC, where she focuses on strategic government affairs matters for clients including legislative, regulatory and grassroots issues.