We recently had a conversation with Kira Jacobs MEM’97, who was President of the Nicholas School’s Alumni Council for the past two years. She is now on the school’s Board of Visitors. Kira has worked as a water quality scientist with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency since 1997. In September, Kira received the Forever Duke Award at a ceremony during Homecoming. She received the award for her service to the Nicholas School and her role on the Duke Boston alumni board.
Why did you choose Duke?
Duke fit every single one of the criteria that I was looking for in a graduate school. I had worked in environmental consulting for four years, and I always knew that I wanted to work for the Environmental Protection Agency. I always had that desire to go back and serve my country and to make a difference by preventing pollution.
I remember feeling a little insecure talking to Bertie Belvin, who worked in student services and admissions for NSOE. I said to Bertie, “Everyone else probably is an engineer or a scientist, so I’m not sure if I’ll fit.” And she said that they were actually looking for students like me because I had a different background, and that we need diversity in education and experience. The faculty created an environment where it was OK to not know the answers, to ask for help, and to identify who has the skills that will complement yours so you could work together to achieve goals.
Why did you choose your current career?
I envisioned a career in public service because I knew the mission would always inspire me. Now, for 28 years, I’ve gotten up every morning knowing that my job is to protect the environment and public health, and it’s so rewarding.
When I was at Duke, I applied to be a Presidential Management Fellow (PMF) [a two-year training and leadership development program at a United States government agency] and made it through a pretty rigorous interview process. At the time I was auditing a course at the Sanford School of Public Policy taught by a very senior official at EPA, Jerry Emison. When I became a PMF finalist, he helped me in large part because I was auditing his class and making the effort to learn as much as I could about the agency.
Tell me about your career at EPA.
I have stayed true to my mission: protecting drinking water for millions of people. For more than two decades, I’ve led EPA efforts in drinking water protection, building partnerships across six states and safeguarding 4,000 water supplies—often with no dedicated budget. So we have to be really creative and really nimble. I truly believe that I’m making a difference and drawing upon my forestry and my water expertise that I developed at Duke. In this role, I have the opportunity to help shape and implement national policies.
What are you most proud of?
I am most proud that I make a difference and I bring my whole true self to my job. I’m able to bring the depth and breadth of the coursework that I took at Duke, which gave me exposure to all the relevant topics, including environmental economics, water quality sampling, and water resources.
My studies at Duke were so relevant to what I’m doing today. For example, I wrote a paper on the Merrimack River in the fall of 1995 for a class. And to this day, I’m still working on the Merrimack River, protecting that drinking water supply from New Hampshire through Massachusetts.
You have served on the Alumni Council for six years. Why would you encourage others to volunteer?
Volunteering requires a lot of energy and time and commitment, but the rewards are so phenomenal. You just gain so much more than you than you give. I’m grateful for the chance to have served on the Alumni Council and to connect with even more students. I love mentoring the next generation of environmental managers, because that’s where the future lies. When people feel supported and motivated and seen, they can go on to have amazing careers.
For example, when I went back to visit Duke after graduating, I gave lunch presentations about my work at the EPA. In 2010, I went to the U.S. Forest Service for a meeting. One of the women in the meeting, Emily Weidner MEM’09, asked me, “Did you happen to give a career presentation at Duke?” When I said yes, she told me that I was a big part of the reason she worked at the Forest Service. She had applied and become a Presidential Management Fellow like me. She told me I had inspired her that day at Duke to pursue a career in the federal government.
What advice would you give to the next president of the Alumni Council?
I can’t teach our new President Cakey [Worthington] anything! She’s a rock star! But, I think my advice for any president would be to pick the issues that are important to you. Mine was always reunions, because bringing Nicholas School alums together has always been really important to me. And now hundreds and hundreds of alums have come back to campus, and I’m proud that I helped make that happen.
It’s also important to ask for feedback. If you don’t reach out to alumni, you won’t know what’s working and what could be improved.
What’s next for you?
I’m excited to be joining the Nicholas School’s Board of Visitors. I invite people to please reach out to me (617-388-8241) with any ideas and feedback on how we can better serve them. I’m also excited to partner with Jim Fueschel [NSOE Board member] to host more events with the Duke Climate and Sustainability Network.
What are your thoughts on receiving the Forever Duke award?
I haven’t even wrapped my head around it yet. I didn’t know that that they had nominated me, so when I got the notice, I was so shocked and touched.
To me, it’s about carrying forward the mission: building community, mentoring others, and helping Duke—and its graduates—shape solutions to today’s environmental challenges. I encourage everyone to do what they can to “Go, Grow, and Give” to our school in a way that is possible for you!
