Jack Byrne

Jack holds a BS in biology and a Masters in environmental law and policy. He works to make sustainability leadership more visible, effective and common in the culture of the college and its affiliated entities. He coordinates Middlebury’s efforts go beyond carbon neutrality after having reached that goal in 2016. He also plays a key role in Energy 2028 – to source 100% renewable energy, cut energy consumption by 25%, divest the endowment from fossil fuels and to integrate these efforts into the educational mission of the College with equity and justice as a cross-cutting theme.

Jack’s career has been in the non-governmental sector starting and developing organizations that support local, national and international initiatives in soil and water conservation; watershed health; citizen science; integrating sustainability knowledge and skills in public schools, corporations and non-profit organizations. He has led the development of learning networks and communities on a variety of topics at local, national and international locations.

He is a co-founder of the Foundation for Our Future - a non-governmental research and development organization focused on sustainable development, organizational change management, and capacity development. He founded and directed the River Watch Network, an international NGO that provides technical and organizational training for citizen and student based watershed monitoring and protection. He also served as Green Campus Leader for the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Commission on Education and Communication and has served as consultant to a variety of corporate, governmental and non-governmental organizations on sustainability and environmentally related issues.