Featured Profiles
January 2025 - Sustainability Champion: Salvador Peña
January 1, 2025
Salvador Peña, Resource Recovery Superintendent at UC Santa Cruz, is our champion this month. Learn more about Sal and his contributions for a more sustainable campus.
November 2024 - Sustainability Champion: Derek Martin
November 1, 2024
Derek Martin, former Sustainability Programs Manager made many contributions during his three years at UC Santa Cruz. Learn more about him and his work.
October 2024 - Sustainability Champion: Chris Benner
October 1, 2024
In this issue, the Sustainability Champion is environmental studies and sociology professor at UC Santa Cruz Chris Benner. Learn more about him and his contributions towards embedding equity into our social systems.
Summer 2024 - Sustainability Champion: Gabriel Schiering
June 12, 2024
In this issue, the Sustainability Champion is Gabriel Schiering, who began a composting program at Oakes College with great success.
May 2024 - Sustainability Champion: Meg Kobe
May 6, 2024
In this issue, the Sustainability Champion is Meg Kobe - Director for Student Health Outreach & Promotion (SHOP) in the Student Health Center at UCSC.
April 2024 - Sustainability Champion: Yihsu Chen
April 17, 2024
In this issue, the Sustainability Champion is Yihsu Chen, Professor - Technology Management in Sustainability Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at UCSC.
March 2024 - Sustainability Champion: Peter Weiss
March 11, 2024
In this issue, the Sustainability Champion is Peter Weiss, faculty researcher & lecturer in Chemistry & Biochemistry, Microbiology & Environmental Toxicology Departments at UCSC.
February 2024 - Sustainability Champion: Angel Riotutar
February 8, 2024
In this issue we are highlighting Angel Riotutar, as the Sustainability Champion.
January 2024 - Sustainability Champion: Michael Hanson
January 8, 2024
In this issue we are highlighting Mike Hanson, as the Sustainability Champion.
November & December 2023 - Sustainability Champion: Phil Boutelle
November 15, 2023
In this issue we are highlighting Phil Boutelle, as the Sustainability Champion.
October 2023 - Sustainability Champion: Tiffany Wise-West
October 9, 2023
In this issue we are highlighting Tiffany Wise-West, as the Sustainability Champion of the Month.
Summer 2023 - Sustainability Champion: Cynthia Larive
June 14, 2023
In this issue we are highlighting Cynthia Larive, UCSC's Chancellor, as the Sustainability Champion of the Month.
May 2023 - Sustainability Champion: Brooks Schmitt
May 10, 2023
This month, we are highlighting Brooks Schmitt, Cowell Coffee Shop Food Supervisor, as the Sustainability Champion of the Month. Read more to learn about Brooks.
April 2023 - Sustainability Champion: Darryl Wong
April 6, 2023
This month, we are highlighting Darryl Wong, Santa Cruz Center for Agroecology Executive Director. Read more to learn about him and his great journey into education and work in food systems.
March 2023 - Sustainability Champion: Jonathan Weidman
March 1, 2023
This month, we are highlighting Jonathan Weidman, our partner at TAPS. Read more to learn about him and his amazing work to make our campus more sustainable
Febuary 2023 - Sustainability Champion: Sikina Jinnah
February 1, 2023
This month, we are highlighting Sikina Jinnah, Environmental Studies professor and Co-Chair of the Chancellor’s Strategic Planning Committee for Climate Change, Sustainability & Resilience. Learn more about Sikina and her work.
January 2023 - Sustainability Champion: Matt Miller
January 8, 2023
This month, we are highlighting Matt Miller, our partner at Ecology Action. Read more to learn about him and his great work to make Santa Cruz county a better place to live.
November 2022 - Sustainability Champion: Nick Gutierrez
November 2, 2022
This month, we are highlighting Nick Gutierrez, Senior Custodian in Physical Planning Development & Operations. Read more to learn about him and his admirable vanpool journey at UCSC.
October 2022 - Sustainability Champion of The Month: Dr. Rebecca Hernandez
October 3, 2022
This month, we are highlighting Rebecca Hernandez, Community Archivist - University Library. Read more about Rebecca, to learn about the amazing work she did and continue to do at UCSC.
Summer 2022 - Sustainability Champion of The Month: Sarah Woodside Bury
June 20, 2022
This month, we are highlighting Sarah Woodside Bury, Senior Director of College Student Life. Read more about Sarah, to learn more about the amazing work she does at UCSC.
May 2022 - Sustainability Champion of The Month: Breanna Van Otterloo
May 9, 2022
This month, we are highlighting Breanna Van Otterloo, Food Safety and Nutrition Specialist. Read the interview with Breanna, to learn more about her and all that she does at UCSC.
April 2022 - Sustainability Champion of the Month: Teresa Buika
April 8, 2022
This month, we are highlighting Teresa Buika, Senior Transportation Planner at TAPS and now transitioning to Contracts and Grants Writer – RECS. Read the interview with Teresa, to learn more about her and her amazing work at UCSC.
March 2022 - Sustainability Champion of the Month: Julie Sutton
March 10, 2022
This month, we are highlighting Julie Sutton, Grounds Manager - Physical Planning Development & Operations. Read the interview with Julie, to learn more about the great work she does at UCSC.
February 2022 Sustainability Champion: Jolie Kerns
February 1, 2022
Jolie Kerns, Director of Physical and Environmental Planning at UCSC is being recognized as the February 2022 Sustainability Champion! Learn more about her and her work.
November 2021 Sustainability Champion: Patrick Testoni
November 5, 2021
Patrick Testoni, Energy Manager at UCSC, is our November 2021 Sustainability Champion. He is being recognized for his great work on energy efficiency and water conservation on our campus and beyond.
October 2021 Sustainability Champion: Julio Harvey
October 5, 2021
Julio Harvey, Biology Teaching Laboratories Manager for the Molecular, Cell, & Developmental Biology Department at UCSC, is being recognized as the October 2021 Sustainability Champion! Read our interview with Julio to learn more.
Summer 2021 Sustainability Champion: Ravi Rajan
June 23, 2021
Ravi Rajan, Professor of Environmental Studies at UCSC, is being recognized as the Summer 2021 Sustainability Champion! Read our interview with Dr. Ravi to learn more.
May 2021 - Sustainability Champion of the Month: Bill Alderson
May 11, 2021
Bill Alderson, Assistant Superintendent for the UCSC Grounds Resource Recovery Team is our May Sustainability Champion. Read on to learn more about the important work Bill does to keep UCSC green.
April 2021 - Sustainability Champion of the Month: Kristen Lee
April 14, 2021
This month, we are highlighting Kristen Lee, Programs Manager at the Sustainability Office who is transitioning to a new job in Oregon this month. Read the interview with Kristen, to learn more about the great work they did for UCSC community and beyond.
Winter 2021 - Sustainability Champion: Stacy Philpott
February 1, 2021
Stacy Philpott is the Executive Director of the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS), Professor in the Environmental Studies Department, and Alfred and Ruth Heller Chair in Agroecology. Learn more about her research "at the intersection of agroecology and conservation biology", and her many awards and achievements.
December 2020 - Sustainability Champion of the Month: Sylvanna Falcón
December 11, 2020
Sylvanna Falcón is an associate professor of Latin American and Latino Studies and the director of the Research Center for the Americas. She's advanced several initiatives as director, including an Activist-in-Residence, a community-based journalism project in partnership with Digital NEST in Watsonville, and more.
November 2020 - Sustainability Champion of the Month: Adam Millard-Ball
November 12, 2020
Adam Millard-Ball is a former associate professor in the Environmental Studies Department at UCSC. Adam’s research bridges urban planning and environmental economics, and addresses some of the key challenges in transportation, energy and climate change policy.
October 2020 - Sustainability Champion of the Month: Justin Cummings
October 8, 2020
Justin Cummings, UCSC Alumni with a Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, has held office as Mayor of Santa Cruz for over a year now. Learn more about Mayor Cummings and his experience with being a leader during these unprecedented times.
June 2020 - Sustainability Champion of the Month: Dani Barker
June 4, 2020
Dani Barker, Associate Director for College Student Life Operations, has over 10 years experience in the field of social justice training and leadership education. Her sustainability efforts on campus are notable. Learn more about Dani and her work.
May 2020 - Sustainability Champion of the Month: Sue Matthews
May 12, 2020
Sue Matthews, Associate Vice Chancellor Colleges, Housing and Educational Services, is being recognized as the sustainability champion of the month for furthering the sustainability mission at UCSC in too many ways to mention. Learn more about Sue and her amazing work, in our interview with her.
April 2020 - Sustainability Champion of the Month: Clint Jeffries
April 13, 2020
Clint Jeffries, Assistant Director of UC Santa Cruz Dining, is being recognized this month for his pertinent sustainability work in the dining halls and beyond.
March 2020 - Sustainability Champion of the Month: Cindy Delgado
March 5, 2020
Cindy Delgado, Assistant Director of Worker's Compensation for Risk Services, is being recognized this month for the valuable work she does to further sustainability on this campus and beyond. Learn more about her journey and her work in our interview with Cindy.
February 2020 - Sustainability Champion of the Month: Flora Lu
February 10, 2020
Professor Flora Lu is being recognized for the great work she does to further sustainability on this campus and beyond. Learn about her journey, and how she was inspired by an undergraduate course "Human Ecology in the Amazon", and how that changed her future.
December 2019 - Sustainability Champion of the Month: Pamela Dewey
December 3, 2019
Pamela Dewey from the Social Sciences Division, has inspired people to be sustainable, in many different ways.
November 2019 - Sustainability Champion of the Month: Leslie O'Malley
November 6, 2019
Leslie O'Malley, Waste Reduction Program Manager for the City of Santa Cruz, is being recognized as Sustainability Champion of The Month this November.
October 2019 - Sustainability Champion of the Month: Ivan Ditmars
October 18, 2019
Ivan Ditmars is being recognized as Sustainability Champion of The Month this October. He was given the task to expand the campus' use of the Corporate Travel & Entertainment (CTE) card, a pioneer in paperless transactions that streamlines processes saving a lot of paper and time.
June 2019: Alysia Tran and Shirley Chun
June 5, 2019
This month we had the privilege to interview our two Education and Outreach Team members, Shirley Chun, and Alysia Tran, who will be graduating this Spring.
May 2019: Kyra Fitz
May 7, 2019
This month we had the privilege to interview Kyra Fitz, a Senior who has worked many positions at the sustainability office: Carbon Neutrality team and Currently a Carbon Neutrality Fellow.
April 2019: Sarina Sylavong
April 11, 2019
This month we had the privilege to interview Sarina Sylavong, a Senior who has worked many positions at the sustainability office: Green Labs Program, InterOrg team coordinator, Green Labs Program Facilitator, and Student Task Force.
January 2019: Alessandra Bicudo Alvares
January 28, 2019
This month we had the privilege to interview Alessandra Álvares, the Office Manager and Event Coordinator at the Sustainability Office. She works with teams of students to spread the word about sustainability here on campus.
November 2018: Ellen Vaughan
November 15, 2018
Each month, our newsletter features a person or group on campus that is working toward a more sustainable world. This month we were excited to interview and welcome Ellen Vaughan, Water & Climate Action Manager, to the Sustainability Office.
June 2017 Profile: Melissa Ott
June 5, 2017
This month, we are featuring Melissa Ott, our former Office Manager and first-year apprentice in the Center for Agroecology & Sustainable Food Systems (CASFS) Apprenticeship in Ecological Horticulture at the UCSC Farm & Gardens.
December 2013 Sustainability Profile: Chancellor George Blumenthal
December 4, 2013
This month's profile features Chancellor George Blumenthal, who is spearheading a campus-wide challenge to reduce waste.
