Dr. Jes L. Thompson (MS and PhD University of Utah, BS Northern Michigan University) is the inaugural Assistant Vice President for Sustainability at Northern Michigan University and the Director of the Sustainability Hub for Innovation and the Environment (SHINE). She previously served as a full professor in the College of Business. She is also a trained facilitator and mediator and holds graduate certificates in Adaptive Management of Environmental Systems (University of Utah) and Sustainable Business Strategy (Harvard University). Her research is focused on organizational communication about complex ecological issues, such as climate change, resilience and adaptation. Last year, Dr. Thompson was honored as one of Crain’s 2024 Notable Leaders in Sustainability - and a finalist for Michigan's Association for State Universities' Distinguished Professor of the Year Award. She currently serves as the chair of the Marquette Climate Adaptation Task Force and recently served on the U.S. National Park System Advisory Board and the Board of Directors for Michigan Energy Options.