Delegate to Congress Nominee
Janelle K. Sarauw
U.S. Virgin Islands
Public servant, educator and former three-term senator committed to ensuring the Virgin Islands is heard, respected and powerfully represented.
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Janelle K. Sarauw is a public servant who is not afraid to stand alone when the people's interests are at stake. She asks the hard questions. She challenges broken systems. And she fights, relentlessly, for the Virgin Islands to be heard, respected, and treated with dignity.
Early Life & Education
Born and raised on St. Thomas to Levron and Carla Sarauw, Janelle is a proud product of the Virgin Islands public school system and a graduate of Charlotte Amalie High School. As a scholar, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science with a concentration in Global Governance, a second major in Interdisciplinary Studies of Social Science, and a minor in History — then advanced her studies with a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership and a Certificate in Servant Leadership.
Education & Public Service
Janelle returned home to teach U.S. History at her alma mater, investing in the next generation. She later served as Coordinator for the Department of Sports, Parks and Recreation and as Chief Researcher and Special Projects Director in the Office of the Lieutenant Governor. As an adjunct professor of Political Science at the University of the Virgin Islands, she challenged students to think critically about democracy, power, and their responsibility to shape the Territory's future.
Legislative Service
In 2017, the people elected her to the 32nd Legislature of the Virgin Islands. She would go on to serve three consecutive terms. As a Senator, Janelle Sarauw became synonymous with preparation, precision, and principled courage — pressing leaders and agencies for answers, demanding transparency, and refusing to allow the Virgin Islands to be sidelined in its own recovery.
Community Leadership
Beyond policy and politics, Janelle remains deeply rooted in community. She is a proud culture-bearer; an Elite Coach for Boomers Volleyball Academy, mentoring student-athletes who compete nationally and earn placement at Division I and academically competitive universities; co-founder of the Sky-High Volleyball Club; a former board member of United Way of St. Thomas–St. John; and a leader within the Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals.
Her leadership has earned national recognition — including NBC Out's Pride 30 (2018), 35 Under 35 Emerging Leaders (2021), Florida Atlantic University's Distinguished Alumna Award (2019), and induction into the Leon Charney Diplomacy Hall of Fame.
Her Mission
Her mission remains clear: to be an unwavering voice for the people of the Virgin Islands, to secure the respect and resources the Territory deserves, and to ensure that our home is not merely represented, but powerfully, unapologetically championed.
“I understand what it means to govern in a system where resources are constrained, federal policies are not built with us in mind, and the margin for error is small.”