Senator Hashmi’s approach to public service is guided by the principles of integrity, social justice and ethics in government. She is dedicated to making government work for all citizens. Ghazala is the first Muslim-American to serve in the Virginia State Senate.

She served both as a professor of English and as the Founding Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) at Reynolds Community College.

Ghazala earned a BA in English from Georgia Southern University and a Ph.D. in American literature from Emory University.