Leadership at the Wilson College of Textiles is rooted in innovation and community. For Kristin Thoney-Barletta, that balance has helped define her journey from NC State graduate student to professor, and, most recently, to head of the Department of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management.

Thoney-Barletta stepped into the role in October 2025 after serving as interim department head since July 2024. Her connection to NC State began years earlier as a graduate student in the College of Engineering, where she earned her master’s degree in operations research. While co-majoring in operations research and industrial engineering for her Ph.D., an advisor encouraged her to apply for a faculty position in supply chain management within the then-College of Textiles.

“At that point, I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to go into academia or industry,” Thoney-Barletta says. “As I started teaching and thinking about my future, I realized I wanted to give the professor path a try.”

Since joining the faculty at the college, Thoney-Barletta has built a career defined by teaching, research, service and strong relationships with students and colleagues. 

“I’ve been really happy here,” Thoney-Barletta says. “It’s a great place to teach and to conduct research. I especially enjoy interacting with the students, both undergraduate and graduate students. It’s really a pleasure to work with them.”

From Faculty Member to Department Head

After serving as associate department head from 2008 to 2010, Thoney-Barletta stepped away from administrative duties to refocus on research. In 2016, she returned to the associate department head role, continuing in that position until becoming interim department head in 2024. 

Jeff Joines, Associate Dean for Academic Programs, Faculty Excellence and Student Success, says he led the committee that selected Thoney-Barletta initially as interim department head.

“One of the major reasons I selected her is that Dr. Thoney is a detail-oriented, data-driven decision-maker who strives to make fair decisions for everyone,” Joines says. 

In her new role as department head, Thoney-Barletta will oversee responsibilities such as maintaining high-quality academic programs and strong enrollment. She will also ensure faculty meet reporting requirements. While some aspects of the job are more administrative than others, she finds energy in mentoring junior faculty, collaborating with staff and engaging with students.

“Working with people is the most exciting part of this role,” Thoney-Barletta says. “There’s potential to make things even better than they already are.” 

Setting Goals for the Future

Her mindset is that of continuous improvement, which is deeply influenced by her engineering background. During her first year as interim department head, she led a comprehensive review of the department’s undergraduate academic programs, which consist of two different degrees, each with two concentrations. Faculty conducted a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) and competitive analyses to assess these majors in comparison to peer programs. 

“We learned a lot from that exercise,” Thoney-Barletta says. “Now we’re setting goals based on the opportunities we identified and working toward them.” 

Those efforts align with her broader priorities: sustaining strong enrollment, ensuring programs continue to incorporate cutting-edge technology and meeting the evolving needs of students. For Thoney-Barletta, students are central stakeholders. Their success remains a driving force behind departmental decision-making.

“Collaboration is one of the Wilson College of Textiles’ five core values,” Joines says. “Dr. Thoney exemplifies this by working with and engaging departments across our college and university. What sets her apart is her commitment to researching unfamiliar topics until she fully understands them, enabling her to better assist her department.”

As she looks ahead, Thoney-Barletta remains focused on strengthening those partnerships, supporting faculty development and fostering an environment where students thrive. 

“We already have a great department,” Thoney-Barletta says. “But there’s always room to improve. I’m excited to work together with faculty, staff, students and industry to continue moving our programs forward.”