Dr. Emily Heffernan has made a big impact on the campus community with only one full semester at Chatham under her belt. Heffernan stepped into the role of dean of the Falk School of Sustainability & Environment in August 2026, and this upcoming academic year, she will become the dean of the reconceptualized Falk School as it merges with the School of Business and Enterprise.
Considering what is on the horizon, Heffernan reflects on her experience at Chatham thus far and shares her goals for the future.
“I feel so fortunate to have joined Chatham. The staff, faculty and students have all been very welcoming,” Heffernan said. “It is easy to fall in love with this place.”
Heffernan shared some of her excitement about her tenure thus far, noting that working for a student-centered institution is her compass and guides everything she does as a dean.
Heffernan, already having extensive research experience, accepted her first faculty position at the University of Michigan where she discovered her love for education. After earning both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in entomology from the University of Florida, she began working as an assistant professor.
Prior to accepting the position at Chatham, she served as the dean of science at Bellevue College in Washington. Now, she’s excited to see how she can flourish alongside and within Eden Hall. Her training as an ecologist and entomologist has readied her to guide the campus and its students as it continues to evolve and change.
“She brings an upbeat, efficient and thoughtful approach to the role, and we are looking forward to seeing her role grow and evolve over the coming years,” said Assistant Professor of Food Studies Nadine Lehrer, who played a role in the dean search.
For Heffernan, the feeling is mutual.
“[The people here] are remarkable … so dedicated, brilliant, motivated and welcoming. So I feel very much at home here,” Heffernan said.
When talking about Eden Hall, Heffernan described the campus as inspirational, beautiful and essential. She believes that connection with nature is something that any student can benefit from, no matter their discipline.
“I love interacting with students. That’s why I do what I do. I love working with the next generation of humans who will navigate the planet,” Heffernan said. “I will always introduce myself as your dean because that’s how I see the job that I get to do every day.”
Another message that Heffernan wants students to take away from her leadership is that it is OK to not succeed at something the first time.
“I think often students see their professors or administrators as maybe like you hatched from an egg fully formed in this career, and that wasn’t [my] case at all,” Heffernan said.
She explained how she waited tables throughout college, explored many majors before landing on the right one and had her fair share of successes and failures. She believes that it is all part of the process and is what brings fun and resilience.
According to sustainability graduate student Nathalie Burgeff Lopez, Heffernan has already helped her succeed as she prepares to graduate this semester.
“I am currently working on my thesis focused on helping Chatham University achieve an energy savings performance contract, and [Heffernan] has been incredibly supportive of the ideas I have developed for our campus,” Burgeff said.
Three ways that she plans to grow the Falk School is through strategic partnerships, growing enrollment and community engagement.
One strategic partnership that she has already established is with the Rodale Institute, a non-profit that supports sustainable agriculture and soil health.
She is excited to be a dean who can balance the pillars of sustainability by supporting the environment and economics of Eden Hall and the wellbeing and success of its students.
“I think the future is just really bright for both Chatham and for the Falk School and the ways that we can continue to make more connections,” Heffernan said, explaining the idea of “mutual flourishing,” a term she says has been guiding her. “When students and faculty are flourishing, the university flourishes,” she said.
