Award Recipient for 2003

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CITATION FOR
2003 EXCELLENCE IN LEADERSHIP AWARD

Ione L. Taylor

Ione Taylor's enthusiastic support of and commitment to the leadership principles and values of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) are reflected through her ongoing demonstration of leadership skills, her dedication to continuous learning, and her unflagging efforts to embed leadership values in the USGS culture. Ione has shown a personal dedication to leadership outside of the office, as well, as she continues to learn about leadership principles and practices through her ongoing participation in activities of the Center for Creative Leadership. She generously shares her leadership knowledge within the USGS and the Department of the Interior (DOI). Most importantly, in her own quiet and down-to-earth way, Ione is a model leader who leads by example.

Within the USGS Leadership Program, Ione has made many contributions. She teaches a course on "Vision" for the USGS Leadership 101 class that has proven to have a great impact on participants both during the class and when they return to their offices. Ione also teaches "Creative Problem Solving" in Leadership 201 and continually works to improve its content and usefulness. In addition to her contributions within the leadership classes, Ione has also made presentations at several different Denver Leadership forums. Her strong belief in the potential of USGS employees, her dedication to keeping the leadership flame alive among graduates of the Leadership courses, and her commitment to introducing leadership concepts to those who have not been in the Leadership Program demonstrate her willingness to go "the extra mile." Ione truly teaches from the heart.

Ione was a leader in the USGS October 2000 Rewards Summit. She provided research, shared her experience in motivation and recognition concepts, and played a leadership role in shaping the bureau's strategy on creating a rewarding work environment. She continues that role today by incorporating the principles of a rewarding environment into sessions of the USGS Leadership Development Program and into her day-to-day leadership as Chief of the Eastern Region Energy Team.

As a member of the Workforce Skills Team under the USGS Strategic Change initiative, Ione was one of the first science-managers to recognize the importance of workforce planning in ensuring that the USGS has the skills it needs to meet future science challenges. She subsequently volunteered to lend her support as a science manager to the bureau Workforce Planning Team and provided the team critical information about science plans and future science directions that will guide the bureau in determining future workforce skill needs.

Because of her insight and her leadership skills, Ione was sought out to play a leadership role in science visioning for the bureau and the geology discipline. She was tapped by the Director to participate in creating a long-range science vision for the bureau.

Under Ione's leadership, the USGS developed the Nation's first National Coal Assessment, providing an understanding of the amount of coal still available to the country, which is critical to our determination of the mix of future energy resources. Ione has led the effort to assess the undiscovered oil and gas resources of the Appalachians, in particular the identification and assessment of a new unconventional gas resource known as "continuous gas." Ione has been a leader in supporting and promoting the new and emerging field of medical geology, which is providing critical linkages between environmental and vector borne illnesses and their relation to rocks, minerals, and soils. Ione has championed the USGS efforts in improving our understanding of coal quality, both in the United States and internationally. This understanding is extremely important to improving our Nation's air quality and determining the impact of acid rain and air-borne mercury on habitats and ecosystems.

Ione has also provided leadership within DOI by playing a key role in the identification of energy issues as part of the Department's work on the DOI Strategic Plan (DOI One Plan) and the Strategic Human Capital Management Plan. In addition, she has been instrumental in recommending and selecting books for the DOI Executive Forum based on her contacts and experience with the Center for Creative Leadership. In summary, Ione is a model leader who has shared her time, energy, and skills with her employees, with participants in the Leadership Program, and with the bureau and the Department of the Interior. She is an inspiration to all who have benefited from her dedication to leadership principles, and she is most deserving of the USGS Excellence in Leadership Award.

In summary, Ione is a model leader who has shared her time, energy, and skills with her employees, with participants in the Leadership Program, and with the bureau and the Department of the Interior. She is an inspiration to all who have benefited from her dedication to leadership principles, and she is most deserving of the USGS Excellence in Leadership Award.

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