Pascha Gerni has been named director of finance at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute.

In this position, Gerni will manage the institute's $45 million annual operating budget. In addition, she will serve as the assistant treasurer of VTT LLC, an organization that oversees the National Tire Research Center which is projected to create 35 jobs and manage a $4 million budget in 2014.

Gerni joined the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute in 2011, serving three years as the associate director of finance.

"Pascha has worked to change the culture of the fiscal team," said Roderick Hall, senior associate director for administration at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. "She has inspired the team to embrace stellar customer service and has worked to facilitate action and support for researchers."

Prior to coming to Virginia Tech, Gerni spent seven years in the University of New Hampshire's Controller’s Office where she was part of the cost analysis and asset management team. During her time at New Hampshire, she received their Wildcat Award, given to employees for extraordinary work performance.

Gerni received her bachelor's degree in accounting from Virginia Tech. Very active in community service projects, she has participated in the Polar Plunge and has raised more than $900 for Special Olympics.

The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute conducts research to save lives, time, money, and protect the environment. One of the seven university-level research institutes created by Virginia Tech to answer national challenges, the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute continually advances transportation through innovation and has impacted public policy on the national and international level.

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech takes a hands-on, engaging approach to education, preparing scholars to be leaders in their fields and communities. As the commonwealth’s most comprehensive university and its leading research institution, Virginia Tech offers 240 undergraduate and graduate degree programs to more than 31,000 students and manages a research portfolio of $513 million. The university fulfills its land-grant mission of transforming knowledge to practice through technological leadership and by fueling economic growth and job creation locally, regionally, and across Virginia.

Written by Cecilia Elpi
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