This is my final newsletter article as President of VEMA. Two years have flown by. Finding the words to express the joy and privilege it has been serving VEMA in this capacity is extremely difficult. VEMA has such a special place in my heart. I have met so many people and learned so many things by being a part of this organization and I want to just say thank you.

Thank you to the other officers and the VEMA Board Members who served with me the past two years. There is no doubt that your leadership, insight, and collaboration has made VEMA better.

Thank you to the Committee Chairs who took on the role of leading our groups that create the member experience and provide the membership benefits. Your work and contributions are what grows and sustains our organization.

Thank you to the VDEM leadership who partnered with me over the past two years to ensure that we were working together to improve emergency management for everyone. Your engagement and openness with me and our executive committee created a strategic powerhouse where we could work side by side amplifying and supporting one another.

And, of course, thank you to every VEMA member. Your trust, support, and confidence in me as your President is truly humbling. I hope that I was able to show you that leading an organization that represents nearly 900 individual professionals was a role that I loved and one that I took seriously.  I hope I served you well.

We have been lucky to have the same Executive Committee for two whole years. At VEMS we will welcome the next set of officers in their new roles. I am very excited to see who VEMA elects to continue moving us forward. In transitioning to the Immediate Past President role, I will support the new President and officers as much as they would like – and I hope that you all will continue the same level of support for them that you have shown me.

I look forward to seeing you in March at Hotel Roanoke for VEMS! 

Jess Robison, VEMA President