Van Du

Van Du is a program manager at Second Nature. In this role, she supports program implementation and outreach activities for the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) and Second Nature's other capacity-building initiatives. 

She joined Second Nature in February 2010 through the Kresge Diversity Internship, a program funded by The Kresge Foundation that encourages minority students to explore and pursue sustainability-related careers. As an intern, she assisted with the implementation of Second Nature’s Advancing Green Building in Higher Education Initiative and helped maintain the Campus Green Builder web portal. Van was promoted to Program Associate in April 2011 and Program Manager in January 2013.

Van’s passion for sustainability work is influenced by her childhood experience in Vietnam, a developing country where social justice is often neglected and commodities such as water and electricity remain hard-earned luxuries for many. She is committed to pursuing opportunities that will enable her to combine her interests in promoting sustainability and serving minority and under-resourced communities both in her professional and personal life.

Van graduated in 2008 from Bowdoin College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in French and Environmental Studies and a minor in Sociology. While at Bowdoin, she enjoyed her work-study experience as the Sustainability Assistant for Sustainable Bowdoin, a campus initiative that brings together staff, faculty, and students who are passionate about advancing campus sustainability efforts. In 2012, Van received her Master of City, Community and Regional Planning degree from Boston University. Her graduate study focused on exploring strategies to integrate sustainability principles in community planning and development.