“Green jobs” is a broad term and can mean many things – but we know they are desirable and valuable for our region. Here is a great opportunity to learn about economic development efforts in the Shenandoah Valley region, especially in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. I’ll be at the Harrisonburg City Council meeting at the time and thus won’t be able to attend, so I hope someone can take good notes for me!
June, 2011: Green Jobs Panel Discussion
When: Tuesday, June 14th, 7:00 PM
Where: Clementine Cafe, HarrisonburgJoin us to learn more about current opportunities for green jobs, education and training opportunities, and what each of us can do to encourage our state and local representatives to make green jobs a priority.
Green Jobs for the Valley panel participants include Erik Curren, advocate and marketer for green industry in the valley; Sharon Johnson, Director of Regional Workforce Development for the Shenandoah Valley, and Ivy Main, specialist on renewable energy with the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club.
About the Panelists:
Erik Curren publishes Transition Voice (http://transitionvoice.com), an international online magazine about peak oil, climate change and the transition to a clean energy economy. He is also co-founder of Transition Staunton Augusta, a citizens group dedicated to helping the central Shenandoah Valley become more self-sufficient in the goods and services we use every day through local food and other pillars of a strong local economy. Erik ran as the Democratic candidate for the 20th District seat in the Virginia House of Delegates in 2009 on a platform of green jobs and creating a Green Enterprise Zone in the Shenandoah Valley. He runs the Curren Media Group (http://currengroup.com), a green marketing agency that represents the installer of the largest solar array in the state (located at EMU in Harrisonburg) and a variety of local small businesses.Sharon Johnson is Director, Regional Workforce Development for the Shenandoah Valley Workforce Investment Board, Inc. and Director for the Shenandoah Valley Energy Partnership (SVEP) initiative funded by a $5 million grant awarded through the U.S. Department of Labor. She has more than 20 years experience in corporate training, workforce development planning, consulting and project management working with the public workforce system, economic development, and the community college system.
Ivy Main has been an advocate of offshore wind energy with the Sierra Club since 2007. She was the lead author of the Sierra Club’s guidance for the siting of offshore renewable energy and transmission projects, published October 2010, and has produced videos and presentations about offshore wind that are used to educate east coast activists and the public. She currently serves as the Virginia Chapter’s Renewable Energy Chair as well as its Vice Chair and Legislative Chair and is active in lobbying for policies to support the development of offshore wind in Virginia. Ivy is a lawyer and a freelance writer and editor. Her background includes work as an attorney in private practice and with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and five years as a newspaper columnist. She received her bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College and her JD from Boston College.
Of special note is a 
