Marina Alvarado

Marina Alvarado is a third year double major in Environmental Studies and Comparative Literature. After working as the Student Administrative Assistant for the Environmental Studies Department for two years, she is now interning with UCSB Sustainability. As an event coordinator for the California Higher Education Sustainability Conference, she hopes to combine her passion for event planning and the environment. With a special interest in Environmental Justice, she hopes to help promote equal/meaningful involvement in sustainability and sustainable practices. Marina is looking forward to becoming more involved with on-campus environmental education and sustainability efforts.

Anu Balakrishnan

Anu Balakrishnan is a first year graduate student in Environmental Science & Management. She hails from Gujarat (India) where she completed her BE in Electrical Engineering. She has a software engineering background and she is a data buff. Prior to joining UCSB, she was working as a Business Analyst in the Bay Area for many years. She is passionate about life-cycle-thinking & impact on climate and energy thereof. She hopes to specialize in climate modeling and continue interdisciplinary research in energy & climate. She loves theatre and volunteers as Stage and Property Manager in Naatak, the largest non-profit Indian Theatre Company in USA. For overall sustainability & wellness, Anu believes that environment and people should come together. She is very excited to work towards this goal in this position at UCSB Sustainability.

Kyle Butts

Kyle Butts is in his final year completing a degree in Mathematics. This past year, he took a gap year to work for Bernie Sander’s campaign and for an Environmental Political Action Committee. This year, he will be a topic area coordinator for the California Higher Education Sustainability Conference. He hopes to foster thoughtful collaboration on creating sustainable institutions throughout California’s higher education system. He is looking forward to joining the wonderful team that the Office of Sustainability has formed!

Andray Cardoza

Andray Cardoza is a fourth-year Environmental Studies major and is an intern with the California Higher Education Sustainability Conference. In the summer of 2016 he researched plant and animal ecology throughout the UC Natural Reserve System, and recently spent a semester studying city-level sustainability and waste management at Lund University in Sweden. His mixed interests and experiences have led him to find enjoyment in investigating how and why some sustainability initiatives and policies are successful, and in his free time he plans on starting a blog on the topic to fuel his passion for writing. He is excited to develop professional skills and learn about sustainability initiatives throughout the state by interning with CHESC and, upon graduating, wants to make a difference by pursuing a career in e-waste consulting or environmental law.

Jalia Carlton-Carew

Jalia Carlton-Carew is a first year student pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Film and Media Studies. She is interning at the Living Lab as a writer and publicity coordinator. Jalia attended an environmental science high school called Arabia Mountain High School in Lithonia, Georgia. There she became more knowledgeable about the environment around her. As a result, she participated in science fairs where she conducted research and tested soil samples from different areas in Georgia. Jalia will apply her skills for extensive research and writing to her job. In her free time, she enjoys public speaking and filming videos.

Daniel Charette

Daniel Charette is a third year Pharmacology major looking to gain experience and new skills in sustainability. He previously worked in small-scale pharmaceutical manufacturing, making new drugs for Phase I and II clinical trials. As a Lab Sustainability Coordinator this year, he hopes to bring new practices and programs to the research labs on campus in order to make them more environmentally friendly. Specifically Daniel hopes to be able to bring conservational practices to the pharmaceutical industry after college. He also enjoys surfing and playing ultimate Frisbee in his free time.

Justine Cortez

Justine Cortez is a fourth year Cell and Developmental Biology major. She is currently on her fourth year volunteering with the 5th Grade Outreach Program, and has interned over the summer at Storke Ranch to  work on habitat restoration for the vernal pools. Justine also completed  a two-year service-learning Internship with Adventures in Caring which- combined with her other work- has pushed her to pursue a PhD in her field and become a professor. With the Educating Leaders for the Future Program, she hopes to transfer her energy into the classroom,  teach  the value of green practices and sustainability in the community, and to inspire others to pursue higher education.


Bryn Daniel

Bryn Daniel is a fourth-year Environmental Studies major and is also pursuing a minor in Art History. She spent the last year studying sustainable food and agriculture at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, and she hopes to integrate this knowledge in her role as Student Ambassador for the UC Global Food Initiative to empower UCSB students to make better food choices, by increasing access to and education about healthy and sustainable diets. She also interns at the Research Experience and Education Facility (REEF), where she works with environmental education and outreach.

Ankur Dass

Ankur Dass is a first year Masters student at the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management at UCSB where he is specializing in Energy and Climate Change studies. He has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin, and has spent the last five years working as a chemical engineer and manager in the chemical manufacturing industry. Ankur sees sustainable energy use as one of the fundamental challenges to addressing climate change and hopes to pursue a career tackling this problem upon graduation. He enjoys playing soccer and hiking.

Victoria Dubeau

Victoria Dubeau is a third year Environmental Studies student who is also pursuing a minor in Spanish. Victoria has experience working with the Santa Barbara Audubon Society restoring native habitat near Coal Oil Point as well as working in a research lab on campus examining the effects of predatory fish on coral reef ecosystems. Victoria has a strong passion for the environment and the ocean and hopes to pursue a career in mitigating climate change in our oceans upon graduation. Victoria looks forward to making a difference during her time as an undergraduate by working for UCSB Sustainability as a Topic Area Coordinator for the CA Higher Education Sustainability Conference.

Kimberly (Kim) Fuentes

Kimberly Fuentes is a second year double major in Environmental Studies and Geography. She is excited to combine her passion for mentoring students with her love for sustainability and the environment in her new role as an Educating Leaders for the Future Curriculum Coordinator. As a first generation student herself, she understands the difficulties that can arise when not only applying to college, but also focusing on environmental issues. Were it not for her early involvement in environmental advocacy and teachers who supported her goals she would not be attending UCSB, so she acknowledges the value of having someone believe in you. Kimberly is currently involved in student affairs as a Resident Assistant and Mentor in the Cultural Mentorship Program, La Familia. She hopes to pursue a career in education, specifically with the goal of inspiring underrepresented youth to attend college and diversify the environmental field.

Brayan Garcia

Brayan Garcia is a third year Economics and Accounting major whom is looking to gain an in-depth understanding of the UCSB Sustainability program while reinforcing networking skills and making a positive impact in our society. He is excited to intern as a Topic Area Coordinator for this year’s California Higher Education Sustainability Conference and ready to apply his Econ/Business background in the procurement and business service track. In addition, he is currently Treasurer for A.S. Student Initiated Recruitment and Retention Committee as well as Chapter President for Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity, Inc. In the future, he hopes to attain his CPA license and continue finding ways in which he could contribute to environment’s overall well being, whether taking a role in working with more eco-friendly driven companies or promoting sustainable practices.

Cameron Guiliano-Puzi

Cameron Guiliano-Puzi is a first year Microbiology major seeking experience working in a team to create sustainability on campus. His experience in LEAN manufacturing as well as lab experience with UC Davis led him to want to apply sustainability practices learned in manufacturing and applying them to the laboratory setting. After completing his degree he wants to work with policy-making in order to create more strict conservation laws. With his free time, he enjoys playing water polo, kayaking and surfing.

Ali Hussaini

Ali Hussaini is a first year Economics student who hopes to work as an economic advisor at World Bank. He has worked as a tutor and intern at Rising Sun Energy Center, a nonprofit. As an intern, Ali provided green assessments to homes in his community for free and helped reduce water, energy, and waste consumption. As a Green Office Certification Coordinator, Ali is excited to join the PACES team and help create a more sustainable campus at UCSB. In his free time, Ali loves to play ping pong and lift weights.

Sasha Kurkcuoglu

Sasha Kurkcuoglu is a third-year Electrical Engineering major with a very strong passion towards sustainable technologies. He is currently interning as a topic area coordinator for the California Higher Education Sustainabilty Conference. He seeks to develop his skills in water conservation and water-wise landscaping through his internship at UCSB Sustainability. With his free time, he likes to propagate succulents and is a member of the Santa Barbara Cactus and Succulent Society. He is extremely passionate about sustainability and wishes to one day help turn the world into a zero-waste environment.

August Lack

August Lack is a fourth year student pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in both Environmental Studies and Communication. This is her third year as an event coordinator for the California Higher Education Sustainability Conference, previously at San Diego State University in 2014 and CSU Fullerton in 2016. In addition to working on CHESC, she has joined the PACES team as a Green Office Certification Coordinator. In these positions, August hopes to combine her interest in higher education education with her passion for the environment to help achieve campus sustainability goals here at UCSB, and throughout California. She is looking forward to concluding her undergraduate career with UCSB Sustainability.

Abraham Lizama

Abraham Lizama is a third year, Art History: Architecture and Environment transfer student from Santa Barbara City College. A Goleta Valley Native, he has witnessed firsthand the rapid growth and change on the central coast and throughout the state of California. A combination of personal experiences, conscious education, and a motivation to protect and preserve our home has resulted in his interest and involvement with environmental issues. Having worked and studied in the Horticultural field has allowed him to understand the dynamic relationships between species and systems, and our lasting effects as human beings. He has also given his time and knowledge to local non-profit groups and organizations such as Just Communities Central Coast, United Way Boys & Girls Club, and the Santa Barbara County Foodbank. Abraham is looking forward to becoming more involved with on-campus organizations and most importantly giving back to his community, while pursuing his B.A. and then a Master’s in Sustainable Architectureor Landscape Architecture.

Ryann Jeff Malicdem

Ryann Jeff Malicdem is a third-year Economics and Environmental Studies Major interested in sustainable economic development. In the past, he volunteered in a two-day solar panel installation project with GRID Alternatives, and took part in a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design lab course where he served as the point of contact for the Water Use Efficiency team. He spent the last semester studying environmental science at Queen Mary University of London, where he was part of a 4-day fieldwork project collecting and analyzing evidence of global environmental change. He is now working with UCSB Sustainability as the Green Building and Energy Coordinator for this year’s California Higher Education Sustainability Conference.

Joselyne Matamoros

Joselyne Matamoros is a third year Environmental Studies and Linguistics double major. During her time at UCSB, she has worked with Student Initiated Recruitment and Retention Committee, which aids first generation, underrepresented, low income students–like herself–succeed in college. She also volunteers with Sprout Up, a program that teaches children about sustainability in local elementary schools. She is very excited to begin working as one of the interns for the Food, Nutrition and Basic Skills Pilot Program. In the future, she hopes to combine her passion for teaching and her desire to help others by educating underrepresented communities that lack access to information regarding environmental issues and the resources to address them.

Taylor Nguyen

Taylor Nguyen is a second year Environmental Studies major and is the Undergraduate Student Engagement Coordinator for the Food, Nutrition, and Basic Skills Program. Her passion for food led to her co-founding a chapter with Spoon University, a national online food publication. Taylor was also involved with the Isla Vista Community Relations Committee, an organization dedicated to give back to students and families in Isla Vista. Her passion for food, the environment, and the community culminates in an interest in tackling issues of food security. She hopes to reach out to as many students through her work with FNBS.

Colleen McCamy

Colleen McCamy is a third year Environmental Science major who intends to peruse a concentration in the culture of social change and minor in art at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She is an UCSB Sustainability Intern working with the UC Carbon Neutrality Initiative as a student engagement intern.  She is eager to empower her peers to get involved with the Carbon Neutrality Initiative and create a campus-wide consciousness of the initiative. Colleen also interns at the Research Experience and Education Facility (REEF) educating school programs and the public about marine processes through science exploration and works for the Intercollegiate Athletics sports events. Through her volunteer work with Amigos de las Americas, she also has experience with community-driven projects, stakeholder engagement, and empowering youth.

Emily Read

Emily Read is a second year Master’s student at the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management where she is specializing in coastal marine resources management. Her research involves planning and incentivizing native oyster restoration in Southern California and she has developed a passion for protecting marine ecosystems. In her free time, Emily enjoys snorkeling, photography, and trying new recipes. She looks forward to combining her interests in sustainability, communication, and food as the Graduate Student Engagement Coordinator for the Food, Nutrition, and Basic Skills Program.

Chace Schornstein

Chace Schornstein is a third year Communication major and is also pursuing a minor in Professional Writing. She has recently discovered her passion for marketing after taking a breadth of classes at UCSB and can’t think of a better project than the California Higher Education Sustainability Conference to educate and spread awareness about the environment and beyond. Chace has previous experience fundraising for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society through community, email and social media outreach. Aside from the classroom, she is a captain of the UCSB Division I Women’s Soccer Team, where she devotes much of her time. Chace is eager to combine her interests in communication and sustainability by getting involved on campus and reaching out to her peers and professionals to explain the importance and the future of sustainability on campus and beyond.

Tom Steel

Tom Steel is a second year undergraduate student pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and a minor in Labor Studies. Tom grew up in Yuba City, a small town in Northern California, where he developed extensive experience in agriculture work. This experience lead him to explore the accessibility of nutritional and affordable food. He is particularly interested in food quality in relation to socioeconomic standing. He plans to pursue a Masters in Public Policy in order to make nutritional food financially accessible to all.

Nicholas Turton

Nicholas Turton is a third year transfer student pursuing a communication major with a passion in community investment, development and sustainability. After moving out of his hometown in Buffalo, NY, Nick decided serve the community of LA with AmeriCorps for two years in nonprofit corporate event planning and volunteer management.  There, he gained valuable experience in serving in a fast-paced environment with enthusiastic individuals and peers.  When making the decision to return to university, Nick went with UCSB for its reputation for high-class academics, sustainability programs and opportunities to become involved on campus and the greater Santa Barbara community.  By working with UCSB Sustainability, he hopes to contribute to all of these aspects.