Andrew Kota ‘13 is the Executive Director for Foothills Conservancy of North Carolina, a nationally accredited, non-profit land trust that preserves the natural and cultural heritage of an eight county region in Western North Carolina. The organization works to conserve scenic and recreational landscapes, productive farms and forests, healthy watersheds, rich biodiversity, and vital wildlife habitat. Foothills Conservancy has permanently protected over 55,000 acres of private land by conservation easement, and by adding public land to state parks, state game lands, national forest, and national parks.
In addition to his MBA from Appalachian State, Kota received his Bachelor of Science in Biology from Guilford College and his Master of Science in Forestry from Utah State University.
Kota participated in Appalachian’s distance education MBA program located in Hickory, NC while working full time for Foothills Conservancy. His degree has proven useful in his transition into the role of Executive Director and has proven useful in managing the finance and operations of the organization.
Kota currently resides in Morganton, NC with his wife and two sons. He is a member of the Land Trust Alliance’s Accreditation Commission which reviews and approves accreditation and renewal applications for land trusts nationwide. Kota also enjoys outdoor recreational activities with his family, particularly on the landscapes Foothills Conservancy has had part in protecting.
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About Appalachian's MBA Program
Appalachian State University's MBA Program provides educational experiences to prepare our students for life-long learning and professional leadership responsibilities in a dynamic global environment. The program provides individualized attention through extensive student-faculty collaboration and offers frequent networking and team building opportunities. Flexible programming allows each student to receive the best educational experience possible through full-time or part-time tracks in two locations with the opportunity to complete the degree in as little as a year. Students can earn concentrations in: Sustainable Business, International Business, Economics, Business Analytics, Supply Chain Management, Human Resources, and Interdisciplinary Business. In addition to giving students the technical skills and knowledge to be successful in the business world, the Walker College also provides students the soft skills necessary to be complete professionals. Through executive skills courses, students develop resumes, improve interview skills, and expand networking skills, and a career advisor offers support with job search and interviews. For more information, visit mba.appstate.edu.
