NoVa Chamber and U.Va.’s Sorensen Institute partner to promote civics

Advancing Civics partnership aims to encourage collaborative leadership

Published January 12, 2022 by Katherine Schulte

The Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce and the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service announced Tuesday their Advancing Civics partnership to encourage collaboration among business and government leaders.

The Northern Virginia Chamber wants to promote civic-minded leadership, said Clayton Medford, vice president of government relations for the Chamber.

“We’re seeing so much nationally, and even unfortunately in the states, this dialogue around campaigns that is not about that compromise. It’s not about coming to the table and finding solutions to shared problems,” he said, which led the Chamber to think about how it could highlight centric approaches to problem-solving.

The partnership plans to host speakers who demonstrate collaboration and compromise in business or government this year, Medford said. It also plans to provide recognition through leadership awards.

The Sorensen Institute was a natural partner for the Northern Virginia Chamber, Medford said.

“The Sorensen Institute has a long history of providing Virginia’s future leaders with the tools they need to accomplish great things by working together,” Sorensen Institute Director Lawrence Roberts said in a statement. The Chamber’s core values of integrity, equity and community make it a great partner for the Sorensen Institute. … Together, we can make great strides toward fostering a more collaborative approach to solving problems in Virginia.”

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