UVA Darden Announces New Members to Darden School Foundation Board of Trustees

The University of Virginia Darden School of Business and the Darden School Foundation today announced the election of Robert Huffines (MBA ’92) and Professor Jeanne Liedtka as trustees.

“Robbie and Jeanne bring deep dedication and diverse thought to the board,” said Elizabeth Weymouth (MBA ’94), chair of the Darden School Foundation Board of Trustees. “I look forward to partnering with them as trustees during this exciting time at Darden.”

Huffines joined JPMorgan Chase & Co. in 1991 and is currently global chairman of investment banking. He joined JPMorgan in the mergers and acquisitions group, with a focus on health care. From 2002–10, Huffines was co-head of the Global Healthcare Investment Banking Group. In 2011, he was promoted to vice chairman. In 2017, he was added to the global banking management team and named co-chair of the Global Strategic Advisory Council. Prior to joining JPMorgan, Huffines worked at Alex Brown & Sons, specializing in equity financings and advisory assignments for emerging growth companies. Huffines earned his MBA at Darden, where he received the faculty award for academic excellence. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina, where he majored in English and economics.

Huffines is married and has four children. His volunteer experience includes The Brookings/ Gates Global Health Innovative Financing Advisory Group, the Student Sponsor Partnership, the Corporate Advisory Board at the Darden School, the Entrepreneurship Minor Committee and the Business of Healthcare Advisory Board at UNC, and the board of the Spence School and Solid Biosciences.

Liedtka is a Darden School professor and former chief learning officer at United Technologies Corp., where she was responsible for overseeing all activities associated with corporate learning and development for the Fortune 50 corporation, including executive education, career development, employer-sponsored education, and learning portal and web-based activities. At Darden, where she formerly served as associate dean of the MBA program and as executive director of the Batten Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Liedtka works with both MBAs and executives in the areas of design thinking, innovation and leading growth. Her passion is exploring how organizations can engage employees at every level in thinking creatively about the design of powerful futures.

Her current research focuses on design-led innovation in the government and social sector, as does her latest book, Design Thinking for the Greater Good: Innovation in the Social Sector. Her previous books include: The Catalyst: How You Can Lead Extraordinary Growth; Designing for Growth: A Design Thinking Tool Kit for Managers and its accompanying field guide, The Designing for Growth Field Book: A Step by Step Guide; The Physics of Business Growth: Mindsets, System and Process; and Solving Business Problems with Design Thinking: Ten Stories of What Works.

“We are delighted to welcome our new trustees to the board,” said Dean Scott Beardsley. “Our trustees are critical to Darden reaching the full potential of its mission. Robbie and Jeanne are energetic leaders who have demonstrated a deep commitment to Darden and advancing its strategic priorities.”