TRANSPONDER
AN INTERVIEW WITH DR. DALE MEDEARIS
Interview conducted by Chloe Laird on March 30th, 2022 with Dr. Dale Medearis.
to strengthen the transatlantic network and facilitate an exchange of knowledge.
Cities are increasingly becoming catalysts for innovative approaches and policies relevant to issues of global importance. In the Washington, DC metropolitan area, the Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC) is taking advantage of that trend to import ideas and best practices to address local societal challenges. Transponder Magazine sat down with Dale Medearis, NVRC senior regional planner, to explore his organization’s work
QUESTION: Please introduce yourself and talk about the work you do.
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DR. MEDEARIS: My name is Dale Medearis. I am a senior regional planner for the NVRC. The NVRC is a regional council of governments representing the 13 counties, cities and towns of the Northern Virginia region. We are a political entity of the Commonwealth of Virginia with a board of elected officials representing our local governments.
My portfolio deals with promoting sustainability in general but with a unique international focus. NVRC’s international programs involve transferring and applying policy and technical innovations from metropolitan regions of Europe, such as Stuttgart or Hamburg, to Northern Virginia. The work is special because of the focus on outcomes that benefit our region’s economic development, environment, and communities. QUESTION: What makes NVRC’s work with transatlantic partners unique? DR. MEDEARIS: NVRC’s
