Two alumnae of the Oregon MBA’s sustainable business practices specialization were recently honored in the 2021 GreenBiz 30 Under 30 list.
Briana Buckles, MBA ’19, and Stacia Betley, MBA ’18 were both featured on the list for the publication, which covers sustainability in business.
“GreenBiz is as close as we get to a paper of record in our field, so for both Briana and Stacia to be recognized really shows off our impact,” said Ryan Cabinte, Center for Sustainable Business Practices program manager and instructor. “We’re proud of them.”
The inclusion of Buckles and Betley in the annual ranking places them among 28 other young leaders in sustainability from all over the world, including startup founders, public servants, and corporate innovators.
Betley is now employed as the sustainable integration manager at Amy’s Kitchen in Petaluma, California, and Buckles found rewarding work as sustainability manager for East West Tea Company in Eugene, Oregon.
Both former students were aware they had been nominated for the list, but news they made the final cut came as a surprise and an honor.
“They take a cross-section of business professionals focused on sustainability from every different industry you can think of,” Buckles explained.
“To have that broad of a category be summarized down into just thirty people is pretty cool,” she said. “Looking at that list, it’s good company.”
Betley agreed, adding she was excited and inspired by the news. “I never imagined I would get recognized,” she said. “In sustainability, it can often feel like you’re never doing enough.”
Saying she is energized by the recognition, she added, “It's encouraging to see so many other inspiring young leaders because we still have so much work to do as an industry!”
Appearing in the annual industry roundup is an immense honor for both Buckles and Betley. This recognition of their hard work and accomplishments illustrates some of the amazing careers graduates of the Lundquist College and its Center for Sustainable Business Practices are pursuing.
Among other aspects of the program, both Betley and Buckles point to the networking opportunities facilitated by the Oregon MBA as creating a significant advantage in their professional career.
Betley said she also continues to leverage the network she built with classmates and professors during her time in Eugene.
According to Buckles, people think of sustainability as a niche subject, “but really, it’s a wide variety of different topics,” she said.
“When you go to school with a cohort of different students,” she continued, “everyone has their own passion. That network of people who are experts in their own passion area allows me to do my job better.
“If a question comes up about something specific, chances are I know someone who’s an expert in that area,” she said.
—William Kennedy, Lundquist College Communications