Editor: Laura M. Bies
LI Newsletter Subcommittee Chair: Allison Fowler
Reporters: Christine Carmichael, Will Roberts, and Maggie Thomas

6th Class of the Leadership Institute Meets in Hawaii 

The 6th class of the Leadership Institute met in Kailua Kona on the big island of Hawaii during TWS’ Annual Conference in early November 2011. Participants stayed busy with 4 discussion sessions, 2 Council meetings, a Leadership Institute Participant and Alumni Reception, the Student Professional Mixer, meeting with their Council mentors in person, and taking part in the student mentoring program. 

Overall, more than 1800 attendees and guests took in the breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean and explored a variety of local natural wonders while enjoying presentations of over 205 contributed papers, 200 invited symposia speakers, 250 contributed posters, and 16 workshops, to name a few. The Plenary session on “Uniting for a Common Goal — The Conservation of Wildlife and their Habitats” began with a speech from last year’s Aldo Leopold Award winner, Dr. Douglas Johnson, and included moving speeches from Simon Roosevelt of the Boone & Crockett Club (and great, great grandson of President Theodore Roosevelt) and Catherine Semcer, Senior Washington, DC Representative of the Sierra Club. The conference also marked the passing of the TWS leadership torch from Past-President Tom Ryder to President Paul Krausman. 

A number of LI alums made it to the meeting, including several who moderated discussions during the LI sessions and attended the LI reception and student professional mixer. Thanks to Katie Moriarty (2006), Mindy Rice (2009), Kent Fricke (2010), Kris Boyd (2010), and Kerry Nicholson (2009) for moderating the discussions and panel!

The 2011 Class provided feedback about their experience in a survey, identifying highlights from the conference and the LI experience overall. Participants enjoyed finally meeting one another in person and discussing each of their perspectives on the LI experience. Past-President Tom Ryder’s speech was also a highlight for many participants who enjoyed his heartfelt and genuine approach and his leadership advice for the group. 

The 2006 class also recently submitted surveys, reflecting on their LI experience 5 years out. Several 2006 alums noted how the lessons they learned through LI have been useful in their personal and professional lives, including giving them the confidence needed to take a more active role within their TWS state chapter or working groups by pursuing leadership positions within their subunits. The most valuable aspect of the LI experience to 2006 alums included learning more about the inner workings of TWS, interacting with Council and other young professionals, and growing confidence.

Alumni news

Read about promotions, awards, and leadership positions recently attained by LI alums

Jessica Dowler, LI Class 2011, was recently elected to the Board of the Minnesota Prairie Chicken Society. 

Bridgette Flanders-Wanner, LI Class 2006, and husband Greg welcomed their first child, son Sage Coteau Wanner, into the world on September 22, 2011.

Kent Fricke, LI Class 2010, was elected Chair-elect of the Student Professional Development Working Group in November 2011.

Angela Fuller, LI Class 2008, participated in a 5-day faculty leadership development program offered by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University and facilitated by Organizational Development Services at Cornell.  The program focused on personal leadership style; communication and relationship-building skills for engaging and motivating others, building trust, establishing organizational culture, providing direction, giving and receiving feedback, and resolving conflict; leading project teams and complex organizations; methodology for leading, sponsoring, and supporting change; and designing and executing an individualized learning and action plan for professional and organizational development.

Jordona Kirby, LI Class 2006, was re-elected as the Secretary/Treasurer for the Wildlife Diseases Working Group.

Katlin Miller, LI Class 2009, is currently volunteering as a research assistant in Australia at the Cape Otway Conservation Ecology Center, an independent, non-profit organization focused on conserving and understanding Australian ecosystems through ecological research, community-based conservation, and wildlife rehabilitation.  In addition to caring for the center's orphan koala and wallaby joeys, she has just begun a study on the use of artificial latrine sites by endangered tiger quolls.

Marsha Ward, LI Class 2007, was elected as the Secretary for the Florida Chapter of The Wildlife Society. She also received her Certified Wildlife Biologist certification.

Leadership: Training opportunities

The National Conservation Leadership Institute
This organization offers advanced leadership training to a select group of natural resource professionals identified by their nominating organizations as “high potentials.” Applications will be accepted for this extraordinary professional development experience from February 1 until April 30, 2012. Learn more at http://www.conservationleadership.org/. 

The Pennsylvnia Institute for Conservation Education
This organization offers programs including field seminars and retreats, master naturalist training, and teacher education. Additionally, they offer a Wildlife Leadership Academy for youth ages 14-17 which is accepting applications through April 1, 2012. Learn more about these programs at http://www.piceweb.org/programs.htm. 

Where are they now?

Read about what an LI alum is up to now and what they have achieved since they participated.

Erin Patrick (Leadership Institute Class of 2006) has been a Rabies Wildlife Biologist with Wildlife Services under the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) for seven years. She works in Tennessee and Kentucky to prevent the westward spread of raccoon rabies. 

She immensely enjoys the hands-on field work such as trapping, taking samples, specimen tracking, and administering air and ground oral vaccinations. She also finds great satisfaction in her work dealing with the public, describing her science and how it benefits our natural resources, economy, and safeguards human populations against the dangerous disease.

Erin became a member of The Wildlife Society in 2000 as a student. She is now in her third year as the Secretary of the Kentucky Chapter, is involved in the Wildlife Disease Working Group, and is on the Leadership Institute committee. 

Erin believes the Leadership Institute has most prominently given her a more broadened understanding of what leadership means in an abstract sense. She believes an effective leader doesn’t simply delegate tasks but configures ways to best empower the people she works with. By employing this strategy she can best utilize the strengths of her co-workers to maximize the efficiency of tasks.

Book Review -- The Assertiveness Workbook: How to Express Your Ideas and Stand Up for Yourself at Work and in Relationships, by Randy Paterson

Effective communication skills are vital in becoming a good leader, but often we subconsciously employ communication strategies in our professional and personal lives that may negatively impact others’ perceptions of us. The Assertiveness Workbook explains the 4 communication styles we use— Passive, Aggressive, Passive-Aggressive, and Assertive. While the assertive strategy is the most effective, this book helps us understand why we may use the less effective strategies and provides exercises aimed at increasing our awareness of the strategies we gravitate towards and how to employ a more assertive approach. 

To start, the author provides brief stories of individuals dealing with frustrations and challenges in their lives as a clear and concise means of explaining what differentiates each communication strategy. He then elucidates the different barriers we have to using the assertive strategy—stress, social, and belief barriers. Often we forget about the nonverbal behavior which impacts in-person communication just as much as the words we use. While you won’t become an expert at reading body language, this chapter helps in creating awareness of this vital component of face-to-face interactions. 

Later chapters on giving helpful positive feedback, knowing the difference between constructive and critical feedback, and making requests of others without controlling them, are especially helpful to those desiring to grow their leadership abilities. Regardless of what company, agency, or even field of work you are in, effective communication skills are a necessity to achieving success and becoming a great leader.