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2024 SESSION

24104067D
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 43
Offered January 18, 2024
Celebrating the life of Janet Marie Brooking.
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WHEREAS, Janet Marie Brooking, executive director of DRIVE SMART Virginia, a nonprofit organization that promotes road safety, died on November 13, 2023; and

WHEREAS, Janet Brooking grew up in Orange, Virginia, and received a bachelor’s degree from what is now Mary Baldwin University and a certificate in philanthropy from the University of Richmond; and

WHEREAS, Janet Brooking also graduated from the Virginia Collaborative Leaders Program at the Institute for Educational Leadership, the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia, and the Center for Creative Leadership; and

WHEREAS, Janet Brooking began serving as executive director of DRIVE SMART Virginia in 2005; in that capacity, she advocated for families of victims of traffic crashes and spearheaded efforts to enact Virginia’s hands-free driving law; and

WHEREAS, during Janet Brooking’s tenure as executive director, DRIVE SMART Virginia won dozens of awards from the Public Relations Society of America, as well as Governor’s Transportation Awards and Telly Awards; and

WHEREAS, under Janet Brooking’s leadership, DRIVE SMART reached tens of thousands of teens with interactive educational experiences and delivered safe driving messages to millions of racing and sports fans; and

WHEREAS, Janet Brooking also served for 10 years as state campaign director for the Commonwealth of Virginia Campaign and helped raise more than $28 million for charity; and

WHEREAS, outside of her career, Janet Brooking served as a member of the board of the Virginia Service Foundation and the Advisory Board of Visitors at Mary Baldwin College; she also served as president of the American Society of Safety Engineers Colonial Chapter; and

WHEREAS, Janet Brooking was the recipient of the Drive Safe Hampton Roads 2022 Lifetime Safety Achievement Award; and

WHEREAS, Janet Brooking appreciated music and was an accomplished pianist; she also enjoyed traveling and spending time with loved ones; and

WHEREAS, Janet Brooking will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by numerous family members and friends; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of Janet Marie Brooking, a respected nonprofit leader and advocate for roadway safety who left an indelible mark on the Commonwealth; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family and colleagues of Janet Marie Brooking as an expression of the General Assembly’s appreciation of her contributions to the Commonwealth and respect for her memory.