FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                   CONTACT

Oct. 12, 2009                                                         Jordan Rae Smith

                                                                                703-442-4163

                                                                               pr@jlnv.org

McLean, Va., Dec. 12, 2009 -- The Junior League of Northern Virginia (JLNV) is expanding its ties to the community through the participation of JLNV leaders in local leadership development programs.  The JLNV, a women’s volunteer organization that empowers women to be a driving force to improve the Northern Virginia community, is proud to announce that J.J. Newby Ketzle of Chantilly, Va., President-Elect for the League, is a member of the Leadership Fairfax Class of 2010.  This continues the tradition of the involvement of JLNV leaders with county leadership programs in the Northern Virginia community.

Leadership Fairfax Inc. (LFI) is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to finding, training, and growing leaders in Northern Virginia.  Founded in 1987 by the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce, LFI is a nonprofit organization whose primary goal is to build a base of understanding about the community, and to educate, inform, and engage individuals to become agents of positive change in Fairfax County and the Northern Virginia region.  Graduates of the LFI programs are leaders in the business, government and nonprofit sectors of Northern Virginia.

Wayne Hill, President and CEO of LFI, said, “The continued participation of JNLV in the Leadership Fairfax program, as well as the interrelation of our missions, has a powerful and positive impact on the work both organizations do in the community.” 

"Leadership Fairfax will help me better serve the Junior League of Northern Virginia by further growing my skills as a leader, increasing my knowledge of local issues and connecting me with community partners the League should be working with to help solve those issues," Ketzle said of her selection to the program. "The JLNV's commitment to sending women to these leadership programs not only ties into the training aspect of our mission, but helps us gain a deeper knowledge of the communities we serve and make us a stronger volunteer organization."

The ties between the JLNV and county leadership programs are well-established.  Upon her graduation from the program, Ketzle will join current President Nene Spivy (Class of 2009) and Past President Heidi Kallett of Vienna, Va. (Class of 2006) as alumnae of the Fairfax program, as well as several other past presidents.  Past President Jill McNabb of Ashburn, Va.  is a 2008 graduate of Leadership Loudoun, and Past Presidents Katharine Powell of McLean, Va. and Tamara Ashford of Alexandria, Va. are graduates of Leadership Arlington from 2007 and 2008, respectively.  Betsy Frantz of Arlington, Va., another JLNV Past President, served as Founding Director of Leadership Arlington during its 1998 launch by the Arlington Chamber of Commerce.  Frantz now serves Leadership Arlington as its President and CEO.

Current JLNV President Nene Spivy of Great Falls, Va. noted that the connection between the programs is logical.  “The JLNV develops women to be community leaders, and Leadership Fairfax educates leaders on the local issues that most need our attention,” she said.  “Leadership Fairfax offered the perfect opportunity for partnerships and collaborations between organizations to leverage our community impact to greater heights.”  

The Junior League of Northern Virginia

The Junior League of Northern Virginia is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Our purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. The JLNV is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization and member of the Association of Junior Leagues International Inc. Seeking to empower women to be a driving force to improve the Northern Virginia community, the JLNV focuses on preparing children in Northern Virginia for success. More information can be found at www.jlnv.org or by calling 703-442-4163.  

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