Sustainability at Southern Oregon University
Becs Walker
Director of Sustainability, Southern Oregon University
Becs Walker is the Director of Sustainability at Southern Oregon University, where she also serves as the Operations Director for the Institute of Applied Sustainability. In her role, she leads projects that advance campus resilience, reduce utility costs, and strengthen the university’s long-term sustainability strategy. Becs has successfully secured more than $5 million in grants to support SOU’s sustainability and resilience initiatives.
Becs moved to the U.S. from Scotland in 2019 after a 15-year career at the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA). As Head of Waste and Resources, she managed five national teams responsible for implementing European, UK, and Scottish legislation, and collaborated with the Scottish Government to develop world-leading climate change and circular economy policies. Becs has a Bachelor of Science in Applied Biology and a Masters of Science in Environmental Technology. Becs also serves on the board of Bike Shasta, where she values partnership-driven work to advocate for mountain bike trails and community well-being.
E-Mail: walkerr6@sou.edu
Kira Welch
Managing Director, Institute for Applied Sustainability
Kira (she/her) provides guidance and support in cultivating partnerships and building capacity within the growing Institute. As a dedicated alumna, Kira’s journey in Southern Oregon began at SOU, where she instilled a foundation in leadership and a passion for sustainability and inclusivity. She has expanded on these throughout her career while she developed her skills in project management, program development, and communication. Collaborative by nature, Kira looks forward to working with the community, faculty, staff, and students to propel the Institute to new heights.
E-Mail: welchk1@sou.edu
Bret Anderson, Ph.D.
Faculty and Academic Director, Institute for Applied Sustainability
Professor of Economics
Earlier in his career Dr. Anderson published several scholarly articles on the subject of global growth and labor market inequalities. However, since the twin crises of the wildfires and pandemic impacted the region, his research, teaching, and community advancement efforts have shifted into the areas of economic readiness and democratization of the local economy. Professor Anderson considers his expertise as being a facilitator of place-based solutions.
To that end, Professor Anderson and several committed community members created the Local Innovation Lab in partnership with Southern Oregon University. The Local Innovation Lab is a community-based, college-to-career mentorship program that aims to empower our future entrepreneurs and leaders.
Professor Anderson believes that economics, alongside many of the social sciences, is able to help construct the needed institutional frameworks and narratives that can open our collective imaginations for creating local and sustainable solutions for society’s grand problems.
E-Mail: andersob6@sou.edu
Jamie Trammell, PhD.
Lead Scientist, Community Resilience and Leadership Student Fellows Program
Professor of Environmental Science, Policy, and Sustainability
Dr. Jamie Trammell is a Professor of Environmental Science, Policy, and Sustainability who is dedicated to thinking about the future in a more proactive and actionable way. He specializes in working with communities and experts across disciplines to better understand the trajectory and diversity of plausible futures for a given place and people. He has worked in a variety of socioecological systems, including the deserts of the southwest, the northern rivers of New South Wales, Australia, across Alaska and Canada, and throughout the intermountain west. Trained as a landscape ecologist and conservation planner, he holds a BA in Biology and Environmental Studies, MS in Geography, and a PhD in Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology.
E-Mail: andersob6@sou.edu
Felice Ana De Ni Aodagain
Sustainability Graduate Assistant
She’s just getting started and we’re stoked to have her! Bio coming soon.
This could be you!
Community Resilience and Leadership (CRL) Program Assistant
The Community Resilience and Leadership Student Fellows Program is looking for a new student Program Assistant to help shape and run next year’s cohort! Apply now on workday.
