Virginia Tech® home

Beth Obenshain

The Power to Build Community: Restoring the WE in CommonWEalth

April 21, 2011  //  Lyric Theatre

Beth Obenshain spoke on leadership and change in an increasingly polarized social and political environment. Obenshain observes that “we find ourselves in a time when our shared commitments as a society– whether to educate our children and pay our teachers or build our roads – are increasingly denigrated by the loudest voices in our society.” What are the sources of our power for change? How do we collectively create the social innovation needed now more than ever? Beth Obenshain, former editor for the Roanoke Times and founder of New River Land Trust speaks to these issues. Obenshain’s perspective as business leader and civil society innovator, informed by her experience as a Montgomery County native, brings depth and insight to the challenges of leadership and citizenship in today’s turbulent world. She suggested how and where to focus community energy and attention to produce change and results from the ground up, a recurring theme and source of inspiration of Community Voices series speakers.