Identifying and Reducing Hazard Pathways

Accomac, VA — March 19, 2026 — Resilient Virginia will host the second session of its 2026 Resiliency Academy webinar series on April 16 from 12:00–1:30 p.m. ET. Titled “From Change to Impact: Identifying and Reducing Hazard Pathways,” the session will continue building participants’ knowledge and skills to better understand and strengthen resilience across social, ecological, and community systems.

The 2026 Resiliency Academy is a 10-session series designed to explore the principles, tools, and strategies necessary for advancing resilience. Each session builds on the last, providing a structured, sequential learning experience that deepens participants’ understanding over time.

The April session will focus on expert scoping — an essential process for identifying community hazards and developing practical, forward-looking solutions. Participants will gain insights into how to assess risks and translate complex challenges into actionable strategies that support more resilient communities.

The session will feature Tom Peterson, Founder, President, and CEO of The Center for Climate Strategies, who will share his expertise on hazard identification and solution development.

Register for the webinar at https://givebutter.com/2026-resiliency-academy-session-2

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.
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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.

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

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