Our People
OUR PEOPLE MAKE US EXCEPTIONAL
Students, faculty, staff, and alumni of Virginia Tech's Executive Master of Natural Resources (XMNR) program are accomplished and committed professionals working hard to make the world a better place. It is an honor to work with this unique group of people who can’t wait to change the world.
STUDENTS
Each year, the XMNR program recruits a diverse cohort of professionals. Our students live throughout the United States, work in all sectors (business, government, civil society), range from early-career to senior executives, and are looking to advance their careers or make a career pivot.
See the student profiles below and meet the current cohort.
ALUMNI
Our alumni are employed in a wide range of public and private sector organizations around the world.
The XMNR program was started in 2010 and by the end of 2024, we will have more than 400 alumni of the program - a small army of dedicated environmental and sustainability professionals. This is a powerful network for leading change, continued educational and professional development opportunities, and ongoing career support. The return on investment from this network extends far beyond graduation.
Watch the video below to hear from two alumni about their XMNR experiences.
View the XMNR Alumni Sample Jobs List below to see a sampling of where our alumni work and what positions they hold.
FACULTY AND STAFF
Our faculty and staff are seasoned sustainability leaders and experts in various fields. All are experienced educators skilled in designing and delivering courses tailored to the needs of professional graduate students.
The XMNR program has a high faculty to student ratio and the cohort nature of the program creates a close-knit community between students and faculty. Unlike a traditional program, where faculty members constantly change with each course and semester, students experience consistent relationships with core XMNR faculty members throughout the year.
In addition to core faculty members, XMNR students have access to an extensive guest faculty network of field practitioners, internship and project sponsors, and career advisors.
Watch the video below to hear from core XMNR faculty and staff.
FACULTY AND STAFF BIOS
Jerry Abrams
Professor of Practice
Leadership strategies and practices, team dynamics and performance, organizations, culture, and influence, boundary spanning leadership, collaborative social innovation, systems thinking, mapping, analysis, collective impact, building coalitions for climate leadership, context analysis, stakeholder engagement, project management.
Gary Barrett
Associate Professor of Practice
Networks, partnerships and collaboration, society institutions, governance, and impact at scale, global perspective, transboundary governance, international institutions, negotiation skills, building coalitions for climate leadership, case projects, global study.
Amy Hubbard
Program Coordinator and Admissions Advisor
Admissions advising, student and alumni services, program coordination, faculty support, project management, partnerships, leadership for sustainability, food and agriculture, international development
Bruce Hull
Professor
Sustainability systems, uncertainty, complexity, change, green economy and sustainable business, water and watersheds, climate change mitigation and resilience, climate adaptation, biodiversity and ecosystems, food and agriculture, urbanization and infrastructure, energy systems, global study, case projects.
Patricia Raun
Professor
Individual self and other awareness, communication, listening, and trust, power of storytelling, leadership presence and conflict, cultural competency, setting goals and receiving feedback.
David Robertson
Program Director and Faculty
Academic advising and career coaching, alumni engagement and professional networking, program administration and strategic partnerships, project-based learning, individual development projects, global study and capstone projects, green infrastructure and urban ecology, climate adaptation and resilience, civic environmentalism, systems leadership for sustainable development.
Marc Stern
Professor
Social science for sustainability, case projects, stakeholder engagement and collaboration, group facilitation, strategies for climate communication, climate adaptation, strategies for environmental and sustainability cases.
Holly (Louise) Wise
Professor of Practice
Global perspective, transboundary governance, international institutions, global study, sustainable development goals and paradigms, networks, partnerships, and collaboration, development, poverty, equity, public health, organizations, culture, and influence, society institutions, governance, and impact at scale, sustainable enterprise case analysis, collaborative social innovation, individual development projects.