A third consecutive term legislator, Sen. Carla Joseph is a grassroots organizer, social justice activist, and public servant with a strong sense of purpose.  She is the youngest of four (4) children born to the late Frances Camilla Girleta Joseph of Jennings Village in Antigua and is the only child born in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, to Sylvester and Frances Joseph.  Additionally, Senator Joseph has two (2) younger siblings from her father’s subsequent marriages.

Senator Joseph’s journey began in the Bovoni and Oswald Harris Court public housing communities, a testament to her humble beginnings.  A 1988 Ivanna Eudora Kean High School graduate and a University of the Virgin Islands alumna, Senator Joseph holds a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities and a Public Manager Certification. Senator Joseph, an active member of the Memorial Moravian Church, is a proud parent of three girls and one grandchild.  Her family, faith, and the well-being of the Virgin Islands community are at the heart of her mission and life work.

As a Senator in the 34th and 35th Legislatures of the Virgin Islands, Senator Joseph chaired the Committee on Government Operations, Veterans Affairs and Consumer Protection, and consistently conducted monthly meetings.   As Chair, the Committee vetted bills within its purview and invited representatives from various government agencies as well as boards to receive updates on matters of importance to our people. In her second term in the 35th Legislature, Senator Joseph served as the Legislature’s Secretary.  Throughout her leadership as Chair of the Committee on Government Operations, Veterans Affairs, and Consumer Protection as well as the Legislative Secretary, Senator Joseph became known as a stickler for punctuality and timely reporting on proceedings to the legislative body.

Although not a member of the Committee on Budget, Appropriations and Finance, Senator Joseph attended many meetings as her schedule permitted, resulting in invitations as a non-committee member to participate in the budget mark-up process through which she was instrumental in securing funds for youth organizations and veterans. 

Senator Joseph’s rise in government to be an elected leader started with a solid foundation.  For over twenty years, Senator Joseph worked in the public sector as a civil servant before being elected to the Legislature of the Virgin Islands in November of 2020.  She served in several roles within senatorial offices before taking on the position of Chief of Staff in the late Senator George Goodwin’s office.  During her more than ten years of employment with the Virgin Islands Housing Authority, she successfully managed two federally funded youth leadership and job development programs.  This led to a flawless record of administering federal grants with fidelity and transparency.  Which resulted in no federal findings and all funding spent timely.

In 2014, Senator Joseph was recognized as the Law Enforcement Planning Commission Person of the Year for her work with disadvantaged young people and advocating for social justice.  Also in 2014, Senator Joseph was elected to the Virgin Islands Board of Elections; and served as Secretary of the St. Thomas/St. John District Board and Vice-Chair of the Joint Board. In addition, she served as Vice-Chair of the Democratic Party of the Virgin Islands, where she represented the Virgin Islands as a Delegate to the 2020 Democratic National Convention and proudly cast her vote for President Joseph Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris.

During her tenure as a member and immediate past President of the Environmental Association of St. Thomas/St. John (EAST), Senator Joseph advocated for a balance between environmental conservation and development. One of Senator Joseph’s most significant achievements as President of EAST was her lobbying efforts, which resulted in the government’s purchase of Smith Bay Park, one of the last remaining pristine shorelines on the East end of St. Thomas.

Senator Joseph says that she is more focused than ever on continuing her work to uplift and transform lives through the introduction of meaningful legislation to help our government meet the needs of our people and grow our economic base.  Senator Joseph believes in assisting people, improving lives, protecting our environment, growing our economy, and honoring those who have selflessly given to our people, community, and Territory.

As she continues to work to help the people of the Virgin Islands, Senator Joseph intends to continue introducing and supporting impactful legislation to position the Virgin Islands for a positive and robust future.  Her motto remains: People help people, and God helps us all.