Resilient Virginia Conference
Where Virginia's Resilience Community Comes Together
A statewide gathering for learning, connection, and action – bringing together practitioners, community leaders, partners, businesses, researchers, and decision-makers working to strengthen resilience across the Commonwealth.
2025 Conference Highlight
The 2025 Resilient Virginia Conference, held at James Madison University, brought together more than 200 leaders, practitioners, researchers, community advocates, and partners from across the Commonwealth for two days of learning, connection, and collaboration. The conference theme, Moving Virginia Forward, focused on innovative approaches to resilience at the state, regional, and community levels, with particular emphasis on climate adaptation, equity, economic sustainability, and systems-based solutions. Resilient Virginia
Through plenary sessions, breakout discussions, workshops, exhibits, networking, and hands-on experiences, participants explored emerging policy, research, funding opportunities, resilient infrastructure, community health, and practical strategies already being put into action across Virginia. The conference was designed to strengthen local capacity, break down silos, and create lasting connections that could continue supporting resilience work beyond the event itself.
2025 Conference · Moving Virginia Forward
James Madison University · Harrisonburg, Virginia
Sponsor Connection. Support Action.
Sponsor the 2027 Resilient Virginia Conference to support statewide resilience learning, collaboration, and action while gaining visibility with communities, partners, practitioners, and decision-makers across Virginia.
Sponsorship opportunities are currently in development, with additional details to be shared as conference planning progresses.
Resilient Virginia Conference Archives
2025 Resilient Virginia Conference: Moving Virginia Forward
The 2025 Resilient Virginia Conference accelerated resilience action across the Commonwealth by equipping communities with practical tools, shared strategies, and lasting connections. Participants gained insights into emerging policy, research, and funding opportunities while learning directly from peers implementing solutions on the ground.
Through keynote, plenary, breakout, and hands-on workshop sessions, the conference strengthened local capacity, broke down silos, and elevated proven approaches to climate adaptation, equitable resilience planning, resilient infrastructure, and community health. By fostering cross-sector collaboration and peer exchange, the 2025 conference helped spark community-led change and advance resilience efforts that continue well beyond the event.
Plenary Speakers
Greg Steele, Commonwealth of Virginia Chief Resilience Officer
Remy Pengle, JMU CASE
Matthew Wells, DCR
Chris Berg, VDOT
Thomas Ballou, VA DEQ
Becky Gwynn, VA DWR
Daniel Johnson, VDEM
Keynote Speaker
Jennifer Watson, Watson World Wide
2023 Resilient Virginia Conference: Economic Opportunities for Community Resilience
The 2023 Resilient Virginia Conference showcased how businesses and communities can work together to strengthen resilience while advancing economic, health, and equity outcomes. The conference highlighted strategies from urban and rural communities for assessing climate risk, responding to extreme weather, and building resilience in the face of ongoing climate challenges that affect community vitality. Discussions also underscored the transformative opportunity created by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act, which are catalyzing new investments in clean energy, infrastructure resilience, and workforce development across the Commonwealth.
Plenary Speakers
Matthew Wells, VA DCR
Delaney Luna, International Economic Development Council (IEDC)
Karen McGlathery, UVA Environmental Institute
Valeria Panacio, FEMA Region 3
Toni Utterback, City of Virginia Beach
Bill Shobe, UVA
Henry “Speaker” Pollard V, Williams Mullen
Hope Cupit, SERCAP and Virginia Western Community College
Bella Purdy, Weston & Sampson
2021 Resilient Virginia Conference: From Recovery to Resilience
Plenary Speakers
Krystal Laymon, White House Council on Environmental Quality
Michael Bilney, Cardno
Christopher Miller, Piedmont Environmental Council
Amanda Martin, State of North Carolina
Ann Phillips, Office of Governor of Virginia
Shaun O’Rourke, Rhode Island Infrastructure Bank
Cooper Martin, National League of Cities
Matthew Tejada, Office of Environmental Justice, US EPA
Curtis Brown, VDEM
Renee Hoyos, DEQ
Kendyl Crawford, Virginia Interfaith Power and Light
Kenneth Kunkel – North Carolina Institute for Climate Studies
Jeremy Hoffman – Science Museum of Virginia
Jessica Whitehead – ODU ICAR
2019 Resilient Virginia Conference: Connecting Rural and Urban Communities
Plenary Speakers
Joshua Saks, Commonwealth of Virginia
Karen McGlathery, UVA ERI
Brad Townsend, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions
Jane English, NAACP
Anthony Flaccavento, SCALE: Sequestering Carbon, Accelerating Local Economies
Amy Thompson, Perkins + Will
Jewel Bronaugh, VDACS
Chris Wiefard, Citizens Climate Lobby
Lee Williams, Virginia Green New Deal
Karla Loeb, Sigora Solar
Andrea Trimble, UVA
Susan Elliott, City of Charlottesville
Narissa Turner, County of Albemarle
Ben McFarlane, HRPDC
2017 Resilient Virginia Conference: Connecting Communities, Business, and Educators for Resiliency Solutions
The 2017 Resilient Virginia Conference, themed Connecting Communities, Business, and Educators for Resilience Solutions, built on the inaugural conference’s goals of expanding the state’s capacity for resiliency planning. Supported by the office of Virginia Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security Brian Moran and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, the conference brought together business leaders, educators, government officials, and community representatives to share strategies, explore regional resiliency priorities, and develop practical tools for action. Through plenary sessions, workshops, and networking opportunities, participants gained insights to strengthen resiliency planning across both public and private sectors throughout Virginia.
Plenary Speakers
Brian Moran, Commonwealth of Virginia
Alice Hill, Hoover Institution
Timothy Manning, Berglind-Manning l.c.
Charles Sutcliffe, State of Louisiana
Molly Urbina, State of Colorado
Katerina Oskarsson, City of Norfolk
Stephen Cauffman, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
2016 Resilient Virginia Conference: Activating Communities and Businesses for a More Resilient Future
The 2016 Resilient Virginia Conference, held March 22–23 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center, was the Commonwealth’s first statewide convening focused on building resilience. Bringing together community leaders, business stakeholders, and government representatives, the conference explored strategies to address environmental, social, and economic challenges while equipping participants to lead resiliency efforts in their communities. Through plenary sessions, workshops, and case studies, attendees examined topics ranging from national security and infrastructure risks to agricultural resilience, emergency preparedness, and the business case for planning. The conference also highlighted progress on state initiatives, including the Virginia Climate Change and Resiliency Update Commission’s recommendations and the Clean Power Plan.
Plenary Speakers
Brian Moran, Commonwealth of Virginia
Alan Hecht, US EPA
Cecil Rodrigues, US EPA Region 3
Donald Lumpkins, FEMA
Harriet Tregoning, US HUD
Emily Steinhilber, ODU
Michelle Covi, ODU
Ben McFarlane, HRPDC
Adam Thiel, Office of the Governor
2016–2025 Conference Sponsors & Exhibitors
2rw Consultants
AEP
AH Environmental Consultants
Apex Clean Energy
Arcadis
Berkley Group
Birch Studio
Brown and Caldwell
C3
Cardno
CDM Smith
Christian & Barton, LLP
City of Roanoke
Clark Nexsen
CleanChoice Energy
Community Resilience Consulting
Convention Connections
County of Henrico
DC Green Scene
DC Sustainable Energy Utility
Dewberry
Dominion Electric Vehicles
Dominion Energy
E2
Ecology and Environment, Inc
Energy News Network
Env. Health News
EVNOIRE
Facility Engineering Associates
GE Power
Generation 180
GMU ISE
GMU VCC
Grimm + Parker
Hazen
JMU CASE
Johnson Controls
Launch! Consulting
Marion Construction
Marstel Day
McGuire Woods
Mead & Hunt
ODEC
ODU ICAR
ODU Resilience Collaborative
PEC
Perkins + Will
Recovery Diva
RES
Revitalization News
Rinker Materials
Secure Futures
Security & Sustainability Forum
SERCAP
Smith Group JJR
Southeast Energy News
Stantec
Sun Tribe
Tetra Tech
The Daily Climate
The Nature Conservancy
Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission
United Soybean Board
US EPA
USGBC
UVA EI
VA DCR
VA DEQ
VA DHCD
VA Energy
VA PACE Authority
VCC
VDACS
VDOT
VRA
VT CLiGS
W&M VIMS
Water Management, Inc
Weston & Sampson
Williams Mullen
Witt O’Brien’s
Zillient