Amy Orders named next associate vice president for public safety
Following a national search, Amy Orders has been hired as the next associate vice president for public safety, effective Aug. 4.
Orders currently serves as assistant vice chancellor of emergency preparedness and environmental health at North Carolina State University in Raleigh.
As associate vice president, Orders will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for Virginia Tech’s safety and security functions. The Public Safety division includes the Virginia Tech Police Department, Emergency Management, Environmental Health and Safety, and the student-led Virginia Tech Rescue Squad. Public Safety supports the well-being of all university community members and is responsible for planning for and responding to emergency events and creating a culture of preparedness where employees and students can safely work and live on campus.
“I’m honored to step into this role at Virginia Tech, an institution that has a strong reputation for its dedication to public safety, service, and collaborative research that creates real impact. And I’m excited to work alongside our faculty, staff, students, and community partners to strengthen resilience, support innovation that enhances safety, and continue building a culture of collaboration,” said Orders. “Together, we can expand Virginia Tech’s growing impact—driving progress, advancing solutions, and making a difference across the commonwealth and beyond.”
Reporting to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Amy Sebring and partnering with university stakeholders, Orders will provide innovative leadership and guide a complexity of safety and security services that support the teaching, research, and outreach missions of Virginia Tech.
Community engagement is central to the work of Public Safety. Orders will lead the division’s efforts by fostering strong relationships with campus and community partners, including local law enforcement and other agencies that help to ensure public safety. She will work collaboratively to develop public safety policies, standards, and protocols that ensure the safety of Virginia Tech’s campuses. Orders will have direct oversight of the division’s budget, with responsibilities for maximizing resources and ensuring fiscal responsibility. She will ensure compliance with local, state, and federal regulations and alignment with the university’s strategic priorities.
“Dr. Orders’ track record of building constructive partnerships and her deep understanding of the land-grant mission will help her make an immediate impact at Virginia Tech,” said Sebring. “Her experience in public safety and emergency preparedness, especially within higher education and at a fellow land-grant institution, will ensure that our public safety function continues to serve our community with expertise. I’m excited to welcome Amy to Virginia Tech and to our University Operations team.”
Orders has more than 20 years of experience executing successful and responsive safety programming and leading cross-functional teams and projects in support of a comprehensive research institution with a large Division 1 athletics program. She has developed and led award-winning campus safety, environmental health, and emergency management teams garnering recognition for excellence in safety preparedness and outreach. She has managed large-scale, complex initiatives with decentralized structures, ensuring compliance and sustained growth. Orders is passionate about the transformative power of education and is committed to providing the highest level of safety, health, and security for the Virginia Tech community.
She earned a doctorate in educational leadership, policy and human development and a master’s degree in health occupations education from North Carolina State University. She also has a master’s degree in radiologic science from Midwestern State University, and she earned a Bachelor of Science in radiologic science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Orders is a licensed private aircraft pilot, working toward a commercial pilot’s license, which will allow her to fly organ transplant missions, a lifesaving process that she is dedicated to supporting.
