Bettina Ring ’86 has served and championed the forests of Virginia throughout a 35-year career of leadership and service. Currently the Virginia state director of The Nature Conservancy, Ring has previously served as the seventh state forester for the Virginia Department of Forestry, where she led the agency in collaborative efforts with federal, state, and local government agencies.

In 2018, Ring was appointed by Governor Ralph Northam to serve as the fourth secretary of agriculture and forestry, where she advanced priorities in watershed protection, rural economic development, and food security. A member of the Dean’s Advisory Council and the founding president of the CNRE Alumni Association, Ring has been a tireless and committed supporter of the college’s efforts to protect and steward forest resources throughout the commonwealth.