Mission:

The NextGen Leaders Caucus will serve as a dedicated forum for individuals in the first five years of their emergency management careers. Our mission is to foster meaningful connections, promote professional growth, and help build a capable, sustainable workforce to strengthen Virginia’s emergency management community for years to come.

Membership Tiers:

Leadership:
  • Co-Chairs: Riley McConnell & Alex Tran
  • Vice Chair: Eric Petroski
  • Secretary: Caleb Meyer
  • VEMA REP: Rebecca Heins

Contact: [email protected] 
Sign Up Here: https://forms.gle/ZG6XwXVPP1U56GFP9

Initiatives:

Initiative

Objective

Lead

Professional Development

Identify, curate, and provide access to high‑value professional development resources that support early‑career growth, focusing on transferable skills such as communication, leadership, public speaking, project management, and general workplace competencies.

Sydney Smiley
Osjané Mayfield

Training Pathways

Develop a structured training pathway that equips early‑career professionals with foundational emergency management knowledge, standardized incident management concepts, general hazard awareness, and core technical and operational skills needed across preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation roles.

Ashley Waite Shifflett

Job Readiness

Create and deliver job‑readiness resources, workshops, and activities that strengthen essential workforce skills and improve employment opportunities for early‑career professionals.

Taylor Childrey

Speaker Series

Host relevant speakers to share insights on career paths, lessons learned, and best practices that enhance professional knowledge and broaden perspectives.

Co Chairs

Mentorship Program

Launch a mentorship initiative connecting early-career professionals with experienced emergency management leaders to provide guidance, career advice, and networking opportunities.

Co Chairs