Nomination Statement for Mid-Atlantic Region Candidate Diana Norris

September 21, 2018

Recently I attended a Continuing Legal Education seminar entitled “Lawyers as Leaders.” It made me take stock of my role as an attorney and the diverse elements of that role—advocate, adviser, evaluator, and negotiator. I strive to fulfill those core roles as In-House Counsel at The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC). And so, I accepted the nomination to the Terrafirma Members Committee seeming how service would constitute a natural progression of my current duties at PEC in which my daily work focuses on liability and risk management of nonprofits, and land trusts in particular, balanced by my broader work in policy, strategy, and corporate governance. I have worked in a variety of capacities of risk management from vigorously defending PEC in complex multi-year litigation to working in the field with staff and landowners, from coordinating case management with insurance companies to advising nonprofit boards of directors, partners, and agencies on land conservation strategy and policy. Service on the Committee offers that opportunity to step up as a leader to utilize my experience in and focus on risk management as a way to serve a broader community.

My children’s school focuses on a “Growth Mindset” in how they evaluate and respond to decisions and problems leading to a long-term love of learning and developing greater resiliency. I want to take that mindset and apply it to my own professional progression, to my leadership role, and to the overall culture of the Committee. Committee service would allow me to understand a regional constituency’s challenges and the evolution of those challenges. But mere understanding is not enough; as an effective Committee member I will communicate the needs and challenges of the Mid-Atlantic land trust community and work within the Committee to formulate proactive responses and build in resiliency. I would work to fulfill the responsibilities set by the Committee such as supporting the managing attorney and the Claims Committee members, but, at the same time, I would focus on working with Terrafirma to analyze and craft the most efficient and responsive products and tools to the risk and liabilities communicated by the member land trusts.

Finally, I see my service on the Committee as an opportunity to forge relationships with land trusts and to identify and attract the new talent and leaders who appreciate the importance and necessity of risk management and proactive and creative thinking to liabilities. I am honored to be considered as a nominee for the Terrafirma Members Committee.