Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership Names Leader

The Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership (IGEL) announces the hiring of its first executive director, Dustin Heizer, who is beginning work immediately in the newly-created part-time position. A strategic planning process led IGEL’s board to imagine creating opportunities for the extensive network of leaders who have completed its core program to continue to learn and engage on critical environmental issues. Heizer will spearhead those efforts and lead the fundraising to support them.

“Now is the time to develop new, highly-relevant, dynamic, and varied programming to provide more frequent and meaningful engagement opportunities for members of the IGEL network,” said IGEL board chair Mary Anne Lanier, who leads the Ray C. Anderson Foundation. “We’re fortunate to be able to build organizational capacity with a leader who we know well. We are confident that Dustin, a member of the 2013 IGEL class and a valued board member, will hit the ground running.”

Heizer brings to this new role more than 20 years of experience across a range of issues in his work as an environmental consultant focused on the natural and built environment. He has had the opportunity to work on multiple high-profile redevelopment projects in metro Atlanta including Proctor Creek Strategic Implementation Framework, Atlanta BeltLine, City of Atlanta Brownfields Program, and Atlantic Station. Dustin is the President and Founder of Reliance Consulting Company, an environmental, management and strategy practice. He has served on the Georgia Environmental Conference steering committee and as President of the Georgia Brownfield Association (GBA) board.

“As Executive Director, I will work toward the goal of strengthening the IGEL network for the current and future generations of Georgia,” said Heizer. “We will build on IGEL’s 20 years of success as an organization focused on bringing leaders together to engage Georgia’s environmental challenges. I look forward to working with the board, staff, facilitators, and a diverse and talented alumni network to lead the expansion of IGEL’s capacity, programs and network to further deliver on its mission.”

Each spring, 30-34 Georgians with established environmental leadership experience are chosen to form an annual IGEL class. They attend five, multi-day programs over a nine-month period, meeting leading experts while engaging in hands-on learning in the field and discussing the complex dynamics around Georgia’s most pressing environmental issues. The programming is reflective and comprehensive, and it encourages collaboration. Participants explore the state’s varied and dynamic ecosystems – and their own leadership style and strengths within the context of environmental issues. After almost 20 years of the highly selective program, the IGEL alumni roster includes more than 500 diverse leaders from across the state. Visit igeleaders.org for more information.