SE Group Welcomes Idalina Williams
SE Group is excited to announce the hire of Idalina Williams “Ida”, Associate Outdoor Recreation Planner. Ida will join our Recreation Planning Service Area of our Communities Market Sector, where she will add to our growing team of dedicated recreational planners and designers, but also help us grow our presence in the Southeast.
Ida brings a unique combination of expertise in community development, tourism, natural resource management, and environmental education to SE Group. This is informed by her equally diverse professional background, which includes serving as an interpretive ranger with Virginia State Parks, as a Staff Naturalist at the Walker Nature Center in Reston, VA, and, most recently, as Director of Outreach and Partnerships for the Friends of Southwest Virginia. Throughout these experiences, Ida has been dedicated to a singular goal: to promote community prosperity by leveraging effective partnerships and the benefits of the outdoors.
Learn MoreSE Group is excited to announce the hire of Idalina Williams “Ida”, Associate Outdoor Recreation Planner. Ida will join our Recreation Planning Service Area of our Communities Market Sector, where she will add to our growing team of dedicated recreational planners and designers, but also help us grow our presence in the Southeast.
Ida brings a unique combination of expertise in community development, tourism, natural resource management, and environmental education to SE Group. This is informed by her equally diverse professional background, which includes serving as an interpretive ranger with Virginia State Parks, as a Staff Naturalist at the Walker Nature Center in Reston, VA, and, most recently, as Director of Outreach and Partnerships for the Friends of Southwest Virginia. Throughout these experiences, Ida has been dedicated to a singular goal: to promote community prosperity by leveraging effective partnerships and the benefits of the outdoors.
“My passion lies in connecting communities, enhancing economic reciprocity, improving quality of life, and fostering access to the great outdoors,” says Ida. “I firmly believe that the fusion of communities with their natural assets holds the key to transforming our world for the better.”
Ida comes to SE Group after serving as one of our clients for the past three years on the Cumberland Plateau Outdoor Economy Development Plan and the Breaks Interstate Park Operations Analysis. The Cumberland Plateau Project is a great example of the power of a regional approach to build capacity and share solutions; this plan explores how four counties in Southwest Virginia can strengthen their outdoor recreation economy and local quality of life. It identifies infrastructure, investments, programs, and partnerships that would draw more people to the region and allow local businesses to capture revenue.
“Throughout my time working with SE Group, I admired their inclusive strategies and open mindedness,” says Ida. “They epitomize adaptability and consistently make a tangible impact on the marketplace!” Likewise, Ida immediately caught our attention with her ability to tackle complex problems and deliver pragmatic solutions.
Ida will continue to work for SE Group from her home in Southwest Virgina, where she’ll continue her work, to building partnerships and elevate the profile of the outdoor industry ecosystem in Appalachia. This region has a wealth of beautiful, often overlooked outdoor recreation assets that have considerable potential to drive economic development in an area that has seen a downturn in traditional economies such manufacturing, mining, and tobacco. This is more than just a “job” for Ida; she was born and raised in Appalachia, loves it deeply, and is dedicated to seeing it thrive!