25 complete Virginia Women's Municipal Leadership Institute

Twenty-five women from across the commonwealth recently completed the Virginia Women’s Municipal Leadership Institute, a partnership between Virginia Women Leading Government and the Virginia Tech Roanoke Center to provide connections, content, tools, and opportunities for women aspiring to become local government leaders.

In Virginia, 16% of top local government appointed chief administrative officials are held by women, according to Civic Pulse. According to Bonnie Svrcek, the institute’s executive director and the first female city manager of Lynchburg and former president of the International City/County Management Association, Virginia can do better.

“There is no doubt that inclusive leadership that reflects the demographic of towns, cities, and counties makes for better decision-making and therefore stronger communities,” Svrcek said. “The Virginia Women’s Municipal Leadership Institute is one way to strengthen the pipeline for women in local government leadership.” 

She added that, “if younger women in their career can see women in local government leadership, they, too, can build the qualitative and quantitative skills to be those future leaders in our communities.”

Participants met for eight monthly gatherings, including two virtual and six in-person sessions around the state. Virginia Tech faculty members and other experts presented workshops on topics incorporating both technical duties such as budgeting and strategic planning to “soft skills” such as public speaking and life as an executive woman in local government. 

Applications for the institute’s 2025 cohort will be accepted soon, with sessions running from March to October. For more information, contact Bonnie Svrcek.

Click on a photo below to see a larger version.

Photos by Diane Deffenbaugh for Virginia Tech.