Student Employees
Research Assistants
Scott Carpenter
Scope 3 Emissions Research Assistant
Scott Carpenter is a PhD candidate at the School of the Environment researching how climate change impacts ecological systems, with most of his work centered in the western United States. His research focuses on mixed-use landscapes, aiming to balance the needs of livestock operations and wildlife conservation. Using field experiments, meta analyses, and modeling, Scott works to find practical solutions that support both sustainable land use and biodiversity.
Hope Chang
Photographer
Hope Chang (she/her) is a Master’s student at Yale Divinity School studying the intersection of theology, sociology, and ethnic studies. She calls Harlem, New York City, home, where she stayed to work at a local non-profit after graduating from Columbia University in 2018 with a Bachelor’s in Sociology and Philosophy. She recently completed a Master of Divinity at a small school in Chicagoland and has settled in the Wooster Square neighborhood with her partner and their dog Lazarus. Alongside her academic pursuits, Hope has built her own freelance portrait and documentary photography business over the last ten years. She is passionate about storytelling, loves ballroom dancing, and lives to find wonder in the small things.
Ximena Escobar
Social Media Assistant
Ximena is a senior majoring in Economics with a certificate in Statistics and Data Science. Originally from Mexico City, she moved to San Diego, CA at a young age and cherishes her childhood spent by the beach and outdoors. One of her favorite parts of Yale is being on the sailing team. During her junior year, she was elected Team Captain and is excited for her final season on one of the top sailing teams in the nation. Over the summer, Ximena worked with the Institution for Women in Migration, a non-profit offering legal assistance to immigrants passing through Mexico who have been displaced by climate crises and are en route to the United States. As a Mexican-American, she is deeply committed to helping disadvantaged community members access the same opportunities her parents provided for her and her four brothers when they moved to the U.S.
Caitlyn Finnegan
Sustainability Data Research Assistant
Caitlyn M. Finnegan (she/her) is a second-year Master of Environmental Management candidate, specializing in Green Chemistry and Industrial Ecology, at the Yale School of the Environment. Prior to graduate school, Caitlyn served as an Energy Analyst on the Beneficial Electrification team at ICF, where she supported utility companies in advancing their on-road and non-road electric vehicle programs. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Sustainability with a minor in Urban Planning from Arizona State University. Passionate about sustainability, Caitlyn is eager to support Yale’s ongoing efforts to advance sustainability and foster a greener future.
Sofía Montalvo Yanez
Videographer
Sofía is a Master of Environmental Science candidate at the Yale School of the Environment. She is from Quito, Ecuador, and holds a B.S. in Biological Sciences from the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador. Sofía’s research focuses on tropical forests, specifically involving ant-plant interactions in “Devil’s Gardens” in Yasuni National Park. Additionally, she is interested in conservation and is currently exploring cacao agroforestry systems and their potential to preserve and enhance biodiversity. Sofía is deeply fascinated by ecological interactions and sustainability. She is passionate about science communication and wildlife photography and is always looking for a good story to share. When not in the field, Sofía enjoys dancing and painting.
Yevgeniya Regent
Videographer
Yevgeniya Regent is a first-year student in Branford College, planning to double major in Film and Media Studies and Cognitive Science. On campus, she is actively involved in film and performing arts, serving as a First-Year representative on The Cinemat Board. In her free time, she enjoys experimenting in the kitchen with her own recipes, as well as swimming and staying active.
Katya Wednt
Graduate Coordinator for Sustainability Community and Events
Katya is a dual master’s degree student at the Yale School of the Environment (YSE) and the Yale School of Management (SOM) specializing in Ecosystem Management and Conservation with a focus on regenerative agriculture and just food systems. She is passionate about waste reduction and believes that social and cultural shifts are key to advancing sustainability initiatives. In her spare time, Katya enjoys gardening, watercolor painting, crochet, and spending time with her family and two dogs.
Bowen Zhou
Graphic Design Assistant
Bowen Zhou pushes the boundary between human experiences and the built environment. She has been a cross-disciplinary artist and a mixed reality user experience designer. She is currently studying for a master’s in architecture at Yale University. Bowen loves a good coffee shop with ample sunlight. With the Office of Sustainability, she aims to help build stronger connections between the Yale community, the Office of Sustainability, and the local environment.
Bulldog Sustainability
Oren Aviad
Bulldog Sustainability Project Coordinator
Oren Aviad is a junior in Pierson College on the varsity gymnastics team. She is currently undeclared but interested in potentially majoring in Neuroscience on a pre-med path. She has always been an outdoors person, enjoying any hike, beach trip, or sunset she can get to. She is very excited to promote Bulldog Sustainability on campus and hopes to make Yale a greener community.
Lauren Kellen
Bulldog Sustainability Project Coordinator
Lauren is a junior in Silliman College from Northwest Florida. She is a member of the volleyball team and is majoring in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Environmental Policy. In her free time, Lauren enjoys spending time in nature, hiking with her dog, and playing pickleball. She is looking forward to promoting environmental awareness within the athletics community and encouraging teams to implement sustainable practices in their time at Yale and beyond
Ellie Rappole
Bulldog Sustainability Project Coordinator
Ellie Rappole is a senior in Grace Hopper College on the varsity women’s soccer team. She is majoring in Chemical Engineering with a certificate in Energy Studies. After graduation, she is looking to pursue opportunities in the renewable energy industry, with a particular interest in solar power and battery storage. In her free time, Ellie enjoys reading, being outdoors, and solo traveling. She is excited to help promote sustainable practices within the Yale athletics community.
Emma Taylor
Bulldog Sustainability Project Coordinator
Emma Taylor is a junior in Morse College. She is on the Yale Softball Team and majoring in environmental studies. Emma is from Havertown, Pennsylvania, outside of Philadelphia. In her free time she enjoys trips to the beach, baking, and spending time outside. Her interests include biodiversity and conservation and she looks forward to creating more connections between athletics and sustainability with the Bulldog Sustainability Team.
Hannah Turner
Bulldog Sustainability Project Coordinator
Hannah is a senior in Silliman College majoring in Environmental Studies. She is also a member of the Yale Softball team. Hannah was born and raised in Texas, and she enjoys spending time kayaking, cooking, and reading. Hannah is passionate about the intersections of health equity and the environment, and she aspires to promote collaboration and unity via sustainability. She is excited to work with the Bulldog Sustainability team to foster meaningful action and progress.
Sustainability Peer Education
Mia Ambroiggio
Graduate Coordinator
Mia Ambroiggio (she/her) is a master’s student at Yale School of the Environment specializing in People, Equity, and the Environment. She is originally from Chicago and is a graduate of Loyola University Chicago with a BA in Environmental Studies and Communication Studies. She spent time doing local, regional, and statewide sustainability and climate work in Portland, Maine. Mia is interested in building coastal, climate, and community resilience through meaningful engagement and storytelling. She believes in the power of knowing your neighbors and caring for the planet we call home! When she’s not working, Mia loves writing (for pleasure) and eating oysters.
Valeria Castañeda
Communications Team Member
Valeria Castañeda is a sophomore in Pierson College, pursuing a double major in Global Affairs and Environmental Studies. At Yale, she focuses on the intersections of energy transition, global health, and environmental law and policy. Outside of her academic pursuits, Valeria enjoys immersing herself in different cultures, gardening, drinking coffee, and exploring the outdoors.
Esperance Han
Green Community Team Member
Esperance Han is a freshman in Grace Hopper college. At Yale, she has interests in majoring in Environmental Studies (B.S), Environmental Engineering or Earth and Planetary Sciences. She is from Ocala, Florida and is driven by climate activism, Korean restaurants, songwriting, singing, filmmaking and socializing. Esperance is excited to learn more about clean energy technologies and other innovative climate solutions. At Yale, she hopes to explore her drive to fight climate change by creating more awareness within the student body.
Ciara Lonergan
Communications Team Leader
Ciara Lonergan, a junior in Morse College, is from a small town in Massachusetts. She is
majoring in Political Science with a concentration in International Relations. Ciara is also a Yale College Council Senator for Morse and is involved with the Equitable Bikeshare @ Yale. In her free time, Ciara enjoys writing, drinking coffee, and making Spotify playlists.
Isabel Matos
Zero-Waste Team Member
Isabel Matos (she/her) is a first-year in Ezra Stiles college. She grew up in Tempe, Arizona (where it is impossible to ignore the climate crisis), and came to New Haven to pursue a degree in Environmental Studies and a certificate in Education Studies. In her free time, she loves spending time in the kitchen, tracking down jazz CDs, and inflating her reading stats with short and sweet novels.
Kellen Moore
Sustainability Education and Training Coordinator
Kellen Moore (he/him/his) is a first-year student working toward a Master of Environmental Science at the Yale School of the Environment. His research goal focuses on invasive plant species in Connecticut forests. Kellen grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, and earned a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies at Texas A&M University in 2024. During his time at Texas A&M, he interned as an Outreach Specialist for their respective Office of Sustainability and represented on-campus student sustainability as the President and former-Campus Events Chair of the Aggie Eco-Reps. In his free time, Kellen enjoys gardening, watching soccer, and listening and making music.
Arohi Nair
Green Community Team Member
Arohi Nair is a sophomore at Yale College majoring in Computer Science & Economics. She was raised in Okemos, Michigan, and in her free time loves running, DIY-ing table tennis setups, and baking. Arohi is passionate about the intersection of sustainability with business practices and emerging technologies, and hopes to highlight the importance of sustainable development and environmentally friendly practices within the Yale community and beyond.
Bruno Kai Ong
Zero-Waste Team Member
Bruno is a sophomore in Trumbull College from San Francisco, California. He is double majoring in Environmental Studies and Architecture and is passionate about greening the built environment. Outside of the classroom, Bruno enjoys rowing, drawing, and spending time at the beach.
Alessandra Pappalardi
First-Year Ambassador Team Member
Alessandra Pappalardi is a sophomore in Trumbull College double majoring in Political Science and the History of Science, Medicine and Public Health, with a certificate in Global Health. From history to the social sciences to the classics, Alessandra loves learning, and you’ll probably find her cozied up in Bass with a stack of readings! She is most fascinated by grassroots interventions to address poverty, women’s safety and environmental issues. Alessandra hopes to see new Yalies embrace sustainability on campus, and cannot wait to build an environmentally-friendly community for first-years!
Krisha Ramani
Green Certifications Team Leader
Krisha Ramani is a sophomore at Yale College majoring in Ethics, Politics, & Economics with a certificate in data science. Hailing from Novi, Michigan, Krisha enjoys watching basketball, practicing yoga, and trying out new coffee recipes. She is passionate about climate technology and sustainable development, especially its intersection with venture capital. She is looking forward to promoting sustainable practices within Yale’s community.
Jackson Ringley
Program Coordinator
Jackson Ringley (he/they) is a master’s student at Yale Divinity School with special interests in food justice, queer writing, and religion. Jackson is a graduate of the University of South Carolina with a BA in English and Global Studies, and he has a deep passion for community formation through storytelling. He loves working with students and guiding people through transitional periods of life, and you can typically find him enjoying a good cup of coffee or hiking around CT.
Hailey Seo
Communications Team Member
Hailey Seo is a junior in Jonathan Edwards College from Tulsa, Oklahoma, who is majoring in Global Affairs and Environmental Studies. Outside of work with the Yale Office of Sustainability, she writes and edits for the Yale Review of International Studies, the Yale Environmentalist, and the Yale Globalist. She is passionate about creating an inclusive and approachable culture around sustainability. In her free time, she enjoys crocheting, reading, and drinking coffee.
Lauren Thelwell
First-Year Ambassador Team Member
Lauren Thelwell is a sophomore at Trumbull College at Yale, majoring in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology (MCDB). Lauren comes from the sunshine state of Florida, and the transition to New Haven has been a unique experience. In her free time, she is passionate about reading, trying out different sports, gardening, and baking.
Yasmina Traoré
Green Certifications Team Member
Currently a sophomore at Yale College, Yasmina Traoré is an Applied Mathematics major with a passion for sustainability in businesses and city planning. Throughout her academic journey, Yasmina has demonstrated a commitment to excellence, both in her studies and in various leadership roles. She co-founded and managed a community-based food initiative, showcasing her ability to blend organizational skills with a strong sense of social responsibility.
Beyond her academic and leadership accomplishments, Yasmina has a keen interest in environmental literacy and international cooperation, particularly in the context of climate change. She is fluent in French, English, and Bambara.
Yasmina’s curiosity and creativity extend to her personal interests as well, including hairstyling and cooking. She is dedicated to making a positive impact in her community and looks forward to applying her mathematical expertise to address complex challenges in the future.
Amalia Tuchmann
Certifications Team Member
Amalia Tuchmann (she/her) is a sophomore in Pierson College raised in New York City and New Haven, Connecticut. At Yale, she is majoring in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Environmental Policy. She is the New Haven Outreach Chair for the Yale Student Environmental Coalition and received a Yale Conservation Scholars fellowship from the Yale School of the Environment for the summer of 2024. Amalia is particularly interested in sustainable urban design and urban environmental justice, and loves to explore new cities.
Aria Wang
Zero-Waste Team Member
Aria Wang is a sophomore in Benjamin Franklin College. She was born and raised in Pasadena, California and is studying Applied Physics with a particular interest in alternative energy sources. She loves running, food, animals, books, movies, the list goes on. She’s excited to be a part of the Sustainability team as someone who grew up on Wild Kratts and David Attenborough!
David Woods
Zero-Waste Team Leader
David Woods is a junior in Timothy Dwight College majoring in Environmental Studies and Philosophy, of which he often describes seeking “one for the world and one for the self.” He is keenly interested in the intersection of service, awareness, and public policy in the environmental sector, specifically as it relates to augmenting rural and disadvantaged communities. At Yale, he writes for Times New Roman and The Yale Logos, is a William F. Buckley Fellow, and serves as the resident TD table tennis coach. David calls the Bluegrass State home.