By Marsha Mercer, Extension Master Gardener
Photo © Kirsten Conrad
Eight years after Leslie Fillmore became Extension Master Gardener Program Coordinator and won the hearts and respect of Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia (MGNV), she has a new job with larger responsibilities.
On November 25, Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) promoted Fillmore to Associate Extension Agent for Agriculture & Natural Resources, Arlington County/City of Alexandria.
“I’m very excited to start in my new role with this organization that I love so much,” Fillmore said, adding, “I see this first year as a time of reflection and transition, while we continue to work toward full VCE staffing. I’m not looking at big changes.”
Her promotion was exactly what MGNV had hoped for.
“From the very beginning when we heard Kirsten was retiring, we thought wouldn’t it be great if Leslie could take the role,” said Cindy Robertson, MGNV president. “She’s super enthusiastic about who we are and what we do.”
While Fillmore was the logical choice after the retirement of Extension Agent Kirsten Conrad in March, her promotion was not a “gimme.” VCE conducted a comprehensive candidate search, and Fillmore beat out dozens of contenders.
Robertson, writing VCE on behalf of the unanimous MGNV Board, extended “our highest recommendation” of Fillmore for the position.
The letter read in part:
Leslie is beloved by our community and other environmental organizations with whom we routinely interact. Nothing would thrill us more than to see Leslie Fillmore advance to the Agent position, an organic evolution of her incredible work . . .
Leslie is a skilled connector, and a key reason our trainees become and remain lifelong, active volunteers. From the start, Leslie gets to know each volunteer personally, to understand their unique talents and interests . . . In the Agent’s role, she would extend this talent to find partnerships and connections with all natural resource initiatives.
For Fillmore, the opportunity came at the right time professionally and personally.
“I loved the Master Gardener Coordinator job and the part-time schedule, but there was no forward advancement there anymore,” she said. As a full-time employee, she now has health insurance and other benefits for the first time.
She and her husband, an aerospace engineer, have three sons. Their oldest graduated with a degree in aerospace engineering from Virginia Tech and is a second lieutenant in the Air Force. Their middle son is a freshman at Purdue University, where he is studying aerospace engineering, and their youngest is a sophomore in high school.
In the months to come, she plans to work with Extension Master Gardeners (EMGs) to evaluate programs and define duties and goals, travel and train throughout Virginia to meet the requirements of the new position, and hire a new Master Gardener Program Coordinator.
Photo @ Christa Watters
Photo © Elaine Mills
Photo © Elaine Mills
Her new duties range from overseeing EMG training and programs to sponsoring Arlington Regional Master Naturalists and working with the Arlington Urban Agriculture program. Leslie has also been requested to spend time at the Alexandria VCE office, located in the Lee Center, as well as continuing to support the VCE Arlington office at the Fairlington Community Center.
Fillmore, who became a certified Master Gardener in the Class of 2015, has never stopped learning, through various workshops as well as the Sustainable Urban Agriculture Certificate program run by Virginia State University. For 12 weeks from March through May 2025, she devoted her Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to virtual classes and then completed an 80-hour internship over 6 months.
Under VCE rules, she has six years to earn a master’s degree, a requirement to qualify for the extension agent position.
“I will have to figure out the most relevant degree that I would be able to take online. Horticulture is what I want to do,” she said.
During COVID, Fillmore led MGNV’s transition to online training and public education classes. The continuing Zoom presentations reach thousands of viewers nationwide. She helped interns find meaningful projects and was a founder of the Garden Buds Mentor Program that helps interns and experienced gardeners get to know one another.
“What else can we do to help people feel engaged? I’ll ask for input on new ways to connect with each other while doing something productive,” she said. For instance, “I would love to grow the idea of the winter ID tree walk and get people to try something new in the MG world.”
“If you’re getting what you need, that’s good. If not, then try to find something new. Connection is important for new people and all of us. We need that right now.”