Staff Spotlight: Meet UVA Northern Virginia’s Anna Fairs
Meet Anna Fairs, Associate Director of Programs at UVA | Northern Virginia! Since joining UVA in 2019, Anna has brought her collaborative energy to designing and leading programs that engage a diverse set of learners—from high school students to executives. We spoke with Anna to learn more about her day-to-day work and what excites her most about the future.
Q: Can you tell us a little about yourself, your role at UVA, and what brought you here?
A: I am a member of the program team here at UVA | Northern Virginia. I have worked at UVA since 2019 and I love working from my alma mater in a different geographical location. I am a classic extrovert, and I love working with people collaboratively to solve problems and create efficiencies. In my role, I lead programming for a few different programs- I like that each program has its unique challenges and attracts a diverse set of learners. My favorite part of my job is working with people, colleagues and learners to create great programs that can grow each year. I came to UVA | Northern Virginia from Darden School of Business. I really enjoy working in the higher education space especially when we can create new things and look at things with a new lens which is a key part of the UVA | Northern Virginia office!
Q: What does a typical day look like for you in your role?
A: My days are very different depending on if I have a program or not! In the summer my days are filled with high school students from 8-4 who are taking part in the Inspire Program! When we don’t have programs, my days are a little slower and I work on getting ahead and planning for future programs.
Q: What has been your favorite memory or top accomplishment in this role?
A: My favorite memories are always during programming. I love welcoming people to our new campus and creating programs that they can learn from and grow their networks.
Q: What do you find most rewarding about your work at UVA?
A: Working at a public institution is very rewarding. It is very cool to learn from my peers and have a front row seat at a transformational time in students’ lives!
Q: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
A: It is tough to say, I think I will still be involved in higher education, and I will always stay connected to UVA through different alumni networks.
Q: What’s been your favorite project, initiative, or experience since joining UVA?
A: I am very excited for Inspire 2026! Mark your calendars for December 1 when applications go live. Learn more on the Inspire website and sign up for our mailing list to receive important updates.
Q: How does your work support students, faculty, or the broader UVA community?
A: I work directly with students and faculty in my role. I support students who are at various phases of their lives from high school to executive. I think it is cool to span such a wide variety of learners- it certainly adds an extra dimension to my work.
Q: What’s a fun fact about you that your colleagues might not know?
A: I am an open book- maybe that I enjoy baking and cooking. I also enjoy mending clothes!
Q: Do you have a favorite spot on the UVA Northern Virginia campus (or in the DMV)?
A: I really like the green wall in our campus. Outside of our campus I enjoy walking the trails with my colleagues during lunch.