Leadership for Sustainability

Paul Angermeier is a Biological Scientist with the US Geological Survey and Professor of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences at Virginia Tech. Dr. Angermeier received a Ph.D. and M.S. in ecology & evolution from University of Illinois and a B.S. in environmental science from Purdue University. Dr. Angermeier teaches courses in Fish Ecology and Constructing Sustainability. His research on ecology and conservation of aquatic ecosystems is published in BioScience, Conservation Biology, Ecology, Environmental Management, Freshwater Biology, and other environmental journals.

Frank Dukes is the Director of the Institute for Environmental Negotiation (IEN) at University of Virginia and co-founder and core faculty of the Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute (VNRLI). Dr. Dukes received a Ph.D. and M.S. from George Mason University and a B.A. from University of Virginia. He is the author of numerous publications including Reaching for Higher Ground in Conflict Resolution, which describes how diverse groups and communities can create expectations for addressing conflict with integrity, vision, and creativity.

Daniel Hindman received his Ph.D. in Wood Composites Engineering from the Pennsylvania State University. He teaches classes in Wood Mechanics, Timber Engineering, and Green Building Systems. His scholarship and research have focused on the sustainable aspects of wood products including use/reuse of wood products, life cycle analysis, the safety of workers on construction sites, and more efficient design of wood products.

Bruce Hull received a Ph.D. and masters degree from Virginia Tech. He teaches courses on Natural and American Values and Constructing Sustainability. His scholarship and engagement focus on innovative conservation strategies that heal forests fractured by pressures of urbanization and globalization. He is author and editor of over 100 publications including two books, Infinite Nature and Restoring Nature.

Barbara McCutchan is a sustainability practitioner with 20 plus years of experience in the packaging and forestry industry sector. She has a strong record as a catalyst for change in corporate responsibility and global sustainability. Barbara is President of Sustainable & Responsible Solutions LLC, an associate with Packaging & Technology Integrated Solutions, and a program manager with ITECS Innovative Consulting. Previously she was Director, Enterprise Stewardship & Sustainability for MeadWestvaco Corporation (MWV), notably responsible for MWV being included in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) for five consecutive years. Barbara received her Ph.D. in Forestry and Statistics from NCSU, Raleigh, NC, her Master of Science in Forestry also from NCSU, and her Bachelor of Science in Forestry from the University of California, Berkeley, CA.

Steve McMullin is Director of the College of Natural Resources and Environment Leadership Institute and Associate Head of the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife. He received a Ph.D. in Fisheries and Wildlife from Virginia Tech after returning to graduate school in mid-career. Prior to earning his Ph.D., Dr. McMullin worked for the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks as Chief of the Fisheries Management Bureau. He received M.S. and B.S degrees in Fisheries Resources from the University of Idaho. He teaches courses in Human Dimensions of Fisheries and Wildlife and Leadership and Communications for Natural Resource Professionals. He also leads numerous continuing education workshops for natural resource professionals focusing on leadership development, strategic planning, and public involvement in natural resource planning and management.

Michael Mortimer is Director of the Natural Resources Program at Virginia Tech's Northern Virginia Center. Dr. Mortimer received a Ph.D. in forestry from the University of Montana, a law degree from the Pennsylvania State University, and bachelor of arts in biology from Washington and Jefferson College. Dr. Mortimer teaches courses in Natural Resource Law and Policy and Environmental Conflict Management. His research is published in Society and Natural Resources, Journal of Forestry, Environmental Impact Assessment Review, Environmental Management, Journal of Forest Policy and Economics, and other leading natural resource journals.

Omid Parhizkar is an international business development specialist for the World Bank and Global Environment Facility. Previously, Dr. Parhizkar worked as a corporate strategy consultant to the International Finance Corporation on a range of climate change, energy efficiency, clean tech, and forestry activities to support investments in low-carbon and climate-resilient development. Dr. Parhizkar received his doctorate from Virginia Tech. His scholarly publications appear journals such as Forest Policy and Economics Journal and Forest Products Journal.

Jennifer Plyler is an assistant director for the USDA Forest Service, Southern Research Station. Dr. Plyler received a Ph.D. from Virginia Tech and M.S. and B.S. degrees from University of Tennessee. Dr. Plyler teaches courses in Natural Resource Communication Applications, Environmental Ethics, and Wildland Fire Management and Policy. Dr. Plyler's interests includes communication theories and models and human dimensions of natural resource management, especially elements of leadership and talent development. Her publications include technical and professional reports, conference proceedings, and popular communication.

David Robertson is Director of the Executive Master of Natural Resources program at Virginia Tech. Dr. Robertson received a Ph.D. and Master of Landscape Architecture degrees from Virginia Tech and a B.A. in Art & Architecture from Montana State University. Dr. Robertson teaches courses in sustainable development, urban ecology and environmental governance. He has published research in journals such as Society & Natural Resources, Conservation Biology, Ecology & Society, Environmental Management, and Environmental Science & Policy.

Stephen Schoenholtz is Director of the Virginia Water Resources Research Center and professor of forest hydrology and soils in the College of Natural Resources at Virginia Tech. Dr. Schoenholtz has Ph.D. and M.S. degrees in forest soil science from Virginia Tech and B.S. degrees in forest science and biology from the Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Schoenholtz is the author of more than 80 publications.

Wanda J. Smith is an Associate Professor of Management at Virginia Tech. Professor Smith is a professional consultant in addition to being a management scholar. She conducts performance feedback, diversity and international leadership training, as well as teambuilding and organizational change seminars in the public and private sectors. Dr. Smith's research interests include group dynamics, management education, IT career persistence, performance feedback and corporate social responsibility. She has published articles in the Business and Society, Journal of Applied Social Psychology, Journal of Management Education, and Psychological Reports.

Max Stephenson is Director of the Institute for Policy and Governance in the School for Public and International Affairs at Virginia Tech and Professor of Urban Affairs and Planning. Dr. Stephenson received a Ph.D. in Government, a Master of Arts in Public Administration, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Virginia. His research has been published broadly including such venues as the American Behavioral Scientist, Public Policy and Administration, American Review of Public Administration, Nonprofit Management and Leadership, and Public Administration Review.

Marc Stern received a Ph.D. in social ecology from Yale University, a master of environmental science from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and a bachelor of science in natural resources from Cornell University. Dr. Stern teaches courses in Environmental Education, Environmental Interpretation, Social Science Research Methods, and Human Dimensions of Natural Resource Management. His research is published in Society and Natural Resources, Environmental Conservation, Environmental Impact Assessment Review, Biodiversity and Conservation, Journal of Environmental Education, and other leading environmental journals.

Alan Thornhill was appointed as the first Science Advisor to the Director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, a bureau of the U.S. Department of the Interior in March 2010. Previously, from 2001 to 2010, he was the Executive Director of the Society for Conservation Biology. Before that, Dr. Thornhill was the Director of Learning and Communications for the Science Division for The Nature Conservancy (the global organization), and a Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology atRice University in Houston, Texas. He earned his Bachelors and Ph.D. degrees in Ecology from the University of California, Irvine.

Kris Wernstedt is an Associate Professor in the Urban Affairs and Planning program at Virginia Tech’s National Capital Region campus in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. Dr. Wernstedt earned a Ph.D. and a Master of Regional Planning in City and Regional Planning from Cornell University, as well as a Master of Science in Water Resources Management from the University ofWisconsin. He studies a variety of issues in domestic and international environmental planning, management, and policy, with topical emphases on contaminated properties, water resources, climate change and variability, and environmental decision making.

Paul Winistorfer is Dean of the College of Natural Resources at Virginia Tech. Dr. Winistorfer received a Ph.D. in Forestry from Iowa State University. His research in the forest products and wood science industry has led to technology that has been commercialized in the private sector and is in place at over 120 manufacturing facilities and research and development laboratories worldwide.