The Virginia Executive Institute (VEI) hosted by the Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute within the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs celebrated the graduation of its Fall 2025 cohort on October 24 at the historic Virginia Capitol. This exceptional group of leaders from across the Commonwealth spent two weeks honing their leadership skills and tackling some of Virginia’s most pressing challenges.

A Transformative Leadership Journey

The program kicked off with an immersive week in Charlottesville, where participants delved into core leadership principles. Utilizing tools like the 360 Assessment, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, and EQ-I (Emotional Intelligence Assessment), they developed a stronger sense of self-awareness, a foundational leadership skill. Throughout the week, these leaders explored a range of critical topics —including tackling tough conversations, negotiation tactics, innovation, and design-thinking – led by distinguished guest speakers, including Katharine Bond from iliox Advisors and Manjari Kumarappan from VCU’s da Vinci Center for Innovation.

Week Two, held in October in Virginia Beach, built on the foundational skills developed during Week One and took participants deeper into advanced leadership concepts. Attendees explored the influence of organizational culture, the future with artificial intelligence, strategies for managing up, and effective crisis communication with leadership experts Harold Clarke, former Director of the Department of Corrections, Paula Otto, President of Otto Training and Consulting, Janet Lawson, Director of the Department of Human Resource Management, and VCU professors Jason Burkett and Christopher Whyte.

This dynamic and rigorous curriculum equipped participants with tools and offered varying perspectives required to navigate the complexities of leadership in Virginia’s public sector, culminating in the impactful Leadership Challenge presentations.

Leadership Challenge Presentations

A key feature of VEI is the opportunity to discuss and address real and current leaders encounter in state government. As part of the VEI experience, each participant works in a small group representing multiple agencies to address a challenge or opportunity facing the Commonwealth.  

The Fall 2025 Cohort’s final projects addressed critical topics:

1. Mind the Gap: Workforce Retirements and the Loss of Institutional Wisdom: Virginia’s public workforce faces a critical transition as retirements threaten institutional knowledge and skills, prompting a leadership initiative to strengthen talent pipelines, improve dual incumbency policy, and ensure knowledge transfer to build a more adaptive and future-ready workforce.
   - Anton Daniel, VDC; Jamey Doran, VITA; Wendy Howard Cooper, VDOT; Charlotte Lee, Compensation Board; Karen Schettino, VA Tax
2. Invisible No More: Increasing Project Lifesaver Awareness: The initiative seeks to expand Virginia’s Project Lifesaver program to improve statewide access and awareness, enhancing safety for individuals with cognitive disorders and providing greater peace of mind for their families and caregivers.
   - Ray Dunkle, Virginia Lottery; Chiquita Hills, VA Tax; Colleen Maxwell VPB; Lauren Mollerup VDOT; Laverne Morris, VSU
3. Smart Commonwealth: AI Literacy for All: This project aims to enhance AI literacy across Virginia’s state government by assessing risks, identifying best practices from other states, and developing tailored strategies for AI safety training, outreach, and education to ensure employees can use AI responsibly and effectively.
   - Bryant Bays, VDF; Tamarah Holmes, Ph.D, DHCD; Sumi Lanneau, VA Energy; Scott Marshall, SCC; Megan Scanlon, Court of Appeals
4. Empowering the Digital Citizens of the Future: This project aims to empower young Virginians to become responsible digital citizens by developing strategies to help schools educate K–12 students on digital literacy, online safety, and fraud prevention amid evolving technological risks.
   - Shawn Casey, CCA; Mike Cizenski, SCC; Lauren Cunningham, DBHDS; Samantha Guzman, DPOR; Theresa Hunter, DFP

To see the full presentations, visit here. 

These presentations demonstrated the cohort’s ability to apply their learning to actionable strategies for positive change within the Commonwealth. Please explore their presentations and contact any of our esteemed VEI graduates with questions or to discuss how we can implement these ideas going forward.

Recognizing the Graduates

VEI’s Fall 2025 graduates represent diverse expertise and dedication to public service. Congratulations to:

About the Virginia Executive Institute

VEI, part of the Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute at VCU’s L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, has been developing senior leaders in Virginia state government for over twenty years, helping these participants lead with vision, adapt to change, nurture innovation, and build a robust network of public service professionals dedicated to improving and enhancing the lives of citizens across the Commonwealth.

The Fall 2025 graduates are now part of VEI’s distinguished alumni network of over 1,500 leaders across the state. As they return to their agencies, their work will continue to create meaningful impact in Virginia.

Congratulations, graduates, and thank you for your commitment to leadership and service!

For more information about VEI, visit:  https://gehli.vcu.edu/trainings-and-institutes/virginia-executive-institute-vei/