Paul Nichols, Class of 2012

President & CEO
Virginia Advanced Study Strategies (VASS)
Williamsburg

What is new and exciting with you now or since your LEAD VIRGINIA class year?

LEAD VIRGINIA gave me, as President/CEO of a statewide Non-Profit Agency focusing on K12 education, a wonderful opportunity to make critical connections with leaders of the very business that will be hiring the students that we touch with our program. Traveling to the different areas of the state was also so very beneficial because I got to see first hand how different the needs are for workforce development preparation in the different areas. These two opportunities play a significant role in VASS being the recipient of a $3,000,000.00 grant for workforce development focused on STEM-H training for students in rural areas of Virginia.

How did your LEAD VIRGINIA experience help to shape you as a leader?

I have been a “leader” in education for most of my career in public education. I have served as a school administrator in three school divisions, worked with the Virginia Department of Education, and worked with business that serve schools. As I engaged with the LEAD VIRGINIA program I gained a better perspective of just how insulated public education in Virginia is. I realized that politicians, business representatives, and even parents all have a knowledge of school, often based on their experience as a student and what they may read in the paper, but very little understanding of the real issues of funding and accountability for educators. On the other hand most teachers and administrators are focused on the issues of the “world” as they know it and that world is fundamentally different from the way things actually work in business. These two worlds must communicate better. In fact, I would now argue from my LEAD VIRGINIA experience that there must be better understanding and blending of the two worlds if students are going to leave high school best prepared for success in career or college.

In summary, a huge part of leadership is broadening your horizons and making critical connections to the world around you. LEAD VIRGINIA is the best opportunity for this I have ever experienced.

Since LEAD VIRGINIA, how have you put social capital to work?

I have used the social capitol earned with LEAD VIRGINIA in a number of ways. Among them: I have been asked to contribute a monthly blog on education to the Virginia Chamber of Commerce website.

I have developed critical connections for VASS to a number of business and political leaders through social media outlets such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Google +, and Twitter.

I have had several of my fellow graduates from the LEAD VIRGINIA Class of 2012 join the VASS Board of Directors. They will be able to give guidance to our program directly from their leadership role in the important sectors of Energy, Healthcare, Small Business, Communications, Banking, IT, and Manufacturing.

I have learned how to engage much better in the political process at local, state, and national level.

What is something that LEAD VIRGINIA inspired you to do that you were not doing before your class year?

I am sure that anyone can tell from my previous answers that LEAD VIRGINIA has had significant impact on me personally as well as opportunities for my non-profit program in opening many doors that we have been trying to open. I shall continue to try to create relationships with leaders throughout Virginia and am confident that LEAD VIRGINIA will to play a significant role in this effort.