2022 Cohort
The National Conservation Foundation (NCF) announced names of the seven participants selected to participate in the 2022 cohort of the Next Generation Leadership Institute (NGLI).
NGLI was launched in August of 2019 as a year-long program to advance conservation leadership. Created in response to a high demand for leadership instruction for conservation district leaders facing the challenges of a changing world, NGLI was established to provide conservation professionals with the tools to become national leaders through personal, civic, and organizational leadership development.
Learn more about the 2022 Cohort.
Meet the 2022 Cohort
Jamie Irving
New Hampshire
Though currently residing in the Lakes Region of central New Hampshire, Jamie has lived and traveled throughout the United States, Caribbean and Central America. After briefly attending college in both Wyoming and Colorado, Jamie returned to New Hampshire to finish an undergraduate degree in environmental studies at Colby-Sawyer College.
Jennifer Casey
Florida
Jennifer Casey is the granddaughter of sharecroppers and her family has lived in Jacksonville for three generations. Her 43 years have been filled with books, music, faith and a large extended family. She is enormously grateful to share life with her husband of 22 years and their three children in a beautiful and diverse city on the St. Johns River.
Josh Smith
New Mexico
Josh is a practicing attorney with the Law Office of Joshua L. Smith, LLC in New Mexico, focused on water rights, real estate, business law, commercial transactions, agricultural law and estate planning and has over 15 years of experience doing so. Josh is also a licensed real estate broker in New Mexico focused on Farm and Ranch, Commercial and Residential transactions and a part-time farmer and rancher.
Laura Boyd
Ohio
Laura Boyd is an environmental professional with over ten years of experience addressing a multitude of environmental compliance issues for the public and private sectors. Her professional experience provides her with an in-depth knowledge of federal, state, and local environmental rules and regulations.
Samuel “Grant” Victor, JR.
Oklahoma
Grant is fortunate to be able to reside on his great grandmother’s Cherokee Indian allotment as a 4th generation farmer/rancher. He assisted with this endeavor with my wife and three sons. Each generation practiced and taught the importance of preserving our natural resources.
Terri Preeg-Riggsby
Oregon
Terri is an experienced, publicly-elected leader with a demonstrated history of successfully working in the conservation field. She is skilled in Watershed Management, Policy Analysis, Collaborative Decision-making, Performance Auditing, Public Speaking and Grant Writing.
Vaughn T. Poe
Alabama
Vaughn T. is a retired Marine Corps Officer with a passion for people, agriculture and innovation. He has served in leadership capacities across the globe; spanning over two decades, including several combat tours. Having no heir property or generational assets, he purchased, built, and maintains PoeFolks Cattle Company, LLC; a registered Brangus operation nestled in rural West Alabama.
You need to have people out there that are willing to share their conservation story. NGLI provides cohort members with the tools for growing as future conservation leaders at the state level that want to take on additional leadership positions and be more effective in communicating that story and implementing impactful projects. It takes some confidence in yourself and it takes a real skill to be able to fine tune that message. It is all a learning experience in NGLI, and it is an important one.