Vice president of economic development, Institute for Advanced Learning and Research; Executive director, Southern Virginia Regional Alliance, Danville

Throughout her career, Linda Hutson Green has been the only woman on her work team more than once, but it hasn’t prevented her from making an impact. 

Today, she’s the first woman to hold the role of vice president of economic development for the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, in addition to directing and overseeing the strategic vision of the Southern Virginia Regional Alliance. The complementary work at both organizations, which are focused on economic and workforce development and manufacturing, she says, creates a collaborative approach to marketing the region’s resources. 

Green says she’s grateful male leaders believed in her, recognized her achievements, and helped her advance. To pay it forward, she mentors students and interns at her workplace and through regional organizations. “I want to see more women given the opportunity to participate in roles that can help mold and shape their future,” she says.

Since 2016, Green has worked in collaboration with economic developers to recruit 28 new companies to Southern Virginia and assist the expansion of 31 existing companies. Green says these efforts have created more than 5,300 jobs and spurred about
$1.5 billion in capital investment across the region.

Green previously served as district director for U.S. Rep. Robert Hurt, who represented Virginia’s 5th Congressional District from 2011 to 2017, and spent 15 years in leadership roles at the Center for Innovative Technology (now the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corp.), including serving as director for federal funding and entrepreneurship.

From Virginia Business