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6/18/2024

“Nobody’s free until everybody’s free.”– Fannie Lou Hamer

Visit the WEPO Website 

Have your voice heard at the FEVS table!

The Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey is still open and will close next week on June 28th. Our vision includes being a multicultural and diverse organization where all employees are respected, accepted, and appreciated for their unique and important contribution to the mission. As of Monday, 32% of our employees have sat at the FEVS table. Some of our employees shared videos of their reasons for completing the survey. Anthony Jackson believes it is “a way to have all employee’s voices heard, to find out where improvement is needed and a way to track progress or lack of progress.” And Annemari Romero believes it helps with “increased understanding of other’s experiences and it makes for an environment at work where everyone feels safe and comfortable….it is literally an opportunity to speak truth to power.”

If you still need to complete your survey, we encourage you to sit at the FEVS table to share your voice today! Look for your email invitation from EVAG@opm.gov with the subject line, “OPM Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey,” and complete your survey! If you can’t find the email, please request your unique link by emailing EVAG@opm.gov. The survey takes approximately 20-30 minutes and should be completed on work (“01”) time. More information about the FEVS is available in the FEVS Information Hub. 

It’s Summertime Sunshine, but We Glow All the Time

Here at the Forest Service, we experience various seasons year-round. We weather storms, cease fires, and shine at all times in our work. Your bright highlights of the actions in your work area and program are not just celebrations of your successes, but also sources of inspiration for all of us. Submit your highlights today in the new Belief in Action Success Story repository so you can share them on the center stage. We do great work here, and you’ve earned bragging rights to showcase your glow!

The Mixing Bowl: Greater Community
Parents of Children with Special Needs (Episode #43)

Do you or someone you know parent a child with special needs? What are the challenges parents face as they navigate support systems and society, especially when their children become adults? Join our presenters, Cyndi Black and JoAnne Meiers, as they delve into their experience with parenting children on the autism spectrum and how they support them as adults. Sponsored by the Forest Service Office of Civil Rights, join us and learn how these two parents were able to adapt with having to balance life, work, and the support they found in their community.

Connection information: Click here to register

Dial in number: +1 970-812-0909, 997282569#

Date: June 20, 2024; 

Duration: 45 minutes

Time: 8:00 a.m. Hawaii | 10:00 a.m. Alaska | 11:00 a.m. Pacific | 12:00 p.m. Mountain | 1:00 p.m. Central | 2:00 p.m. Eastern

If you need accommodations, please reach out to Kimberly Nguyen (Kimberly.A.Nguyen@usda.gov; 720-417-1026). 

Visit The Mixing Bowl Channel to watch previous recorded episodes. Each episode includes its number, the topic, the date it was aired, and the description. The name(s) of the presenter(s) and the opening remarks speaker are included in each description.

Personal Stories of Imprisonment: An Oral History of Prison Camps

The Asian Pacific American Employees Association invites you to listen guest speaker Sam Mihara, a national lecturer on the topic of mass imprisonment in the United States, as he shares his experiences living with his family in a prison camp.

In 1942, the U.S. government forced 9-year-old Mihara and his family, along with everyone of Japanese ancestry living in the West, out of their homes and into prison camps. Mihara and his family were sent to a prison camp called Heart Mountain in desolate northern Wyoming where he stayed for 3 years.
Mihara has been a sought-after guest speaker across the country. The first Japanese American to receive the national Paul A. Gagnon Prize as the history teacher of the year,

Mihara lectures at UCLA, Harvard, Columbia and in front of Congress about why the World War II camps were created and the forcible removal of people from their homes. He discusses what daily life in camp was like, how they got out of the camp, forest products used to create the camp and what it was like for many people when they returned home.

What: Webinar: Personal stories of imprisonment (virtual, agency-wide)

When: Wednesday, June 26, 11:00-12:00 Pacific

Where: Zoom registration link

This webinar is funded by the Pacific Southwest Region and presented by The Office of Civil Rights Zone III and the Asian Pacific American Employees Association. ASL interpreters are available for this event.

Coming Soon! Application Open Period for External Leadership Development Opportunities

ELDO Programs are leadership development programs offered by institutions outside of the Forest Service.  Each ELDO program has established eligibility criteria (see details below) and are available for employees GS-13 through Senior Executive Service.

What: The ELDO programs are for high-potential employees who already exhibit leadership qualities and wish to further develop their leadership skills for current and future roles in leading change and leading the agency. Selection into an ELDO program is made through a competitive process. Employees that wish to participate in an ELDO must meet grade eligibility requirements and have at least one (1) year of full-time, permanent service with the agency at the time of application.  

The Forest Service sponsored ELDO Programs include:

• Harvard Senior Managers in Government (SMG): SES

• OPM Leadership for a Democratic Society (FEI LDS): GS-15 & SES

• Harvard Senior Executive Fellows (SEF): GS-14 & GS-15

• Legis Congressional Fellowship (LEGIS): S-13 through SES

When: Applications will become available during the External Leadership Development Opportunity Open Season from June 28 - July 30, 2024.  

How: Individuals can express their interest in an ELDO by navigating to the ELDO SharePoint site and selecting the “register interest here” button.  Those that pre-register will automatically receive notification when the application period opens.

Find more information about each External Leadership Development Program on the ELDO SharePoint site. 

Questions? Send an email to Tracey Harris-Woods, ELDO Program Manager.

Apply Now! National Emerging Leader Program  
Intended Audience: Employees GS-4, GS-5, & GS-6 (or wage grade equivalent)

The Training and Employee Development Branch of WEPO is excited to announce that applications are now being accepted for the National Emerging Leader Program.  

The National Emerging Leader Program is a competitive leadership development program for GS-4 to GS-6 or wage grade equivalent permanent employees who have worked for Forest Service for one or more years.  The program will help you expand your personal and organizational influence regardless of your position, level, and/or supervisory status. Learn how to lead from where you are to better serve our public, accomplish our mission, and foster an inclusive positive working environment.

What: The program includes 5-days of leadership training that builds on the foundations of leading self and how to effectively lead others by focusing on emotional intelligence, building interpersonal skills, improving personal resilience, and growing your Forest Service network.

How to apply: The NELP Application includes eligibility criteria and instructions on how to apply.  Application deadlines are listed below. For more information about the program, check out the NELP SharePoint site.

*If you applied for NELP Cohorts 4, 5 and/or 6 and were not selected, you do not need to reapply. Update your cohort interest by sending an email to SM.FS.TEDELProg@usda.gov.

Questions?  Contact the National Emerging Leader Program Manager, Liza Simmons at SM.FS.TEDELProg@usda.gov.

National New Leader Program FY2025
Intended Audience: Employees GS-7 to GS-10 (or wage grade equivalent)

The Forest Service’s success is made possible through leaders at all levels of the organization working in a variety of roles. Whether you hold a formal leadership title or lead informally from where you are, you shape how we achieve our mission, foster a positive work environment, and serve our public. Strong leaders create a safe environment where new ideas can be shared, employees feel like they matter, and development is encouraged. For employees at the GS7-GS10 grade level or wage grade equivalent, you have an exciting training opportunity to become a stronger, more inclusive leader through the rich learning experiences in the National New Leader Program.

What:  NNLP is a competitive leadership development program, and the GS7-GS10 employees (or wage grade equivalent) selected to participate in the FY24 program will represent all areas of the Forest Service, bringing unique skills and abilities, and aligning with the Forest Service values of diversity, safety, conservation, interdependence, and service.

When: Application period is currently closed, however new dates for FY25 will be posted soon. For more information about the program, check out the NNLP SharePoint site.

Questions? Send an email to the National New Leader Program Manager, Heidi Hopkins, Heidi.Hopkins@usda.gov.

Recorded Webinars

Employee Support & Wellbeing recorded webinars are available for playback here.

Conflict Management and Prevention Center recorded webinars are available for playback here and on the CMPC SharePoint site.  

The Mixing Bowl: Connecting Together via Cultures recorded episodes are available for playback here.