New faculty and staff representatives join Board of Visitors

Three new faculty and staff representatives joined the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors on July 1: Justin Lemkul as faculty representative, Amber Hagan as staff representative, and Marlena Lester as administrative and professional (A/P) faculty representative.

Lemkul, associate professor in the Department of Biochemistry whose research focuses on computational biophysics, has served on the faculty senate for five years, two of them as the chair of the Commission on Faculty Affairs and now as president of the Faculty Senate.

“The faculty representative to the board has a unique opportunity to directly communicate issues facing faculty and to advocate for their needs,” Lemkul said. “Moreover, the role serves as a critical link between our system of shared governance and the board and is important for helping to advance the interests of Virginia Tech as a whole. This role will allow me to build upon that experience and continue to advance the interests of faculty.”

Hagan, operations coordinator in the Office for Civil Rights Compliance and Prevention Education, brings five years of operational, human resources, and fiscal experience to the role.

“I am excited about being able to relay the staff's voice to the board,” Hagan said. “I want to ensure that what the staff and non-student wage groups are seeing, feeling, and experiencing – and what they'd like to see going forward – are all heard. I feel as if maybe our staff and non-student wage employees don't feel as heard as they could be so this is an opportunity for me to give them a louder voice.”

As director of advising for the College of Engineering, Lester shapes academic pathways for students. She has 20 years of experience in undergraduate education and advising and was named president of the A/P Faculty Senate last year.

“A/P faculty fill critical roles that touch every part of the student journey – from admissions and advising to research and administration,” Lester said. "I’m grateful for the opportunity to represent this talented and dedicated group, and to bring their perspectives to the boardroom. My entire career has been built on advocating for students and faculty, and while this is a shift in constituents, it is an honor to serve and advocate for A/P faculty, ensuring that that voice of our employment classification is championed.”

As non-voting representatives,  Lemkul, Hagan, and Lester can provide insights that help board members make more informed decisions that reflect the experiences of Virginia Tech’s workforce.