NOVA Chapter Members,

With a focus on creating meaningful, in-person connections and professional development experiences for our members, we are planning a one-day fall Professional Development Conference (PDC) on October 22, 2026, to be held in the Reston Town Center area – please save the date!

This will be the first-ever solo NOVA Chapter PDC, and we are excited about the opportunity to build something truly valuable for our community. Our thought is to create a conference that goes beyond the traditional technical focus and dives into “all the other stuff” that makes us more effective safety professionals. We are considering topics like leadership, communication, workers’ compensation, coaching and feedback, legal documentation, serving as an expert witness, and more.

But to ensure we deliver the highest possible value, we need your input. Please take a few minutes to complete our brief survey by April 15, 2026. Your feedback will directly shape the content, themes, and overall experience of the conference. The survey also includes an opportunity for you to suggest additional topics you’d like to see covered.

What to expect:

• One-day conference in Reston, VA
• Likely hybrid format (in-person + virtual option)
• CEUs available for attendees
• Estimated cost: $25 for NOVA Chapter members / $50 for non-members

We are also looking for volunteers to help bring this event to life. There are many ways to get involved, including:

• Reviewing speaker proposals
• Serving as session liaisons (introducing speakers)
• Assisting with conference planning and logistics (food, scheduling, swag, etc.)

If you’re interested in contributing, we would love your help!!

In addition, we will have opportunities for sponsors and vendors, including a vendor expo area. Preference will be given to NOVA Chapter members due to limited space. If you are interested in sponsoring or participating as a vendor, please reach out to Julie Sobelman at huntersv@erols.com.

A formal call for speaker proposals will be coming in the months ahead – please keep an eye out if you’re interested in presenting.

Thank you in advance for your input, your support, and your willingness to help us make this a meaningful experience for our community. Our leadership team is looking forward to working with many of you on this conference and seeing you there in October!

Best regards,

Josh Russell, CSP

President, NOVA Chapter of ASSP

Survey

Now accepting nominations!

Dear NOVA Member,

The ASSP NOVA Chapter is now accepting nominations for NOVA Safety Professional of the Year (SPY) Award for the 2025-2026 ASSP NOVA Chapter year.

Nominate a fellow Chapter member you think has any of the following:

• Exceptional or unique operational aspect of their safety employment
• Demonstrated stellar technical expertise in safety
• Demonstrated outstanding contributions to Chapter activities including committee chair and/or officer and/or demonstrated leadership in establishing, maintaining, and improving Chapter programs
• Provided extraordinary service to members
• Other unique contribution that advanced the safety profession

Nominating Procedures 

The nomination submission should include the following items:

• The completed SPY nomination form and/or letter of endorsement from the nominating Member. You may self-nominate or nominate another member.

• A one to three page resume of the nominee’s background.
• A petition that lists in the order obtained the nominee’s achievements.  Achievements should be limited to the past 3-5 years.

Please submit your nominations by COB Friday, December 31, 2025.  Nominations are due electronically to awards@nova.assp.org.  

Upon selection of a final candidate, the following items will be required for submitting a Regional SPY Application by the end of January, but are not needed before the December deadline:

• A letter of endorsement from the nominee’s immediate employer supervisor.  This should be one page or less.

Additional Information on the Chapter SPY Application Process and criteria can be found

Thank you in advance for your participation in nominating a Chapter SPY!

Richard Haehn
Awards & Honors Committee Chair

Your ASSP NOVA Nominations & Elections Committee certified the following slate of officers for the 2025-2027 term:

President: Josh Russell

Vice President: Dave Wenzel

Treasurer: Ahana Khokhar

Secretary: Laura Carmona

The term of elected Chapter officers shall be July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2027.

Bios and platform statements can be found below.

Respectfully,

ASSP NOVA 2025-2027 Nominations & Election Committee

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