02.11.02

By Holly Clark

Looking back on her high school years, Carmela Bills says her least favorite subject was government. She hated everything to do with it - history, geography, politics.

So, years later, what does she do? Get a job with the government.

Bills, the information and public relations officer for the House of Delegates, began working at the Virginia Capitol in 1982.

"I started out as a receptionist on the eighth floor of the General Assembly Building, and now I'm over here at the Capitol and I absolutely love it," she said.

A graduate of Texas Women's University, Bills double-majored in business and education. She said her mother always told her she had to be a teacher because "if anything ever happened to my husband I'd always be able to teach."

After graduation, Bills student taught and worked several years as a flight attendant. She then married, moving with her husband to Mexico City. She moved once more to Venezuela before settling down in Richmond, with her husband and two children.

Once in Richmond, she was urged by a friend to get a part-time job to "keep me busy during the day," she said. Soon after, she took a receptionist job with the General Assembly.

"When I first moved here I didn't know the names of counties, what VCU was, nothing," Bills said. "I didn't know anyone either, so I was just nice to everyone - legislators, lobbyist, reporters - everyone."

After several years, Bills accepted a job in the Capitol as the information desk clerk. Another woman then occupied her old desk on the eighth floor. The woman soon "questioned" some of the things Bills left in her desk.

"It was so funny," Bills said. "I mark everything with 'C. Bills' -- my initials. And the lady was like 'I know what House Bills are and what Senate Bills are, but what are C. Bills?'" Bills said she often gets teased about her name.

After the move, Bills' new front-desk job involved answering phone calls, guiding lost visitors and helping track down information requested by the public.

With the coming of the Internet, however, Bills said her job took a dramatic change. No longer was she glued to the phone, answering questions about bills and giving out legislator's information. People were able to access all they needed via the Internet and slowly, the phone calls lessened.

This gave Bills more time to focus on her true love - helping children understand how the government works.

"I would see kids come in here lots of times with school groups and look so lost," she said. "Sometimes they are overlooked here. I wanted to change that."

Bills then created the "Chamber Presentation Program," a program offering school groups and children tours of the Capitol, information on how a bill becomes a law and participation in a mock legislative session.

"The program takes them through the whole process on their level," she said. "It's easy for them to relate to and, of course, watching them role-play is adorable."

Bills has also developed several other programs, including one geared toward the Standards of Learning tests and another detailing the history of the Capitol on colored bookmarks.

"She's been very instrumental here and always has innovative ideas," said Gail Schenek, fiscal officer for the House of Delegates. "And she always has a smile on her face."

Dick Lung, the House of Delegate's doorkeeper, added, "She's a nice lady, especially in such a hectic job."

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