WOHESC

Ubax Gardheere | Equitable Development Division Manager, City of Seattle  
Ubax is the Equitable Development Initiative Division Manager in the City of Seattle Office of Planning and Community Development. She currently oversees the EDI fund the City is investing in community-based organizations working in Seattle on anti-displacement strategies and economic development opportunities. Ubax's core values are rooted in Social Justice and transformative practice. she prioritizes working towards equity, authentically listening to community and she has extensive experience in community development and building an inclusive vision with many of Seattle's communities of color. She was a member of the Housing Affordability Livability Agenda Committee. Ubax previously was a Program Director at Puget Sound Sage. She was responsible for advancing Sage's priorities related to equitable transit-oriented development, she focused on land use policy, affordable housing policy, transit-oriented development, community based participatory planning, leadership development and importance of racial justice in policy making. ▾

Ananda Lee Tan | Director, Shaping Change Collaborative  
Ananda Lee Tan has been organizing grassroots, social justice movements since 1986 - building coalitions, networks and alliances for Indigenous land defence, environmental justice, worker rights, energy democracy, food sovereignty, zero waste, community self-determination and climate justice around the world. Ananda comes from the community of Santiniketan - a "Decolonization" school purposed to align education with original instructions of the Earth, so that liberation struggles could embody Indigenous ecological wisdom and values that transformed the global economy of the British Empire. Today he lives on the unceded Coast Salish territories of the Tsleil-Waututh, Musqueam and Squamish Nations. Ananda's early activism included mobilizing anti-war protests, organizing direct action against multinational forest and mining corporations destroying biodiversity, and unionizing his fellow tree-planters to advance ecosystem-based forestry.▾

Yahia Ali | Project Development Specialist, University of Washington
Yahia Ali is currently a junior at the University of Washington studying Environmental Engineering. At the UW Campus Sustainability Fund, he is in charge of assisting projects through the application phase for grants as well as ensuring their growth and sustainability after receiving funding. He has been with the CSF for over a year now and continues to learn more about sustainability as continuing to work with so many amazing student-led projects.

Jennifer Atkinson | Associate Professor of Environmental Studies, University of Washington Bothell  
Jennifer Atkinson is an Associate Professor of environmental humanities at the University of Washington Bothell, and the creator and host of "Facing It," a podcast exploring the emotional toll of climate disruption. She also co-coordinates the Existential Toolkit for Climate Educators, an international collaboration of activists, educators, mental health professionals and climate scientists who are developing resources to navigate the psychological dimensions of ecological loss. Jennifer's seminar on "Climate Anxiety & Eco-Grief" was among the first college courses of its kind in the U.S. and has been featured in The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, NBC News, The Seattle Times, and Grist. She is also the author of Gardenland: Nature, Fantasy and Everyday Practice. Jennifer holds a PhD in English from the University of Chicago, and currently lives in Seattle where she's taught at the University of Washington for the past 12 years.

Jochebed Bogunjoko | Founder & Racial Equity Strategist, J Aduke Consulting
Jochebed's experiences growing up in the Niger Republic, Canada, and South Carolina as the daughter of Nigerian missionaries, inspired a lifelong passion for pursuing social equity through finance. Upon receiving the Tyng Scholarship to attend Williams College, she used degrees in Economics and African American History to home in on the origins and drivers of socioeconomic disparity. After graduation, Jochebed worked in Hall Capital Partners' Portfolio Management Group in San Francisco, before leaving to become an Investment Analyst at Tiedemann Advisors. There she helped lead Impact Investing and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion strategy while supporting portfolio construction, fund management, and due diligence on investment vehicles in all asset classes. ▾

Holly Braun | Energy Innovation & Policy Manager, NW Natural
Holly is a systems thinker dedicated to helping industries operate in greater harmony with nature. She is activating the natural gas industry to see and embrace its ability to supply clean energy while enhancing the prosperity and resilience of local communities. Holly believes a decarbonized pipeline can be achieved through optimization of waste resources into renewable natural gas, renewable hydrogen, driving aggressive efficiency and deploying district heating solutions. Her focus is developing a clear and unifying vision of the industry's "north star," identifying wise policies that remove obstacles, and advancing robust programs & technologies to accelerate and transform the natural gas industry. This work is in service to the UN's SDG's 7, 9 &11.

Heather Burns, EdD. | Associate Professor, Portland State University, Leadership for Sustainability Education Master's Program
Dr. Heather Burns is an Associate Professor and director of the Leadership for Sustainability Education (LSE) graduate program in the Educational Leadership & Policy department at Portland State University. Dr. Burns teaches courses on sustainability leadership, sustainability pedagogy, ecological & whole systems design, spiritual leadership, and deep ecology. Her scholarship focuses on sustainability pedagogy, including the roles of transformative learning, contemplative inquiry, experiential learning, and community-based learning in creating sustainable change. Additionally Dr. Burns is a forest therapy guide, a certified permaculture designer, and an avid gardener and yogi.

Stephan Classen | Assistant Director of Sustainable Practices, Cascadia College
Stephan Masao Classen is the Assistant Director of Sustainable Practices at Cascadia College. He received his B.S. in Environmental Land and Water at the University of Arizona and a M.S. in Tropical Conservation Biology and Environmental Science with a focus in aquaculture at the University of Hawaii at Hilo. Stephan's goal is to help students find interconnectivity, tying their education at Cascadia to relationships in industry, organizations, and sustainability research.

Keira Cruickshank | Sustainable Student Action Member, Seattle University
Keira Cruickshank is a junior at Seattle University studying sociology, creative writing, and Spanish. She has been part of Sustainable Student Action since her freshman year at SU, and is thankful for the opportunity to learn and grow with such amazing people. She works for Seattle University's National Science Foundation ADVANCE grant, which seeks to enact institutional transformation in how the work of female faculty, especially in STEM, is recognized and rewarded. Keira is honored to be representing SSA at WOHESC this year!

Dr. Sonya Doucette | Chemistry Faculty, Bellevue College
Dr. Sonya Doucette is a sustainability leader at Bellevue College (BC), where she is Chair of the Sustainability Curriculum Committee, the Sustainability Concentration Coordinator, and manager of the Climate Justice in the Curriculum Project. She authored an introductory sustainability textbook Sustainable World: Approaches to Analyzing and Resolving Wicked Problems (2017, 2nd edition), which is used by institutions at the cutting edge of sustainability in higher education (such as Arizona State University, University of Washington) and also community colleges (such as Mesa Community College). Prior to BC, she was a Senior Lecturer in the School of Sustainability at Arizona State University (2010 - 2013). In addition to completing a textbook, she conducted sustainability education research at ASU (Connell, Remington-Doucette, & Armstrong 2012, JSE; Remington-Doucette et al 2013, IJSHE; Remington-Doucette & Musgrove 2015, IJSHE). ▾

Ronnie Eder | Marketing & Communications Manager, PIPs Rewards
Ronnie is psyched to be working as the Marketing and Communications Manager at PIPs Rewards LLC. Graduating from George Washington University with a degree in Political Communication, Ronnie cultivated two passions: positively affecting people's lives and working with college students. After working for a collegiate outdoor gear company that encourages students to get outside, Ronnie joined the PIPs team in the fall of 2019 and now handles everything from newsletters and social media to sponsors and affiliates (just some of the reasons she considers coffee-drinking a hobby). Currently, Ronnie lives in Denver, competing as an elite ultimate frisbee player and caring for her plants.

Toren Elste | Program Specialist, University of Washington Sustainability  
Toren's passion for the environment began at an early age with her love for the outdoors, which turned into degrees in Landscape Architecture and Environmental Science and became even stronger when she lived in Kona, Hawaii, working with dolphins. "I'm interested in everything from green offices, to paper reduction and green event resources," she says. "Representing the University of Washington's commitment to sustainability makes me excited to go to work each day."

Emily Faltesek | Food Security Programs Coordinator, Human Services Resource Center, Oregon State University
Emily is a registered dietitian and brings a strong food service background to work at the Human Services Resource Center, a one-stop basic needs resource center at Oregon State University. She's passionate about the intersections of food justice, food access, equity, and social progress.

Sarah Fenton | Student Fee Board Chair, North Seattle College
Sarah Fenton is a Student Leadership Mentor at North Seattle College and will be transferring into an undergraduate biochemistry program next Autumn. As an aspiring research scientist, Sarah is fueled by curiosity and the promise of new discoveries. Originally from Colorado, Sarah has never found a mountain she didn't love and spends her free time hiking and backpacking around the PNW. Sarah moved to Seattle in part because of the sustainability efforts being made in the area and has spent the last couple of years learning about the many facets of climate justice work.

D'Andre Fisher, M.Ed. | Associate Vice President, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, North Seattle College
D'Andre Fisher (he/him/his/beloved) earned a M.A. in Adult & Higher Education and B.A. in Human Relations & Social Justice all from Oklahoma University in Norman, OK. Recently, he earned a certification in Mindful Facilitation from StirFry Seminars & Consulting. Currently, D'Andre serves as associate vice president of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion for North Seattle Colleges and one of the diversity and equity officers for the Seattle Colleges District. Prior to this role, D'Andre served as the Special Assistant to the Vice President and Director of Operations, formally the Office of University Community at the University of Oklahoma. In these positions, D'Andre serves as a liaison, steward and voice for students, faculty and staff while guiding the institutions to lead with racial equity, commit to continued development and adoption of common understanding of equity as racial equity, diversity, and inclusion, and create institutional actions necessary to dismantle inequities within the system. D'Andre has a passion for working with college BIPOC students, faculty and staff and believes that institutional success is measured by the success of students who face the greatest systemic barriers to completion.

Stephania Fregosi | Sustainability Analyst, Portland Community College
Stephania Fregosi (she/her(s)), got into sustainability as a result of childhood experiences that included resource conservation, a love of all marine creatures, international travel, a high school semester at a farm in Vermont, and a concern for human rights. As the Portland Community College Sustainability Analyst, Stephania Fregosi maintains the utility database, completes the greenhouse gas inventories, and the STARS report. Stephania conducts policy and program research and provides other program support. Stephania earned her Masters of Studies in Environmental Law from the Vermont Law School and her Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from Oberlin College. She recently contributed to the Association for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education's Anthology on Racial Equity and Social Justice, an educational resource on the interconnections between environmental sustainability, justice, diversity, equity and inclusion.

Claudia Frere-Anderson | Director, University of Washington Sustainability  
Claudia Frere-Anderson is director of Sustainability at the University of Washington. She started her career in the financial services industry prior to working in the nonprofit and social entrepreneurship sector in the San Francisco Bay Area. In these positions, she launched community involvement plans for multi-national companies and advised corporations with corporate social responsibility program implementations. She also worked with national nonprofit organizations to help create efficiencies for volunteer recruitment. Claudia graduated Cum Laude in Politics from the University of San Francisco with a certificate in Peace and Justice Studies. She received an MBA in Corporate Social Responsibility from Nottingham University Business School in the UK where she received a full scholarship from the International Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility (ICCSR). While in graduate school, Claudia launched the business school's first Net Impact Chapter and led post-graduate students with environmental engagement projects. Claudia spends most of her time outdoors with her husband and two fur babies on the trails of the Olympic Peninsula.

Kevin Gibson | SBST SR, Hermanson Service Department Foreman
An experienced HVAC Service Technician with over 14 years of experience in the Sheet Metal Workers Local 66 Union. Licensed as a Seattle Grade 3 Steam Engineer and Washington State Electrician. Certified as a: TABB Technician, Indoor Air Quality Technician, Tridium-Niagra 4 Controls Sytems Technician, Fire Control Supervisor, and Smoke Controls Supervisor. Currently, a Service Department Foreman for the Hermanson Company (Mechanical Contractor), overseeing the Technicians providing service to the cities of Bellevue/Kirkland/Redmond areas.

Tiare Gill | Graduate Student, Antioch University Seattle; Community Growth and Impact Manager, City Fruit
Tiare was born and raised on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, but Washington has been an important home-away-from-home for the past 6 years. She originally moved to Tacoma, WA to pursue a bachelors in Biology and Environmental Policy & Decision Making from the University of Puget Sound. Following graduation, she spent two years as an educator and volunteer mentor at the Slater Museum of Natural History, where her love for inquiry-based learning, natural history, and community building took flight. She is now enrolled as an Urban Environmental Education masters student at Antioch University Seattle, where she is hoping to learn how to be a more equity-minded and community-rooted educator. She also works in partnership with City Fruit, a non-profit food justice organization that strives to connect community with the bounty of Seattle's urban fruit orchards.

José González | Conservationist/Environmentalist, Chicano, and Educator
José G. González is the Founder and Director Emeritus of Latino Outdoors. He is an experienced educator as a K-12 public education teacher, environmental education advisor, outdoor education instructor and coordinator, and university adjunct faculty. As a Partner in the Avarna Group and through his own consulting, his work focuses on Equity & Inclusion frameworks and practices in the environmental, outdoor, and conservation fields. He is also an illustrator and science communicator. His commentary on diversity and environmental/outdoor equity has been featured by High Country News, Outside Magazine, Earth Island Journal, and Latino USA, among others. He engaged in collaborations with the White House Council on Environmental Quality, U.S. Department of Interior, and the National Park Service during the Obama Administration. He also represented Latino Outdoors in several coalitions including the Latino Conservation Alliance, the Next 100 Coalition, and California Parks Now. ▾

Robyn Hathcock | Program Manager, Office of Sustainability, University of Oregon
Robyn joined the Office of Sustainability in 2019 as a long-time collegiate recycling and zero waste professional. Prior to joining the Office, she worked at the UO Zero Waste Program. In that capacity, she worked on local, state and national levels. She holds her BA from the UO's Department of Planning, Public Policy and Management. At the Office of Sustainability, she manages the Sustainability Ambassadors Program and educational and outreach programs supporting campus move-ins and move-outs, Campus Race to Zero Waste, and other special projects. Through her time at the UO, she has worked with students and staff from many areas and functions of campus and values each person's impact on their community and the planet.

Rob Hemphill | Sustainability Data Analyst, Portland State University
Rob Hemphill is the Sustainability Data Analyst Graduate Assistant at Portland State University's Campus Sustainability Office. He is pursuing a Master of Urban and Regional Planning, focusing on the intersection of land use, transportation, housing, and climate change and expects to graduate this spring. Prior to his time at PSU, Rob worked in the energy efficiency industry supporting operational and behavior efficiency programs, for a non profit that provided weatherization services for low income residents, and on political initiatives. When not working, he is an avid soccer fan for the Thorns and Timbers, and is raising his pandemic puppy Theo.

Kshamta Hunter | Sustainability Student Engagement Manager, UBC Sustainable Initiative, University of British Columbia, Canada
Kshamta Hunter has over a decade of experience in sustainability learning and teaching, curriculum design and program management. As a Manager of Sustainability Student Engagement with the UBC Sustainability Initiative, Kshamta manages several engagement programs and provides advising to support UBC's sustainability leadership and development goals. She holds a master's in Curriculum and Pedagogy with a focus on sustainability leadership and engagement and is currently pursuing her PhD investigating social innovation for sustainability. She is passionate about sustainability and believes in the power of education to achieve social change. She is a dedicated mother of three young children and loves to bake in her free time.

Fotima Ibrokhim | Campus Sustainability Fund Outreach Coordinator, University of Washington
Fotima Ibrokhim is University of Washington's Campus Sustainability Fund (CSF) outreach coordinator and has been a part of the program for over 2 years. She is a first-generation college student who is passionate about intersectional sustainability and Agroecology. Through her time with the CSF, she has worked towards an inclusive student outreach effort by focusing on empowering and engaging with under-invested student groups. Fotima has also mobilized a greater focus on social sustainability and DEI work, as well as gained a greater understanding of the variety of sustainability efforts within and outside of higher education. Her time at the CSF has become an important and transformative part of her undergraduate experience.

Sarah Jaquette Ray, PhD | Associate Professor and Chair of Environmental Studies, Humboldt State University and author of A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety: How to Keep Your Cool on a Warming Planet (2020)
Sarah Jaquette Ray is a Professor of Environmental Studies at Humboldt State University and the author of A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety (UC Press, 2020). Sarah came to working on climate anxiety through her academic background in the environmental humanities and environmental justice, and through over a decade of leading and teaching in environmental studies programs at the college level. She began to research and create practical tools for existential resilience in the Anthropocene when she realized that her students (and she herself) were growing increasingly immobilized by the state of the planet and politics. ▾

Tim Jensen | Associate Professor and Director of Writing, School of Writing, Literature, and Film, Oregon State University
Tim Jensen researches and teaches environmental communication, rhetorical theory, and composition pedagogy. His book, Ecologies of Guilt in Environmental Rhetorics (Palgrave Macmillan, 2019), argues that an impoverished emotional literacy around guilt is a central factor in our anemic response to ecological upheaval. Alongside his academic research, he is actively involved in wild salmon advocacy and other ecological restoration projects.

Meghan Jones | Seattle Director, Factory Farming Awareness Coalition
Meghan Jones has served as the Seattle Director of the Factory Farming Awareness Coalition for three years, educating thousands of students and stakeholders across Washington State on the holistic impacts of factory farming in her tenure. She graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Political Science and Comparative History of Ideas with a focus in Critical Human and Animal Studies, and volunteers at Pigs Peace Sanctuary as a tour guide in her free time.

Kaede Kawauchi | Program Manager, Intentional Endowments Network
As a Program Manager at the Intentional Endowments Network (IEN), Kaede focuses on developing strategies, industry relationships and resources to grow and manage the network, with a particular focus on programs related to diversity, shareholder engagement, and community investing. She also handles the network's impact analysis. Prior to IEN, Kaede worked at the Japan Center for International Exchange, a policy institute in New York, where she managed a disaster recovery fund to invest in Japanese social enterprises and organized educational programs for business executives, parliamentarians, journalists, and NGO leaders. Kaede has a B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania in International Relations and a M.A. from the Tufts Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy with a focus on Business for Social Impact and Development Economics. At the Fletcher School, she led a 70-member impact investing group which provided pro-bono advisory services for promising social enterprises.

Susan Kaspari | Professor, Department of Geological Sciences, Central Washington University
Susan Kaspari has worked on sustainability related projects since she was in high school. Most recently her efforts have focussed on improving environmental, social and economic sustainability at Central Washington University (CWU) and in the Greater Ellensburg, WA community. Susan teaches in the Environmental Studies program, mentors students completing projects through CWU's Sustainability Certificate, and teaches a course called Campus Sustainability. She believes that change starts at home.

Lyle Keck | Building Performance Consultant, Affiliated Engineers, Inc
Lyle Keck leads the building performance group for Affiliated Engineers' Seattle and Portland offices, with 10 years of project experience in the areas of building performance simulation, systems engineering, and high performance building design. His experience with energy, carbon, and water analysis of buildings and district systems has led to the implementation of advanced heat recovery systems and energy conserving operational strategies.

Kathleen Klaniecki | Sustainability Coordinator, Central Washington University
Kathleen is Central Washington University's Sustainability Coordinator. She joined CWU in January 2020 and is tasked with fostering a culture of sustainability and developing a sustainability action plan to guide campus efforts. Kathleen holds a PhD in Sustainability Science, a MSc in Environmental Science, Policy and Management, and has experience advancing sustainability initiatives at institutions of higher education, municipalities, and K-12 schools. Kathleen is passionate about behavior change for sustainability, the UN SDGs as a uniting framework, sustainability innovation labs, and cross-sectoral collaboration and partnerships.

Miya Konishi | Bearcat Pantry Coordinator, SOAR Center, Willamette University
Miya is currently a Senior at Willamette University studying Environmental Science. She works as the co-coordinator for Food Pantry on Willamette Universities' campus, a 12th grade mentor at Willamette Academy which is a college access program for underrepresented communities in Salem, OR, and holds an internship at the Oregon State Capitol for Representative Anna Williams. She is passionate about the environment and the ways we can be more sustainable, while addressing social justice issues of accessibility and equity.

Wesley Lauer, PhD, PE | Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Seattle University
Dr. Lauer works as professor in the civil and environmental engineering and environmental science programs at Seattle University. His educational background includes degrees from the University of Minnesota (Ph.D., 2006), U.C. Berkeley (M.Eng., 1998) and Walla Walla University (B.S.E. in Civil Engineering, 1996). His research focuses on geomorphic change in river systems and has applications in flood management, assessment of riparian habitat quality, and adaptation to climate change. At Seattle University, he has contributed to the conversation about sustainability by developing course materials and presentations intended for non-specialists and by serving on several sustainability-related committees and working groups.

Abbie Little | Community Relations Coordinator - Experiential Learning, Academic Sustainability Programs Office, McMaster University, Canada
Abbie Little is the Community Relations Coordinator for the Academic Sustainability Programs Office at McMaster University. Abbie assists in program and course development for one of the University's largest Minors, the Minor in Sustainability. Prior to this, Abbie completed her Bachelors in Geography and Environmental Studies, with a minor in Sustainability from McMaster. She was also named one of Canada's Top 25 Environmentalists Under 25 with Starfish Canada and sits on the Board of Directors with a local non-profit called Cycle Hamilton. Abbie is passionate about making a difference in the lives of the present and future generations and inspiring individuals to make small consistent sustainable actions in their lives.

Ryan Maikell | Student, UCCS
Ryan Maikell is a Professional Communications Major with an emphasis is Strategic Communication at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. Ryan is the PIPs Program Coordinator and GPS Social Media & Content Manager at UCCS. In addition to this, Ryan serves as Chair of the UCCS Green Action Fund. Ryan enjoys skiing and hiking and enjoys spending time with his puppy, Nanook.

Adam Maurer | Sustainability Coordinator, Seattle Colleges
Adam Maurer has a diverse educational background in the areas of management, organizational behavior, marketing, economics, sustainable enterprise, climate change, sustainable development, renewable energy, environmental non-profit organizations, and environmental law and policy. He has worked within different organization types, from small (25 employees) to large private firms (national, publicly traded) and also within non-profit organizations (10-50 employees). His professional experience has largely consisted of multi-stakeholder collaboration, including public officials, private enterprises, non-profits, workforce development agencies, academic professionals, engineers, scientists, sub-contractors, and clients. For the last decade, he has worked to advance sustainability initiatives at two different colleges; one on the east coast and one in Seattle.

Maya McClendon | Founder, TimeOut App  
Maya McClendon is a former Arizona State Volleyball player. She graduated in 2017 with a degree in premed-psychology. She is the CEO & Founder of Sports Metaphor, LLC which is a brand committed to providing innovative and holistic resources to athletes, and is currently working on a mental health mobile app for athletes. She is also an advocate for sustainability and social justice and frequently works with the Green Sports Alliance.

Dr. Pavlina McGrady | Assistant Professor, Southern Oregon University
Pavlina is an assistant professor at the School of Business at Southern Oregon University. She teaches tourism and sustainability courses at the school. Her favorite courses include Sustainable Tourism, Cases in Corporate Sustainability, and Sustainability Leadership. Pavlina's research interests include sustainable tourism, cannabis tourism, and business sustainability, specifically exploring the relationship between corporate sustainability, innovation, and leadership, utilizing mixed research methods. Together with several of her colleagues, Pavlina has initiated the Southern Oregon University Sustainability Curriculum Initiative which is in its second year.

Dr. Taylor McHolm | Program Director, Student Sustainability Center, University of Oregon
Dr. Taylor McHolm directs the Student Sustainability Center at the University of Oregon, which occupies Kalapuya Ilihi. He earned his PhD from the Environmental Science, Studies and Policy Program at UO, an MA in English from the University of Oregon, and Masters in Teaching from Pace University in New York. His research and publications concern the intersections of race, environment and cultural representations of environmental justice. His direction of the Student Sustainability follows suit, shifting to prioritize social and cultural equity as a fundamental premise of sustainability alongside more conventional understandings of environmental commitment.

Jenny McNamara | Campus Sustainability Director, Portland State University
Jenny is the Campus Sustainability Director for Portland State University, a role she's been in for over 8 years. She has a long background in campus sustainability planning. Before joining PSU, she was the Sustainability Manager at the University of North Carolina Greensboro where she facilitated broad-spectrum programming and cross campus collaboration. Prior to that, she worked at North Carolina State University where she helped conduct and write the first sustainability assessment for that university. Jenny has also served as an independent environmental consultant in both technical and educational capacities.

Steve Mital | Sustainability Director, University of Oregon
Steve is the founding Director of Sustainability at the University of Oregon and has been in the position since 2007. He works to reduce the university's environmental footprint and expand opportunities for faculty, staff, and students to engage sustainability issues. Prior to this position, Steve founded the UO Environmental Leadership Program (ELP) in 2001. The ELP trains students to consult with non-profits, businesses, and government agencies on mapping, monitoring, and environmental education projects. Steve earned his bachelor's degree from Prescott College and master's degrees at the University of Oregon in Planning and Environmental Science in 2001.

Hal Nelson | Associate Professor, Portland State University
Dr. Hal T. Nelson is an Associate Professor in the Public Administration and Public Policy programs at Portland State University where he directs the Graduate Certificate in Energy Policy and Management. He teaches courses on data science, policy analysis, public policy processes, energy policy, and grid modernization. His research activities include the development of decision support software to scale-up best practices in the energy sector. Fun Fact: Dr. Nelson used to yell at people for a living in his former job on the trading floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

Amber Nicholson | Sustainability Director, Bellevue College
Amber Nicholson is the Sustainability Director at Bellevue College. Her sustainability expertise spans across many industries, including industrial manufacturing, consumer goods and electronics, government operations, auditing, and consulting. She earned her Bachelor's degree in Environment and Business from the University of Waterloo, Canada. At Bellevue College, Amber works on climate action planning, incorporating the UN SDGS, creating healthy and sustainable college spaces, driving circular economy efforts, and climate justice programming. In Amber's spare time, you will find her cooking fresh ingredients from local farmers markets and kayaking the beautiful PNW waters.

Emily Nielsen | Sustainable Student Action Member, Seattle University
Emily (she/her) is a third-year Public Affairs student at Seattle University. She works at SU's Center for Environmental Justice and Sustainability and has been an active Sustainable Student Action member since her freshmen year. Emily has enjoyed cultivating her passion for advancing social, economic, and environmental sustainability through her work with Community Action for a Sustainable Alameda in her hometown and volunteering with The Mosaic Project - an organization that brings together 4th and 5th graders from across the SF Bay Area to engage in lessons surrounding conflict resolution, empathy and interconnectedness in an outdoor setting. Emily is grateful for the opportunity to present at WOHESC this year and is looking forward to connecting with others.

Andrea Norris | Marketing & Development Coordinator, Materials Management, Oregon State University
Andrea serves as the Marketing & Development Coordinator in the Materials Management department of Oregon State University, where she has worked for over a decade. Her work focuses on marketing via events, presentations, digital and print communications, and serving as advisor to the Waste Watchers student club, as well program development via pilot programs, partnerships, strategic planning, and more.

Heather Price, PhD | Chemistry Faculty, Climate Justice Educator/Researcher, North Seattle College
Heather Price earned her PhD in Analytical and Environmental Chemistry from University of Washington (UW) focusing on the long-range transport and photochemistry of air pollution. Heather's postdoctoral atmospheric chemistry research was conducted with the Program on Climate Change at UW, incorporating the isotopes of hydrogen into a global chemical transport model of the atmosphere. Heather has developed a number of courses on climate change: for undergraduate students at UW, a summer program for high school students, continuing science education courses for elementary and 6-12 grade teachers, and most recently, short courses and workshops for college faculty to incorporate climate justice and civic engagement into their existing STEM, arts, and humanities curriculum.

Alexa Russo | Sustainability Coordinator, University of Washington Bothell
Alexa Russo isn't your traditional environmentalist, she did not grow up hiking in the forest with her parents, she did not grow up experiencing the earth through any lens other than getting from one place to another; she would play outside as a child, but was never one to dig in the dirt, or plant a garden. It was her time at Cascadia College that instilled in her an unexplainably deep connection to the world around us, and a desire to conserve and celebrate the magnificent things that the earth has to offer. Tromping through the wetland in the pouring rain, and seeing the impacts that development and climate change was having on the area that she was raised in created this sense of compassion within Russo, producing a drive to do something about it; to become a steward of the earth. Her time at UW Bothell has only magnified these feelings, and advanced her passion further. ▾

LaUra Schmidt | Founding Director, Good Grief Network
LaUra (she/her) has been studying personal resilience strategies for nearly a decade. She is trained in nonviolent civil disobedience, and is a Climate Reality Leadership Corps member & mentor. While a bit of a nomad, she hails from Michigan, and graduated from Central Michigan University with a BS in Environmental Studies, Biology, and Religious Studies. Her MS in Environmental Humanities was earned from the University of Utah. LaUra grew to understand the importance of place through spending some time living and playing in Outer Banks of North Carolina & the bayous of Louisiana (directly after the BP oil spill). Inspiration finds her in natural landscapes and honest, open-hearted dialogue.

Briar Schoon | Sustainability Manager, Portland Community College  
Briar Schoon (she/her) is the college's Sustainability Manager, with the focus of mainstreaming sustainability throughout all college practices district-wide. She has taught sustainability courses at PCC and sat on the Board of Directors for the Greater Portland Sustainability Education Network for seven years. 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. Briar has represented the college at the local, national and international-level, including at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP23) in Bonn, Germany. Prior to her role as the Sustainability Manager, she worked as the Sustainability Analyst for PCC, completing the college's greenhouse gas inventories and STARS reports. She likes to spend her free time crafting, gardening, and playing with her kitty.

Sarah Sense Wilson, LMHC, CDP, WSGCC-II | Chair of Urban Native Education Alliance
Sarah Sense-Wilson (Oglala) serves as the elected Chair for the Urban Native Education Alliance (UNEA). Sarah is committed to strengthening our urban Native community through tireless advocacy, organizing, and networking both within the Native community and greater King County area. Central to Sarah's values is student voice, "As an organization we need to be cognizant of its purpose at all times, we are here to serve the academic, social, emotional, cultural, and spiritual needs of our Native children". Collaborating, consulting and sharing in decision making with students supports our emphasis on being student centered. Sarah's educational background includes a B.A. in Political Science, UW 1999, Chemical Dependency License 2004, and she completed her MA degree in Applied Psychology from Antioch University in 2010. Sarah is a Washington State licensed Mental Health Counselor, and a certified Problem Gambling Counselor. She has worked in the chemical dependency field for over 15 years, specializing in both family and couples counseling. Sarah is currently employed at Tulalip Tribes Behavioral Wellness as a Problem Gambling Coordinator. Sarah and her partner Mark have one daughter who recently graduated from Western Washington University. Sarah enjoys her multiple volunteer roles and is highly motivated to improve academic and cultural enrichment experiences for our urban Native youth. Sarah believes both cultural knowledge and education are vital to strengthen and build the future for our urban Native community.

Molly Spangler | Yoga Instructor
Molly Spangler discovered yoga 20 years ago and it has been her passion ever since. She teaches with clarity, humor and a deep gratitude for her students. Her classes integrate dynamic vinyasa flow with precise alignment and a curiosity of the inner, personal journey. Molly has completed a 500 hour RYT and multiply trainings with renowned yoga instructors.

Jill Anne Smedstad | Environmental and Community Engagement Coordinator, Student Sustainability Center, Southern Oregon University
Jill Smedstad (she/her) has worked as a Student Affairs professional at Southern Oregon University since 2014, first as the Environmental and Community Engagement Coordinator. Her position transitioned in 2020 and she is now the Equity Coordinator for Sustainability and Basic Needs Resourcing, where she leads the Social Justice and Equity Center's Student Sustainability Team. Jill has a MS from Oregon State University in Geography and a BS in Sociology from SOU. Prior to her Student Affairs career, Jill served as a US Peace Corps Volunteer in Ethiopia, was a Regional Supervisor with the Montana Conservation Corps, and spent a number of years doing seasonal conservation and trail work around the western US. Jill and her husband Dev have two children, Leo and Juniper, and together they go on many excellent adventures exploring Southern Oregon and Northern California (home of the Shasta and Takilma peoples).

Laura Steffen, MBA, CPC, ELI-MP | Certified Life Coach
Laura Steffen is a certified life coach who helps people reconnect with their innate wisdom to live more fully while being powerful changemakers. Her super-powers include curiosity, deep listening, and asking important questions with kindness. She is also an experienced operations consultant with a focus on communication, process improvement, and facilitation. She co-creates deep connections with those she cares about by curating a simple, nomadic lifestyle that allows her to share in and contribute to the lives of her friends and family.

Sarah Stoeckl, PhD | Director, Office of Sustainability, University of Oregon   
Sarah Stoeckl, PhD, is program manager in the Office of Sustainability at the University of Oregon. Her work at the UO focuses on campus and community outreach, including support for sustainability in research, curriculum, co-curricular activities and student programming, and community engagements. She also supports the office's communications strategy and content creation that tells the university's sustainability story, and development of sustainability policy and plans. Before starting this position in 2018, she worked in technology and education. Sarah earned her PhD in literature from the UO in 2012.

Christoph Strouse | Project Coordinator, UW Sustainability Action Plan
Christoph works in the UW Seattle Sustainability Office as a Project Coordinator for the Sustainability Action Plan. He is a graduate student in the Urban Design & Planning program at the University of Washington Seattle campus where he is focussed on centuring social and environmental justice through sustainable and resilient development for cities. Outside of UW, Christoph organizes with climate justice and labor coalitions on city and state level policy to advance a just transition toward a circular economy, the Green New Deal and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Ryan Taylor | Project Coordinator, ASU Enterprise Partners
Ryan Taylor is a Project Coordinator at Arizona State University Enterprise Partners, where he facilitates sustainability projects for the ASU endowment. He launched a student organization to manage the endowment's shareholder advocacy and a $900k ESG-themed investment fund. Originally from New Mexico, Ryan graduated from ASU's School of Sustainability in 2019 and happily resides in Tempe when he's not exploring the desert.

E. Jamie Trammell | Associate Professor of Environmental Science and Policy, Southern Oregon University
Jamie is a faculty member in the Environmental Science and Policy program at Southern Oregon University. His current research is centered on how climate change might fundamentally change the people and ecology of Alaska, and modeling the socioeconomic impacts of protected areas globally. Jamie taught upper division environmental science courses for 5 years at the University of Alaska, Anchorage, and for the last 4 years at Southern Oregon University, where he currently teaches climatology, GIS, remote sensing, and land use planning.

Arianne True | Poet and Teaching Artist, Seattle
Arianne True (Choctaw, Chickasaw) is a queer poet and folk artist from Washington State. She teaches and mentors with Writers in the Schools (WITS), the Seattle Youth Poet Laureate program, and Hugo House's Young Writers Cohort. Arianne is a proud alum of Hedgebrook, the Jack Straw Writers Program, and the MFA program at the Institute of American Indian Arts, and is currently a Hugo Fellow.

Stefanie Wickstrom | Executive Director, APOYO Food Bank; and Faculty, Central Washington University
Dr. Wickstrom has worked in higher education since 1990, teaching in political science, environmental studies, Latin American studies, American Indian studies, and other programs. She is currently teaching environmental justice, serving as the executive director for the APOYO Food and Clothing Bank and completing an immigration law fellowship with La Casa Hogar in Yakima.

Paige Williams | Student, Equity and Inclusion Student Advisory Committee, Cascadia College
My name is Paige Williams, and I am a student at Cascadia College in Bothell Washington. I am part of Cascadia's Student Advisory Committee for Equity and Inclusion which is a student-ran committee at my campus to discuss ways to improve equity and inclusiveness. We meet weekly, and currently virtually, to discuss current issues related to equity, and events that we can host to improve our school community. I am looking forward to speaking with you at our discussion about building equity on campus through sustainable food practices.

Amanda Wolf | Sustainability Program Analyst, Portland State University
Amanda coordinates projects, benchmarks PSU's sustainability performances, manages the university's utilities and works on standards and policies that help improve sustainable operations on campus. She holds a BS in Social Science, a Graduate Certificate in Sustainability and a Masters in Leadership for Sustainability Education from PSU. Born and raised in the Northwest, Amanda enjoys being outside, finding every opportunity to slip away from the city and connect with nature. Amanda believes that the key to sustainability is to eradicate the root causes of injustices, and the best way to accomplish this is through community-driven solutions, collaboration, and building resilient communities.

Rachel Wong | Associate University Engineer, California State University
Rachel Wong is the current Associate University Engineer at California State University's Office of the Chancellor. She participates in campus schematic reviews for major capital projects, administers the Mechanical Review Board (MRB), and is leading the implementation of the Building Decarbonization Framework and development of tools for campus microgrid integration. She additionally supports the advancement in functionality of the systemwide Energy Information System, streamlining campus procurement of energy efficiency, and a parallel resilience framework for critical infrastructure. She previously worked in the private sector for energy efficiency consulting firms. Rachel is a licensed professional engineer and holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University.

Valentina Zamora, PhD | Associate Professor, Accounting, Seattle University
Tina's research examines accounting as an instrument of individual agency, corporate accountability, and social responsibility. Her work is published in the Journal of Finance, Journal of Business Ethics, Auditing: A Journal of Theory and Practice, among others. She is a Faculty Fellow for the Center of Business Ethics, a member of the Social Responsibility Advisory Working Group, and the ex-officio Faculty Representative in the Finance Committee of the Board of Trustees. Prior to entering academia, she worked in the Japanese Tax and Audit Practice of KPMG LLP in New York City and in the Office of International Education and Exchange at the University of Oregon in Eugene.