About

Below is a list of the dedicated individuals who worked behind the scenes to bring the 2022 conference program together with a balance of topics and voices.  

Also below, you will find links to available previous conference materials, including links to videos, the conference program, or any white papers produced by the attendees.


Program Advisory Committee

The symposium is produced each year thanks to the collective endeavor of staff at the VMI Center for Leadership and Ethics and our Conference Planning Committee.  Together, they combine the expertise of event hosting and environmental program planning and development.

VMI’s Center for Leadership and Ethics hosts the Environment Virginia Symposium along with several other national conferences which tackle complex issues of national urgency.  The Center’s offices are located in Marshall Hall, a certified green venue location.

 

State Government

  • Sharon Baxter, Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
  • Mereym Karad, Policy and Communications Advisor to the Secretary of Natural Resources at Office of Governor
  • Frank Stovall, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation
  • Michelle Stoll, Department of Forestry

Federal Government

  • Miranda Ryan, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Norfolk District

Regional Government

  • Adrienne Kotula, Chesapeake Bay Commission

Local Government

  • Richard Street, Virginia Environmental Professionals Organization

Business

  • Tina Bickerstaff, EEC
  • Amy Connelly, Wetland Studies and Solutions
  • Chris Stone, Clark Nexsen
  • Joe West, AECOM

Industry

  • Ruth Debrito, Smithfield Foods, Inc.
  • Jason Ericson, Dominion Energy
  • Matt Wells, WestRock

NGO

  • Harry Godfrey, Virginia Advanced Energy Economy
  • Joe Maroon, Virginia Environmental Endowment
  • Kendra Norrell, Institute for Sustainable Communities
  • Mary Rafferty, Virginia Conservation Network
  • Peggy Sanner, Chesapeake Bay Foundation
  • Kendall Tyree, VA Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts
  • Ross Weaver, Wetlands Watch
  • Tamim Younos, Green Water-Infrastructure Academy

  • Program Chairman: Col. David Gray, Director, Center for Leadership and Ethics
  • Program Coordinator: Lt. Col. Kim Connolly, Assistant Director for Programs and Conferences, Center for Leadership and Ethics
  • Conference and Marketing Assistant: MayAnn Doan, Center for Leadership and Ethics

 

Resources from Past Conferences

 More collected playlist video resources (for all our speaker events) may be found on the Center's YouTube Channel.