Vera Von Esse has a background in research operations, applied projects, strategic planning, broad student and faculty engagement, partnership building and curation, and implementation.
As a program manager with the ASU-Starbucks Center for the Future of People and the Planet, she managed center operations and leveraged extensive knowledge of both ASU and Starbucks to strengthen partnerships and identify new opportunities for collaboration. They played a key role in fostering joint ASU-Starbucks teams to conduct high-impact applied research and facilitated interactions with administrators, faculty, and staff to ensure project plans aligned with deliverables. As the ASU project lead, Vera spearheaded the execution of the first 100% reusable Starbucks café on the ASU Tempe campus, establishing the longest-running reusable cup pilot outside of Starbucks headquarters.
Working jointly with the Laboratory for Energy and Power Solutions (LEAPS), Vera has supported business development efforts, identifying funding opportunities for new projects and fostering strategic partnerships with key ASU leadership and external stakeholders. She assisted in designing and implementing a quarterly check-in framework and professional development initiatives to enhance employee-supervisor engagement, promote structured career planning, and support professional growth. Additionally, she oversaw project management for the electrification initiatives, ensuring alignment with strategic goals and a community-based approach to sustainable energy solutions.
As a project manager at the Center for Biodiversity Outcomes, Vera demonstrated her leadership and administrative skills. She served as the primary center liaison, providing high-level administrative support and planning for the center. Her focus was on building and maintaining relationships among center partnerships and research collaborations.
Additionally, she served as the community manager for the ASU Chandler Innovation Center, contributing to the J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation team. Her work included supporting Place-Based Innovation Spaces, managing events, and collaborative workspaces.
Vera's diverse experience also includes supporting research endeavors, such as working with the Canine Science Collaboratory to find better methods for training bomb-sniffing dogs and providing biomedical research support.
Vera had a non-traditional upbringing in a homeschooling family, which allowed her to have numerous travel experiences and hands-on learning. She solidified this by earning a bachelor’s degree in Applied Biology, focusing on Ecology, and a master’s degree in Applied Leadership and Management from Thunderbird.
Vera enjoys taking excessive photos of her chinchilla, creating ecosystems for aquatic inhabitants, and daydreaming about retirement on the Florida coast.