Resilient Virginia to Host Webinar on Regional Resilience Roadmap for Central and Southwest Virginia

Accomac, VA — March 15, 2026 — Resilient Virginia will host an upcoming webinar, “Spotlight On the Regional Resilience Roadmap for Central and Southwest Virginia,” on April 2, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. ET.

This virtual session will highlight the recently launched Regional Resilience Roadmap, released in March 2026, and its role in guiding long-term investment, collaboration, and action across the region.

Developed through extensive engagement with local governments, businesses, community organizations, and residents, the roadmap serves as a shared framework for identifying regional priorities, addressing key challenges, and advancing ongoing resilience efforts.

The roadmap outlines strategies to address critical issues such as climate impacts, aging infrastructure, funding gaps, and economic transitions, while also emphasizing the region’s strengths and assets. By leveraging these assets, communities can enhance resilience, protect natural resources, and support long-term economic stability.

By aligning regional priorities and strategies, the roadmap is designed to help attract investment, strengthen cross-sector collaboration, and prepare communities for emerging risks and opportunities. It also advances equitable outcomes and supports the protection of the natural and cultural resources that define Central and Southwest Virginia.

As both a strategic guide and coordination tool, the roadmap empowers leaders and stakeholders to align resources, build partnerships, and take collective action to support a more resilient and prosperous future for the region.

Register for the webinar at https://givebutter.com/SpotlightOnRegionalRoadmap.

About Resilient Virginia

Resilient Virginia is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing resilience planning and implementation across the Commonwealth. Through partnerships, research, and capacity-building initiatives, Resilient Virginia works to equip communities, businesses, and institutions with the tools and knowledge needed to adapt to change and thrive in an increasingly complex environment.

Media Contact

Trish Porter
Director of Programs and Communications
Resilient Virginia
trish@resilientvirginia.org

Exploring What Resilience Looks Like: 2026 Resiliency Academy

2026 Resilience Academy: Exploring What Resilience Looks Like

This comprehensive webinar series explores the principles, tools, and strategies needed to understand and strengthen resilience in social, ecological, and community systems.
Find Out More
more posts:

Talk With Us About Your Needs

Have a resilience challenge, project idea, funding opportunity, or capacity need? Tell us a little about what you’re working on and where you could use support.

Stay in the Loop

Get Resilient Virginia news, program updates, learning opportunities, events, resources, and ways to get involved delivered to your inbox.

Explore an Industry Partnership

Start a Strategic Partnership Conversation

Talk With Us About Partnership

Trish Porter

Director of Programs & Communications

Trish Porter is the Director of Programs and Communications at Resilient Virginia, where she develops and leads programs focused on resilience, systems thinking, and cross-sector collaboration. She is the co-creator and curriculum lead for the Resilience Foundations Certificate Program and served as lead author of the Regional Resilience Roadmap for Central and Southwest Virginia.

In her role, Trish oversees statewide educational initiatives including the Resiliency Academy, Spotlight On Webinar series, and the biennial Resilient Virginia Conference. She works closely with local governments, nonprofits, academic institutions, and state agencies to support resilience planning, knowledge sharing, and collaborative problem-solving across sectors.

Trish specializes in translating complex resilience and sustainability concepts into practical, accessible learning experiences for local leaders, practitioners, and communities. She holds a Master of Natural Resources with a Graduate Certificate in Global Sustainability from Virginia Tech and brings a multidisciplinary background in sustainability, communications, education, and strategic program development.

Jessica Steelman

Executive Director

Jessica is a systems-level resilience and sustainability practitioner with experience leading nonprofit strategy, cross-sector partnerships, community-centered planning, and resilience implementation across Virginia. She brings a multidisciplinary background in coastal resilience, behavioral health, community engagement, grant strategy, and organizational leadership, with a focus on strengthening the natural, built, economic, and social systems that communities depend on.

Her work centers on connecting people, resources, and ideas across public, private, nonprofit, academic, and regional networks to move resilience priorities from planning into practical action. Through strategic leadership, program design, partnership development, and resource mobilization, she helps communities and organizations build capacity, reduce risk, and advance more resilient and sustainable futures.

Customized Learning Request

Media Inquiry

For media inquiries, interviews, speaking requests, organizational background, or information related to whole-community resilience in Virginia, connect with our team.

Get Alliance Updates

Stay connected to the Collaborative Alliance and receive updates on upcoming quarterly forums, emerging resilience issues, shared resources, statewide insights, and opportunities to participate in the network.

Join the Dashboard Pilot

Sign up to receive pilot access and opportunities to provide feedback.

Get Conference Updates

Be the first to know when registration opens and receive conference announcements.

NEXT RESILIENCY ACADEMY JUNE 25: Proactive Resilience: Planning, Adapting, and Mitigating Hazards Before They Strike

Register Now!