Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute

The deadline to submit applications for the Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute (VNRLI) is fast approaching! VNRLI is a professional development program for leaders confronted with Virginia’s most pressing natural resource issues who seek new skills in conflict resolution and collaborative problem solving. Over 9 months, Fellows will explore a variety of leadership models, equitable collaboration, facilitation skills, environmental justice, and more!

The application and more information can also be found on the VNRLI website. Financial assistance is available! Applications should be submitted via email to Alexandra Cook at [email protected] by Friday, June 7th.

VNRLI Application | Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute, U.Va. Applications for the 2024-2025 cohort are now OPEN! Applications for the 2024-2025 cohort can be found here. Recommendations forms are embedded in the application and also available here. Please complete and send to Alexandra Cook at [email protected] by June 7, 2024. What is the Virginia Natural....

Last week, VNRLI Fellows met at Hotel Madison in Harrisonburg for Session 4 of the program. At the session, Fellows participated in a mock negotiation modeled around the coal ash spill in the Dan River basin. The group also had the pleasure of touring Cub Run Dairy with farmer owners, Gerald and Anita Heatwole, in McGaheysville. Here, attendees learned about the ins and outs of a mid-size dairy farm operation in the heartland of Virginia agriculture, and what efforts are being made to mitigate environmental impacts on the Shenandoah Valley and beyond. If you know someone interested in applying to VNRLI for 2024-2025, stay tuned in the coming weeks as applications will be shared later in March!

The Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute is grateful to all of the alumni, partners, fellows, and faculty that continue to shape and support this program in a meaningful way. We are also thankful for the land, water, wildlife, and resources that make up the Commonwealth of Virginia, providing a beautiful home for us all. On behalf of the VNRLI team, we would like to wish everyone a happy and safe Thanksgiving holiday!

*This photo was taken at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's Brock Environmental Center in Virginia Beach earlier this month during Session 2 of the program.

Last week, the Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute (VNRLI) gathered in Amherst County for Session 1 of the program at Sweetbriar College’s Elston Conference Center. This year’s cohort includes professionals working around the Commonwealth in a variety of natural resources related industries. The session focused on a variety of topics including, active listening, conflict, environmental justice, teambuilding, and personal leadership strategies. VNRLI also had the pleasure of hosting Chief Diane Shields, leader of the Monacan Indian Nation. Chief Shields spoke with the group about Monacan history, as well as issues the tribe currently faces in collaboration and how they have moved through conflict over the years. We look forward to what the coming year has in store for the class of 2024!

For more information about VNRLI, please visit the website at: https://vnrli.ien.virginia.edu.

We finished the year strong with the VNRLI Class of 2023 last month! Session 6 was held in Charlottesville where we took a trip to the Memorial to Enslaved Laborers at UVA, Monticello, and had a wonderful closing ceremony at the Hillsdale Conference Center. We also explored several topics including the Open Space Process, Women in Leadership, and Mindfulness.

In addition to celebrating the newest group of VNRLI alumni, we were pleased to honor Adam Downing as the 2023 Recipient of the Gerald P. McCarthy Award for Leadership in Environmental Conflict Resolution.

We are looking forward to meeting next year's class and having them join the wonderful 600+ individuals comprising our alumni network!

We are nearing the deadline to apply to the 2023-2024 cohort of the Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute! Applications should be submitted via email to Alexandra Cook ([email protected]) by 11:59p this Friday, June 2nd. The application and more details about the program can be found on the VNRLI website (click below).

Financial assistance is available, and more information is listed in the application.

VNRLI Application | Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute, U.Va. The application for the 2023-2024 program is now open! Completed applications, including one recommendation, are due by June 2, 2023, and can be emailed to [email protected] or mail to VNRLI at PO Box 400179 Charlottesville, VA 22904. Click on the following links to access the application, as well...

Hello VNRLI Alumni and Happy Thursday!

We hope to see you today, May 10th, on Zoom for the May Lunch Bites Series at 12:10-1:00pm. In today's session we will hear from Lynn Crump (VNRLI c/o 2006), and her team at Scenic Virginia who will be discussing the Collaboration for Community Engagement to identify Treasured Views, part of our Viewshed Project. This will be the last installment of the season, but we look forward to continuing this pilot series in the Fall!

Check your inbox for the link to join.

The deadline to submit applications for next year's VNRLI cohort is quickly approaching on June 2nd! If you know someone interested in applying to next year’s cohort, please encourage them to apply.

The Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute (VNRLI) is is a unique professional development opportunity that builds competencies in natural resource issues, collaborative problem solving, and leadership. Over the course of six three-day sessions utilizing a proven mix of mini-lectures, experiential role plays, exercises, stakeholder panel discussions, tools for virtual engagement, peer and faculty mentoring, and field trips.

A limited number of need-based scholarships are available to cover the program fee, as well as mileage (for travel to and from sessions) and lodging for recipients. Candidates from underrepresented communities are encouraged to apply. You can find more information about applying for a scholarship on the application and on our website.

For additional information and to download the application please visit our website, linked below. Applications are due June 2nd to Alexandra Cook at [email protected].

VNRLI Application | Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute, U.Va. The application for the 2023-2024 program is now open! Completed applications, including one recommendation, are due by June 2, 2023, and can be emailed to [email protected] or mail to VNRLI at PO Box 400179 Charlottesville, VA 22904. Click on the following links to access the application, as well...

Hello VNRLI Alumni!

We hope to see you tomorrow, April 12th on Zoom for the April Lunch Bites Series at 12:10-1:00pm. The panel for tomorrow’s session will discuss “Biomass and Virginia Wood Production.” Sabina Dhungana (DOF), Mike Davis (NOVEC), and Corey Connors (Virginia Forestry Association) will be speaking on the panel moderated by Justin Barnes (DOF and VNRLI Faculty).

Check your inbox for the link to join!

If you need to update your VNRLI contact or did not receive the link, you can submit a request to our Alumni contact form, linked below:

Alumni Contact Information | Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute, U.Va. July 22, 2015 -- clh3x First Name: * Last Name: * Year Graduated: * Address State/Province Zip Code Country Email Address: * Additional Information You Would Like Us To Have Leave this field blank CAPTCHAThis question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spa...

Looking forward to Environment Virginia this week to connect with other professionals in the natural resources field as well as our VNRLI alumni! We will have a booth, so come say hi and ask us about VNRLI if you are new to the program. For alumni, we will also be posted up with VNRLI alumni stickers for you to add to your name badge, so you can easily identify and connect with one another. See you there!

Interested in joining next year's cohort? We are pleased to announce that the 2023-2024 Application for the Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute is now open! If you know of any great candidates or organizations who should be part of next year's program, we would be grateful if you would consider sending them this information or sharing with them about your experience. Applications are due June 2nd, and scholarship assistance is available. Visit our website for more information, and to view the application.

VNRLI Application | Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute, U.Va. The application for the 2023-2024 program is now open! Completed applications, including one recommendation, are due by June 2, 2023, and can be emailed to [email protected] or mail to VNRLI at PO Box 400179 Charlottesville, VA 22904. Click on the following links to access the application, as well...

Do you know someone who deserves recognition for doing great or innovative work in conflict resolution and collaboration on environmental issues? We want to know!

The Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute is now accepting nominations for the 2023 McCarthy Award, which is presented annually to an individual who has taken a leadership role in preserving and protecting Virginia's environment by fostering collaboration and conflict resolution.

Please help us recognize and celebrate those who are fostering, encouraging, and initiating great collaborative work by submitting a nomination. It is not hard and doesn’t take long. Help make someone’s day by nominating them for this award!

Nominations forms for the 2023 award are due by Monday, March 6th and should be submitted to Alexandra Cook at [email protected]. The award will be presented at the VNRLI Graduation on June 8th, 2023, in Charlottesville. You can find the nomination form and learn more about the award here.

Questions about the award can be directed to Alexandra Cook at [email protected].

The Institute for Engagement & Negotiation is excited to share the hiring of our new Events and Training Programs Manager, Alexandra Cook! Alexandra is the rejoining the IEN team after serving as Programs Coordinator for Project Yoga Richmond. She previously worked in various capacities at IEN including work on the Governor’s Summit for Equitable Collaboration, VNRLI, the Virginia Rural Health Plan, and many others.

VNRLI Alumni - please look for information from Alexandra regarding our monthly Lunch Bites series, invitations to sessions, and other programming.

Welcome Alexandra!

The VNRLI class of 2023 began on Wednesday with the first session at Graves Mountain Lodge. Fellows were introduced to topics including- leadership, conflict resolution, environmental justice, community resilience, mindfulness, and team building. We look forward to our next session in November with this amazing class!

The Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute (VNRLI) Class of 2022 had their final session in Charlottesville VA. Fellows learned about personal leadership strategies, attended panels on women in leadership and addressing legacies of harm in natural resource protection and land conservation, and were able to have a tour of the Memorial for Enslaved Laborers located on University of Virginia's campus.

The class of 2022 concluded with the graduation ceremony and presentation of the 2022 McCarthy award, presented to this years recipient Bettina Ring. On behalf of the VNRLI faculty we thank this year's class for a wonderful graduation program and for an amazing year!

The Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute (VNRLI) kicked off the new year with a virtual 3rd session. Fellows worked on emotional intelligence, consensus building, and preparing for negotiation, among many other topics. The class was also fortunate to hear from some outstanding guest speakers, including Sheri Shannon, Jeremy Hoffman, and Nissa Dean as part of the "Redlining to Greenlining in the City of Richmond" panel, Dawone Robinson, Martha Moore, and Peggy Sanner for the "Role of Lobbying in Virginia's Legislative Process" panel, and Beth Roach who spoke on "Building Bridges: Nottoway Resilience." We look forward to VNRLI's next session in March!

The first session of the 2021-2022 VNRLI kicks off today at Grave's Mountain Lodge! This is the program's first in-person session since March, 2020 and we are thrilled to meet the members of the Class of 2022.

The first-ever fully remote VNRLI program is complete! Congratulations to the graduates of VNRLI's Class of 2021 who showed incredible resilience and strength as we navigated the year together virtually. We can’t wait to celebrate and meet the class in person in the near future.

A reminder that applications for the VNRLI 2021-2022 program are due on June 14th! You can find the application and more information at https://vnrli.ien.virginia.edu/vnrli-application

VNRLI Application | Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute, U.Va. The application is available here, and is due by June 14, 2021 to Tammy Switzer ([email protected]) Dates/Locations/Topics* *Topics reflect material covered in previous years and are subject to change based on the location selected. Session 1, September 22-24, 2021 - Location TBD: Foundational comm...

We are now accepting nominations for the 2021 McCarthy Award, which is presented annually to an individual who has taken a leadership role in preserving and protecting Virginia's environment by fostering collaboration and conflict resolution.

Nominations are due May 3rd - you can find the nomination form and more information at https://vnrli.ien.virginia.edu/mccarthy-award

VNRLI is honored to be part of the Governor's Summit on Equitable Collaboration on February 17th & 25th. Registration is free and open to all. Participants will learn about principles of Equitable Collaboration & explore how they may advance equity across a variety of policy areas.

You can learn more and register at https://www.equitablecollaboration.org

GSEC 2021 Governor's Summit on Equitable Collaboration

We are grateful for the Class of 2021 and the tools that allow us to meet virtually during this unpredictable year.

Wishing you a happy and safe Thanksgiving from all of us at VNRLI!

This year has introduced all kinds of uncertainties, and impacted training budgets for many organizations. To allow time for organizations with prospective applicants to gain a better understanding of their financial outlook, we are extending the VNRLI application deadline until September 30th and have delayed the first session until November.

We have made many adjustments to adapt VNRLI to a virtual setting, ensuring that participants will receive a high level experience and opportunities for connection with classmates. We're excited to share these with the Class of 2021!

You can find the application, new schedule, and more information at https://vnrli.ien.virginia.edu/vnrli-application

Applications for the 2020-2021 program are due on Monday! You can find the schedule and more information at https://vnrli.ien.virginia.edu/vnrli-application

VNRLI Application | Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute, U.Va.

The Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute is excited to announce that Ebonie Alexander has been named the 2020 McCarthy Award recipient. The award is presented annually to an individual who has taken a leadership role in preserving and protecting Virginia's environment by fostering collaboration and conflict resolution.

Ebonie is distinguished by her skills and accomplishments in conflict resolution, specifically her work navigating the interests involved in garnering support for the Uniform Partition of Heirs Property Act (UPHPA) and her career dedicated to advocacy on behalf of underserved communities. We are especially proud that Ebonie is a VNRLI alumna (Class of 2018). You can learn more about her work at https://vnrli.ien.virginia.edu/2020-mccarthy-award-recipient-ebonie-alexander

The application for the 2020-2021 VNRLI is now available! You find the application (due June 8th) and more information about our plans for the 2020-2021 program at https://vnrli.ien.virginia.edu/vnrli-application

Under normal circumstances, we would be kicking off Session 5 this week in Southwest Virginia. Instead the Class of 2020 gathered yesterday via video conference to discuss equitable collaboration and designing effective public engagement. Today we're working on environmental justice, dueling science, and the Clinch River Valley Initiative!

We’ve learned a lot about sustainable forestry at this session. Many thanks to Drew Arnn and Tom Burke (with the Virginia Department of Forestry), and Mr. Graves for sharing their knowledge and expertise with us!

Session 4 kicks off today in Danville! We heard terrific flash presentations from five Fellows, and will spend the rest of the day on prepping for negotiation, servant leadership, and green GNP.

We are now accepting nominations for the 2020 McCarthy Award, presented annually to an individual who has taken a leadership role in preserving and protecting Virginia’s environment by fostering collaboration and conflict resolution.

You can find the nomination form (due March 9th) and more information at https://ien.virginia.edu/mccarthy-award