Victoria Stephanie Herrmann

Victoria Herrmann PhD is a storyteller and geographer working with communities worldwide to protect the places they love from being lost to climate change. As a National Geographic Explorer and the Executive Director Preserving Legacies, Victoria leads a major initiative to empower local leaders with the scientific knowledge and technical training to implement climate resilience to protect their heritage and culture-based economies. Victoria previously served as the Managing Director of The Arctic Institute, where she led a team of 50 researchers across eight countries, and a White House Fellow, where she led the development and implementation of the US Coast Guard's first-ever climate strategy. For this, she was awarded the Civilian Service Commendation Medal by the Commandant of the USCG. Victoria has been named one of the 100 Most Influential People in Climate Policy worldwide by Apolitical, received the Women for Change Award by ChangeNow, and selected as a Regeneration Fellow by Prince Albert II of Monaco. Victoria has delivered keynotes at major conferences, her expert commentary has appeared on BBC, NPR, and the New York Times, and her opinion pieces have appeared in The Guardian, CNN, and Scientific American, among other peer review publications. Victoria teaches Arctic Security at Georgetown University, and previously led a National Science Foundation Research Coordination Network on Arctic migrations. A recognized expert in Arctic policy, Victoria serves as the President of the US Arctic Research Consortium, a US Delegate to the International Arctic Science Committee, and a member of the USGS Biodiversity and Climate Change Assessment Guidance Committee. She has testified before the House and Senate and served as the Alaska Review Editor for the National Climate Assessment. Victoria was previously a Fulbright to Canada, a Carnegie Endowment Junior Fellow, and a Gates Scholar at the University of Cambridge—where she received her Ph.D in Geography.