WOHESC

Amy Bowers Cordalis is a devoted advocate for Indigenous rights and environmental restoration. A member of the Yurok Tribe and ceremony family from the village of Rek-woi at the mouth of the Klamath River, she is a fisherwoman, attorney, and mother deeply rooted in the traditions of her people. As Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Ridges to Riffles Indigenous Conservation Group, Amy leads efforts to support tribes in protecting their sovereignty, lands, and waters, including the historic Klamath Dam Removal project—one of the world’s largest river restoration and dam removal initiatives. Former general counsel for the Yurok Tribe and an attorney at the Native American Rights Fund, Amy has earned honors as a UN Champion of the Earth and Time 100 climate leader, and is the author of the forthcoming book, The Water Remembers, anticipated in October 2025.

Aimée Okotie-Oyekan is a prayer towards more loving, healing, and earth-based ways of being. A Nigerian diasporan by way of Pasadena, MD and Metro-Atlanta, GA, the indigenous homelands of the Piscataway, Susquehannock, and Muscogee peoples, Aimée is the founder and principal of Aiyé Collaborative, a creative ecosystem of community offerings that engage artistic and cultural production, public education, and community planning as worldbuilding technologies to reconstruct power and facilitate repair with communities most impacted by colonialism, slavery, and the climate crisis. Aimée works through a lens of ancestral and diasporic Afro-indigenous belief systems to envision liberated ecological futures of collective wellness.

Laurie Frankel is the New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of five novels. Her writing has also appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, The Washington Post, Poets & Writers, Publisher’s Weekly, People Magazine, Lit Hub, The Sydney Morning Herald, and other publications. She is the recipient of the Washington State Book Award and the Endeavor Award. Her novels have been translated into more than twenty-five languages and been optioned for film and TV. A former college professor, she now writes full-time in Seattle, Washington where she lives with her family and makes good soup.

Johanna Stoberock is the author of the novels Pigs (Red Hen Press) and City of Ghosts (W.W. Norton). The 2019 recipient of the Artist Trust/Gar LaSalle Storyteller Award, 2016 Runner Up for the Italo Calvino Prize for Fiction, and a 2012 Jack Straw Fellow, Johanna has received residencies at the Corporation of Yaddo, the Vermont Studio Center, and the Millay Colony. Her work has appeared in the Chicago Review of Books, Lit Hub, the Best of the Net Anthology, and elsewhere. She lives in Walla Walla, WA.

Sarah (she/her) leads the office's academic, co-curricular, and community outreach and engagement programming and team, including staff members focused on reuse and recycling and the campus natural areas program. She earned her PhD in Literature from UO and her research focused on how narratives after the First World War manifested, but failed to resolve, the conflict's trauma and grief. She has since extended that overarching curiosity about the cultural and affective consequences of rupture, change, and traumatic events to the "polycrisis" of our current world. She has trained as a facilitator and program teacher with the Good Grief Network, the All We Can Save Project's Climate Wayfinding program, and the Stanford Design School. Sarah uses these trainings frequently in her work, from classes centered on envisioning sustainable futures for all or workshops for faculty and staff focused authentic engagement and deepening of professional practice.

As the daughter of immigrants who has grown up between two cultures, I often draw on my personal experience as a way to connect with and amplify the voices of those who have historically not been heard. As a scholar and academic, I also know that racial equity work is challenging, emotional, institutional, and personal. I’ve taught about global issues, race, gender, identity, and equity to thousands of students, presented at high-profile as well as more humble events, and collaborated with social change agents and innovative thinkers around the world. I partner with clients for the long haul and strive to build inclusivity and collaboration, inviting people into conversation.

Karen Thompson Walker is the author of the New York Times bestselling novel The Age of Miracles, which has been translated into twenty-seven languages and named one of the best books of the year by People, O: The Oprah Magazine, and Financial Times, among others. Born and raised in San Diego, Walker is a graduate of UCLA and the Columbia MFA program. She lives with her husband, the novelist Casey Walker, and their two daughters in Portland. She is an assistant professor of creative writing at the University of Oregon.

Keara is a first-generation, 4th year student at the University of Oregon, originally from Lake County, California. She is studying Globalization, Environment, and Policy with a minor in Geography. Keara has organized the SSC Food Equity Program for 3 years and is also working at a UO Food Security research lab. She intends to pursue a future in contributing to positive change within the systematic global issues of food insecurity.

Born in Blantyre, Malawi, and now based in Portland, Oregon, Tiya Chabwera is a powerful example of resilience, intentional growth, and purpose driven leadership. She currently serves as a Basic Needs Ambassador within the Basic Needs & Sustainability Leadership Program at Portland Community College, where she advocates for student wellbeing, food security, resource accessibility, and community empowerment across multiple campuses. Tiya is pursuing her Associate's degree while preparing to transfer into a Bioengineering program, where she hopes to contribute to innovations that support health, sustainability, and community centered solutions. As an international student from Malawi, she brings a global, compassionate perspective to her academic and leadership roles.

Throughout my time here at Central Washington University, my skillset evolved to be bigger than IT. My sustainability experience started with my interest in researching sustainable technology practices in Data Centers, which eventually evolved into a bigger sustainability literary review presentation for my senior SOURCE presentation. My focus on sustainability grew as I learned about the ethical issues that come with AI and Data Center facilities. I started researching the impacts of data centers around the US, and how AI will have an impact on our environmental resources sooner than we realize. This SOURCE presentation became a passion project for me and cemented my desire to bring awareness to sustainable tech practices moving forward.

Isabella joined the office during Spring 2025. Isabella is a third year Sustainability and Public Policy major with a minor in Psychology. Isabella works with the Sustainability Council to connect students to resources for advancing sustainability objectives. When she has free time aside from school and rowing practice, she enjoys reading, exercising, and traveling!

Hemalatha (Hema) Velappan is a student leader committed to transforming higher education spaces into climate-positive environments. She co-led the successful fossil fuel divestment campaign at the University of Washington and continues to advocate for campus-wide decarbonization. A recipient of the Husky Sustainability Award, Hema has served on various sustainability-focused committees. Drawing on her experience as an environmental decision-making practitioner, she collaborates with the UW Sustainability team to advance impactful strategies for a greener campus. As a forestry researcher, she brings a deep passion for biodiversity and organized a biodiversity monitoring event on campus. She also mentors students, helping to empower emerging leaders, and foster collaborative pathways toward a just and sustainable future.

Lauren Brohawn is the Associate Director for the Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship in the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington. As manager of the Environmental Innovation Challenge, Lauren has given a platform to hundreds of student entrepreneurs to showcase their innovative solutions to climate-related problems and earn the funding and support to become early-stage ventures. Lauren is also known for her extensive education-focused work in the areas of representation, equity, and sustainability and is a lifetime advocate for solving climate-related issues. She has held prior roles as a Waste Zero Specialist and Conservation Policy Coordinator, among others. Lauren earned a Master of Education from UW and a Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife Conservation from the University of Delaware.

Michael Kern serves as Program Lead of the Collaborative Leadership Program and Principal Investigator for the Developing Collaborative Leaders for Puget Sound Project. Michael is Director of Special Projects at the Center for Urban Waters (CUW)/Puget Sound Institute (PSI); Principal of Michael Kern Consulting, LLC; Adjunct Associate Professor at Washington State University (WSU) Extension, and Adjunct Faculty at Seattle University's Department of Public Affairs & Nonprofit Leadership. In 2021, he wrapped up 12 years as Director of the William D. Ruckelshaus Center, a joint effort of WSU and UW that fosters collaborative public policy. Michael has more than 30 years of experience, and a national/international reputation, as both a practitioner and an academic in the field of collaborative governance.

As an Associate Director of Sustainability at UC Office of the President, Agnes supports the implementation of the UC Sustainable Practices Policy by coordinating the efforts of eight UC systemwide sustainability working groups that address sustainability policies, projects, and initiatives related to food, water, waste, procurement, healthcare, health and wellbeing, and laboratories. Agnes has over 15 years of experience leading complex environmental and sustainability projects and programs, including climate action and adaptation, sustainable food, supply chain sustainability and GHG emissions, water and storm water management, waste reduction and recycling, hazardous materials management, watershed planning, and ecological restoration. Agnes has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and a Master of Urban and Regional Planning.

Marilyn Ostergren serves as an Energy and Sustainability Specialist at the University of Washington, where she has been working on campus-wide sustainability initiatives since 2009. Her work spans decarbonization planning, transportation and air travel emissions reduction, sustainable building practices, GHG inventorying, and the Green Labs program. With a Ph.D. in Information Science, she brings expertise in visual information design to help make complex sustainability systems more understandable and actionable.

Lissan Tibebe (She/Her) is the Student Programs Lead at EarthLab, an institute at the University of Washington working towards taking equitable action on climate change. As a program lead, Lissan helps develop, manage, and support EarthLab's programming and events that aim to bring students together from all majors, years, and experiences who are passionate about climate change and the environment. Before joining EarthLab, Lissan worked as an Academic Advisor with UW's School of Social Work where she supported Master's Social Work students in completing their degrees. Lissan holds a Bachelors in International Studies and Human Rights and a Master's in Social Work both from the University of Washington.

Briar is the Associate Dean for Sustainability Strategies at Portland Community College, coordinating college-wide sustainability programming and implementation of its Climate Action Plan. She also sits on the Multnomah County Advisory Committee for Sustainability and Innovation. Previously, she worked as the college's Sustainability Analyst and Sustainability Manager. In addition, she has taught sustainability courses at PCC and was a co-founder of the Greater Portland Sustainability Education Network. She holds a Master's Degree in Sustainability from Arizona State University, as well as a B.A. in Sustainability and a B.S. in Justice Studies. She received her LEED Green Associate and Master Gardener certification in 2016. In her free-time, Briar enjoys crafting, being outdoors, any and all things plant-related and spending time with her family.

Originally from Long Island, New York, Perry has a special place in her heart for the Northeast. From 1995-2012, Perry owned and operated a commercial grass-based sheep dairy, made farmstead yogurt and feta cheese, raised layer hens and grew vegetables in Union, Maine. In addition to running her own farm, she worked for five seasons at a greenhouse and nursery operation in Harpswell, Maine and a summer in the fisheries industry in Alaska. Before becoming a farmer, she earned a BA in Environmental Studies at the University of Vermont, and an MS in Natural Resource Management and Public Administration at Antioch New England.

Tim’s teaching explores natural and cultural history, and the ways in which natural and cultural history are intertwined. The Union Bay Natural Area is an important field site for many of my courses and serves as a backdrop for lessons in cultural and natural history, as well as environmental philosophy and pedagogy. Tim’s research over the years has focused on birds and plants in urban and ex-urban settings in both temperate and tropical regions.

Linh Giakonoski (they/them) is a first-generation undergraduate student at the University of Washington, Seattle. They are currently enrolled in the School of Public Health as a BA Public Health-Global Health major. They became involved in Project Indoor Farm during their first year at UW, being granted the title of "lettuce head" during WI25 and joining the officer team during SP25. Their interest in food systems and greater access to healthy produce drove their involvement within the farm, with them now leading maintenance sessions once a week. They are currently working towards improving the sustainability of the farm, namely through identifying environmentally friendly alternatives to peat moss plugs.

Within her professional journey, Maddy has had the privilege of leading environmental justice programs rooted in gratitude, reciprocity, community care, cultural heritage, and sustainability. Maddy's work has been focused on celebrating and uplifting the voices of BIPOC and frontline communities, whose deep-rooted knowledge have long offered holistic and interconnected perspectives on sustainability. Maddy has worked alongside communities to develop initiatives that prioritize sustainability and justice, engaging in collaborative projects, educational programming, and conversations that center the voices and experiences of marginalized groups. Maddy's goal is to support communities in reclaiming their narratives and create spaces that nurture resilience, healing, and well-being at the core of the environmental justice movement. At the Campus Sustainability Fund, Maddy builds meaningful relationships with students and partners, understands sustainability through multiple lenses, and learns from the innovative projects students bring, hoping to help create a campus culture where justice and sustainability are fully intertwined, sparking collective action across the university for a more equitable and sustainable future.

Storytelling and fruit trees are woven into Karolyn's journey towards environmental justice work. Growing up with generational ties to the North Shore of Oʻahu, Karolyn's grandparent's Japanese-American community, she was surrounded by the values of Mālama 'Āina, compassion, and social justice, inspiring my understanding of sustainability. As Outreach and Connections Coordinator, Karolyn amplifies the mission of CSF by integrating love for art into creative approaches to uplift student-led efforts and intersectional narratives to sustainability at UW. She is excited to continue learning from others and build connections rooted in reciprocity and hopes to facilitate community-led events and partnerships across campus with shared goals of justice-centered action, wellness, and joy. At UW, Karolyn is studying Environmental Science and Resource Management with a minor in Urban Ecological Design. She is interested in exploring the intersection of ecological restoration and stewardship to engage community and climate resilience. In gratitude to the lands, people, and stories that nurtured my commitment to sustainability, Karolyn stands in solidarity with BIPOC and Indigenous-led communities at the forefront of the environmental movement.

Lorenzo is a second-year student at the University of Washington studying Environmental Science and Informatics, with a minor in Diversity. Lorenzo's academic and personal passions lie at the intersection of research, environmental justice, and inclusive outreach. As the Grant and Project Coordinator, Lorenzo aspires to support active and prospective project teams throughout the grant process, from application to implementation and long-term success. Lorenzo aims to cultivate a community of on-campus partners and resources, focusing on empowering project leaders who are advancing justice-centered sustainability with research experience within anthropogenic pollution and climate change through data science. Lorenzo is currently conducting research with NOAA, using quantitative methods to analyze oral histories to study the effects of climate change in the Bering Sea. Outside of research, Lorenzo is an officer for the Program on Climate Change Undergraduate Cohort, a Brotherhood Initiative PeerMentor, and an Undergraduate Research Leader.

Robert Smith is an Architect and one of LMN's firm experts on Progressive Design-Build, Integrated Project Delivery, and Low-Carbon Construction. Robert led the design team for two recent low carbon mass timber academic buildings, including Founders Hall at the University of Washington and the Undergraduate Academic Building at UC Berkeley.

David Woodson is the Executive Director of Campus Energy, Utilities & Operations at the University of Washington and is leading the effort to decarbonize the district heating system at the flagship Seattle campus. David had a similar role at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and is enjoying the opportunity to apply the lessons learned from UBC at UW. David is a UW Alum (Aero and Astro ‘91) and holds an MBA ‘06 from UBC. David is presently the Vice-Chair of the International District Energy Association (IDEA).

Camila Flores Sánchez is a Chilean International Business Management student and emerging sustainability researcher at the University of Minnesota. Her work centers on regenerative governance, ethical leadership, and the connections between sustainability and human well-being. She studies how shared power, balanced decision-making, and community-centered leadership can strengthen ecological resilience, social equity, and long-term quality of life. Camila's academic background bridges sustainability, global policy, ethics, and business, allowing her to examine sustainability as a systemic, cultural, and organizational issue. With experience in both the financial sector and nonprofit work, she aims to contribute to research and policy approaches that promote regeneration, equity, and responsible leadership across diverse contexts.