Dr. Champion was elected to represent Springfield in the Missouri Senate in 2002 following 10 years service in the Missouri House of Representatives.  She was re-elected to the Senate in 2006. Prior to her involvement at the state level, Senator Champion was a Springfield City Council member for five years. For nearly 30 years, she provided a positive influence for thousands of young Ozark residents through her role as Aunt Norma on the Children's Hour on KY-3 television.

With a Bachelor of Arts degree from Central Bible College, a Master’s degree from Missouri State University and a Ph.D. from the University of Oklahoma, Senator Champion has taught for 30 years and is a tenured professor at Evangel University, teaching in the fields of communications and political science.

Senator Champion chairs the committee overseeing legislation relating to senior citizens, families, health and mental health.  She also chaired the Interim Committee on Adoption Promotion and Child Support Enforcement in 2006 and was a long-time member of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees.  She currently serves on the Education; Gubernatorial Appointments; and Rules, Joint Rules, Resolutions and Ethics committees. 

In her first year as a Senator, Champion passed a performance-based budget bill and later led the way on ground-breaking anti-methamphetamine legislation that placed tougher restrictions on the selling of over-the-counter pseudoephedrine (a key ingredient used in meth production), giving Missouri some of the strongest anti-meth laws in the nation.  She ended a 19-year battle in the Senate by passing the bill to change Southwest Missouri State University to Missouri State University.

In addition to her legislative duties, she is a current member of, or has served in, the following organizations: Missouri Women’s Council; Women in Government; Lifetime Member of Missouri PTA; Boys and Girls Town of Missouri’s Advisory Board, Junior League Advisory Board; Parents as Teachers Advisory Board; Chairman of the Board of Berean University, Global University Board of Directors, Missouri Film Commission member; Division of Medical Services Medical and Technical Advisory Committee member; Midwestern Higher Education Commissioner; and the Commission on Christian Higher Education for the Assemblies of God.

In 2006, Senator Champion was honored by the Springfield Business Journal as one of “Twenty Most Influential Women in the Ozarks."  In 2007, she received the Missouri Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Association’s Legislative Award for her continuing support for the interests of abused and neglected children.

A mother and grandmother, Senator Champion is the widow of the late Rev. Richard Champion.