Chris Herr Named New Director of CU Environmental Center, Brings Decade of Sustainability Leadership

The national search to fill the CU Environmental Center Director position, vacated by the retirement of 18-year veteran Dave Newport, has found a successor close to home. Chris Herr, MPA, will begin his service on June 17, 2024.

Herr comes to CU from his present role as Director of Sustainability and Sustainability Officer at the Auraria Higher Education Center (AHEC), a coalition of three large institutions of higher learning in Denver. At AHEC, Herr led a team of three full-time professionals and twelve student staff in the student-led Auraria Sustainable Campus Program (ASCP) for the past seven years. As Environmental Center Director, Herr will lead sixteen full time sustainability professionals and about 150 student staff–and he is motivated to scale up his impact.

"I’m so excited to step into this role at such an important time for climate action,” Herr remarked. “CU has the plan and the resources ready to rise to the pressing environmental challenges facing the world today–and I’m ready to get to work."

Herr brings with him a decade of experience as a sustainability professional, having developed innovative projects and programs, spearheaded fundraising efforts, and built coalitions in the public and non-profit sectors to accelerate climate action. 

Additionally, he is well-acquainted with the UC System, being a two-time University of Colorado alumnus with a Bachelor’s degree in History from UCCS and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from UC Denver.

Prior roles include Founder and Principal Consultant at Denver’s Climate Solution Center, Co-Founder and Director of Denver Grant Writers, and Student Government Coordinator and later a Student Life Graduate Assistant during his graduate student years at UC Denver. 

His diverse experience and student-facing role leading AHEC’s student sustainability center will hasten his integration and impact steering the Environmental Center, the nation’s oldest, largest, most resourced and most accomplished student government sustainability program.He looks forward to helping campus partnerships get to the next level at CU Boulder.

"We have some work to do to strengthen the relationships and coordination between the newly established CU Sustainability Executive Council, CU Student Government and the Environmental Center,” said Herr.“We need to all act in partnership if we’re to achieve CU’s ambitious climate goals and continue the dialogue necessary for all parties to share a vision for success. I believe that together we will get there."

Herr’s AHEC role provided ample opportunity to hone partnership skills given that leaders from three institutions must agree on strategies and actions before any can move forward. All ASCP initiatives impact AHEC’s diverse 150-acre urban campus shared by the Community College of Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver, and University of Colorado Denver. The collective student population is about 38,000 served by 5,000 faculty and staff. 

In that context, Chris led the ASCP team responsible for planning and executing all campus-wide sustainability initiatives. That team established ambitious emissions reductions goals and delivered collaborative solutions, achieving significant progress in areas such as carbon emissions reduction, waste diversion, and engagement with the campus community. He also led collaborations with three student governments and provided grant writing leadership to further enable campus actions. 

Retiring EC Director Dave Newport is already working with Herr to brief him of the similarities and differences between AHEC and CU’s contexts and scale.“My sense is Chris is well qualified in the partnership skills needed to forge coalitions in areas that are perhaps not as prevalent at AHEC,” Newport commented. “For instance, global issues such as CU’s international leadership in climate research and green laboratories, national and international leadership in sports sustainability, and the legacy of student innovation and funding that have spawned a large majority of CU’s environmental achievements for over 50 years.” “To take all these and other efforts to the next level Chris will need–and deserves–the support of faculty, staff, students and community stakeholders. And I am confident that those good people will supply that support to Chris.”

Herr is mindful of these opportunities and challenges and the scale to which CU aspires.“I know I have some big shoes to fill and I can’t thank Dave Newport and the Environmental Center staff enough for helping me get up-to-speed as quickly as possible,” Herr remarked.

Herr lives in Denver with his wife Melanie and two children Otto and Conor ages 2 years and 12 weeks. Outside of work he enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing music, and taking advantage of the wonderful outdoor opportunities along the front range. 

A welcoming reception is being planned to meet and greet Chris in September after students and faculty return to campus. Watch for forthcoming details.