Newly launched Summer Speaker Series builds future conservation leaders

Zoom screenshot of young professionals engaging with Delegates Kathy Tran and Jackie Glass in VCN’s Legislator Panel.

Young professionals engaging with Delegates Kathy Tran and Jackie Glass in VCN’s Legislator Panel. Photo by VCN.

Complementing the launch of our first inaugural paid summer fellowship program, VCN’s Summer Outreach Fellow, Andreana J. Lin, hosted a virtual 9-week speaker series for our network partners. In this interactive series, over 40 young professionals across the Commonwealth engaged in conversations with current environmental leaders and professional development opportunities.

Why a Summer Speaker Series?

“The reasons are two-fold,” said Andrew Perrow, our Civic Engagement and Outreach Manager. “One, for young and ambitious future conservation leaders to meet one another and, two, to provide them access points in a larger networking community. It will be a free-flowing exchange of discussion where our fellows and interns will learn about big issues together.”

The 2022 Summer Speaker Series schedule:

Week 1: Introduction to a Career in Conservation with VCN!

  • Narissa Turner, Policy & Campaigns Manager – Clean Energy & Climate, VCN
  • Wyatt Gordon, Policy & Campaigns Manager – Land Use & Transportation, VCN
  • Nicole Duimstra, Communications & Campaigns Manager, VCN

Week 2: The Virginia Legislature and the Environment

  • Connor Kish, Legislative and Political Director, Sierra Club – Virginia Chapter
  • Anna Killius, Assistant Director of Policy and Government Affairs, James River Association

Week 3: Grassroots Organizing for Environmental Advocates

  • Amy Wentz, Co-founder of Southside ReLeaf
  • Sarah Ahmed, Statewide Field Director, Virginia League of Conservation Voters

Week 4: Legislator Panel: Meet Our Delegates!

Week 5: Working for a VA State Agency and SWCD

  • Danielle Simms, EJ Coordinator, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
  • Anne Coates, Executive Director, Thomas Jefferson Soil & Water Conservation District

Week 6: Beating the Atlantic Coast Pipeline!

  • Nancy Sorrells, Augusta County Coordinator, Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley
  • Greg Buppert, Senior Attorney and Natural Gas Regional Leader, Southern Environmental Law Center

Week 7: Enabling Inclusivity in our Workspaces, Institutions, and Social Network

  • Isaias Hernandez, Environmental Educator & Founder of QueerBrownVegan
  • Alexia Leclerq, EJ Organizer, Education Director, & Co-founder of Start:Empowerment

Week 8: Executive Director Panel on Organizational Leadership and Motivations

Week 9: Professional Development: Resume Workshop

What’s Next?

The Summer Speaker Series is just the start in cultivating our future conservation leaders, lawmakers, lobbyists, advocates, organizers, teachers, directors, community members, and most importantly—passionate people united in solidarity to empower their communities and save our Earth.

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