Liza Morris appointed assistant vice president for planning and university architect
Liza Morris has been named assistant vice president for planning and university architect. This role, within the Virginia Tech Facilities Department, leads the Office of University Planning.
Morris brings more than 25 years of architecture, planning, and project management experience across university and private sector settings to the position.
Morris has served as interim assistant vice president for planning and university architect at Virginia Tech since 2018, and prior, as associate director of architectural planning at Virginia Tech since 2017.
Morris will partner with top-level university administrators to provide leadership around long-range planning of Virginia Tech’s buildings, grounds, and overall environment in support of the university’s mission and strategic vision.
Additionally, Morris will lead development and implementation of the Campus Master Plan and space management and accessibility initiatives for Virginia Tech Facilities. Morris will also provide architectural expertise to Virginia Tech Innovation Campus planning efforts.
“Since joining Virginia Tech, Liza’s unmatched expertise into the physical campus environment has helped propel campus master planning efforts into fruition. Through Liza’s leadership, the university has also achieved significant strides in campus accessibility and maximizing green space,” said Chris Kiwus, associate vice president and chief facilities officer at Virginia Tech.
“As the Innovation Campus takes shape, Liza’s extensive experience, matched with her vision for how this campus will ignite the region while connecting with other sites regionally and across the commonwealth, will play a vital role in what will be a transformational project,” said Brandy Salmon, managing director of the Innovation Campus.
Prior to Virginia Tech, Morris was an architect and project manager at the University of Idaho, where she oversaw numerous new construction projects and renovations and honed her distinct expertise in the development, application, and technical integration of standards in higher educational built environments.
A planner as well as an architect, Morris also has a significant background in strategic planning, master planning, and comprehensive planning. In both of these functions, she has developed a strong capacity to lead interdisciplinary teams in the execution of complex projects.
While at the University of Idaho, Morris was recognized professionally, receiving the 2016 University of Idaho Outstanding Employee Award, as well as multiple recognitions for her contributions to campus architecture and historic preservation.
Previously, Morris worked as principal architect and project manager for LLCM Architecture and Planning in Pullman, Washington. She also formerly served as a project manager at Washington State University and in multiple private architecture firms throughout Idaho and California.
Morris received her bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Idaho. She is a graduate of leadership programs at both the University of Idaho and Northwest Nazarene University.
