Using the VMN Educators Bureau Database

Page last updated September 2025

What is the VMN Educators Bureau?

The VMN Educators Bureau is a listing of current VMN volunteers who are interested in and willing to provide education and outreach programming as part of their VMN service.  It covers a wide variety of audiences and types of programming.  The education program could be anything from a webinar for other VMN volunteers to a nature walk for a 4-H group to a hands-on demonstration for a local neighborhood association.

We created the VMN Educators Bureau so that we could more easily link people and organizations looking for presenters on natural resource topics to VMN volunteers willing to present.  We hope that the Educators Bureau will help increase VMN volunteer engagement in education and outreach, help our program reach new audiences, and help us respond better to requests for presenters.

Who can access the VMN Educators Bureau database?

The VMN Educators Bureau data is not posted publicly.  Only VMN state program office personnel and current chapter board members may access the VMN Educators Bureau database online.  We have set the database up so that anyone on our VMN Chapter Board Google Group (which is a current listing of board members) has access.  Other VMN volunteers who are not in chapter board roles and individuals outside of the VMN program cannot access the database online.

VMN volunteers who have completed the form to be included in the database are agreeing to have their information shared with VMN chapter leaders seeking other VMN volunteers to provide basic training or continuing education programs.  They are also agreeing to have their information shared with individuals and groups outside the VMN program if their location, expertise, and preferred audience matches the presenter needs for that outside group.

A VMN chapter board member may share the information of a few selected individuals from the database with outside groups if those individuals are a match for the presentation needed, but they should not provide outside groups with individuals’ information beyond that situation.

How to use the VMN Educators Bureau database

Accessing the database

In a web browser, go to this link or cut-and-paste this URL into the web browser address bar: https://lookerstudio.google.com/reporting/d2b7af4d-e08d-42cd-b489-14148f43df88.

Looking for a match

When you open the link above, you will see the data at the top of the page with colored boxes underneath that allow you to filter the data.  If all filters are off, you will see the listings of all individuals in the database. 

The most effective way to use the database is to filter those listings so that only individuals who match the specific needs of the desired program are included. 

• Location filter: If the program for which you are seeking a presenter is in-person, then you likely will want to find individuals in the same locality as the program location or perhaps a neighboring locality.  Use the dropdown menu under Location to select all the localities you want to search.  All counties and independent cities in Virginia are included.  There is also a choice for ‘other location not in Virginia’ that will include VMN volunteers who live outside of Virginia, such as in Maryland.

• Audience filter: Use this filter to limit the search to presenters willing to provide programming for particular audiences.  The options include various age groups of youth, families, general adult audiences, and other VMN volunteers.

• Type of Education Program filter: Use this filter to limit the search to presenters able to provide certain types of education programs.  The options include lecture-style presentations; field and/or classroom demonstrations, such as a hands-on program on how to plant a tree; outdoor interpretive walks; and interactive environmental education programs, such as a Project Wet activity.

• Chapter filter: Use this filter to limit the search to VMN educators within a specific chapter. For a map of VMN chapters and a list of the localities where they are active, see the VMN website.

• Format of Program filter: Use this filter to limit the search by presenters’ preferred teaching formats.  The options include in-person in a classroom, meeting room, or auditorium; in-person outdoors/in the field; and virtual, such as a webinar or online meeting.

Tips for using filters

• When using the filters, if there is a “-“ in the grey box next to the option, that means that it is not filtering the data on that parameter. 

• If there is a “ü”, that means that you are filtering to include only individuals who indicated they could present for that audience, type of program, or format of program. 

• If the box is blank, that means you are filtering to exclude all individuals who indicated they could present for that situation. 

• If you need to reset a filter to neutral, “-“, right-click or control-click on it and choose “reset”.  To return all filters to their default, neutral settings, click “reset” at the very top of the page.

Using the findings

Once you have used the filters to limit your search to presenters who fit the location, audience, type of program, and format of program needed, you should have a fairly short list of people displayed, usually fewer than ten.  At this point, look at the data displayed on the screen to see the topics those individuals can teach and any other information provided.  Some individuals have provided information about other languages they speak, additional skills or qualifications, or experience with diverse audiences.  Use this information to decide which individuals to contact.  You can copy and paste their contact information from the screen and then contact each of them to find out if they are able to present for you.  If you are helping an outside group that is seeking a presenter, you may send them the contact information so that they can contact the individuals themselves, so long as you are just sending the information for the limited number of presenters who fit the group’s needs and not the information for everyone in the database.

Adding or Updating Listings in the Educators Bureau

We will update the Educators Bureau listing twice a year, in the May-June and November-December timeframes.  At those times, we will put out a call to invite any current VMN volunteers who are not already listed to complete the form to join if they would like to provide education programs.  We also will provide directions to those already listed on how to update their information if there have been changes.  In addition, we will remove any individuals who are no longer currently enrolled VMN volunteers.