Bettina Ring (’86 B.S. forestry) was selected by Gov. Terry McAuliffe this spring as Virginia State Forester. Ring most recently served as senior vice president of family forests for the American Forest Foundation, overseeing the American Tree Farm System, the largest and oldest sustainable woodland program in America.

She heads the Virginia Department of Forestry, which protects 15.8 million acres of forest land from fire, insects, and disease, and manages 22 State Forests totaling almost 68,000 acres. The department has an operating budget of approximately $25 million and employs 240 salaried staff.

Ring spent 14 years with the Virginia Department of Forestry, working her way up to deputy director before moving to the nonprofit sector. She served as executive director of both the Colorado Coalition of Land Trusts and the Bay Area Open Space Council. Ring was a co-founder and faculty member of the Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute, a program that helps professionals develop leadership skills and solve environmental issues collaboratively. She earned her MBA from James Madison University in 2001.

“It’s so great to be back ‘home’ at the Virginia Department of Forestry,” said Ring. “The 14 years I worked at the department previously prepared me well for the many challenges and opportunities facing forestry and the natural resources arena. I’m very excited about helping lead the effort to enhance the department’s programs and services during its second century, and I thank Gov. McAuliffe and Secretary Haymore for affording me the honor and privilege of serving as State Forester of Virginia.”

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