2025 Erika Ninos Student Leadership Award
Neeha Kolli has been an active advocate for sustainability on campus since her freshman year, beginning her involvement with Plant 2 Plate student garden, serving as both a volunteer and board member. Neeha perpetuates this passion as Managing Student Director of the Student Office of Sustainability (SOOS) . On campus, her work in sustainability extends to Greek life, Clinicians for Climate Action (C4CA), the Sustainability in Pitt's Health Sciences, and the Student Outreach Resources Center (SORC), with additional work to improve reproductive rights and accessibility. Neeha's work has notably expanded to UPMC hospitals, both through her creation of the UPMC Greenhouse Gas Inventory tool and implementation of sustainable consumption and waste practices.
(Environmental Science 2025)
2025 Pitt Sustainability Student Award
Kelly Barko successfully initiated a pilot composting program for animal-related waste at Bridgeside II -- and is already planning to extend this effort all 10 of the University's animal research facilities. Her continued leadership and determination for sustainable change makes exemplary contributions to Pitt's Sustainability Plan.
(PhD Student, Center for Neuroscience)
2025 Pitt Sustainability Student Award
Neha Devineni made significant contributions to sustainability and food security at the University of Pittsburgh and beyond. As the Food Recovery Heroes student group’s Business Manager, she increased food recoveries from twice a week to five days a week and helped support the launch of initiatives including the Food Security Lockers. Neha was also been instrumental in forging partnerships with local organizations like Jubilee Kitchen and Mechanics Coffee to help reduce food waste across Pittsburgh. As President of student group Students for Sustainability, she led volunteer efforts and expanded the club’s outreach, working the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, and others.
(Biology and Gender, Sexuality, & Women’s Studies 2025)
2025 Pitt Sustainability Student Award
Mechanical Engineering student Phoebe Esser Katz was the lead student researcher on the PA Rural Solar Research project. She demonstrated outstanding leadership and initiative, organizing team meetings, onboarding new members, and managing research logistics with precision. Phoebe played a central role in designing the survey instrument, preparing the IRB application, and developing data systems that keep the team aligned. Her strong communication skills, critical thinking, and dedication to sustainability research made her an essential part of the project. Phoebe’s contributions elevated the team’s impact and fostered a collaborative, effective, and inclusive research environment.
(Mechanical Engineering 2025)
2025 Group Awardee
Food Recovery Heroes (FRH) is a student-powered initiative rescuing surplus food from Pitt dining halls, UPMC, local restaurants, and events — and then distributing it to hunger relief partners including the Pitt Pantry, Jubilee Kitchen, and Wilkinsburg Community Ministry. With support from Pitt Eats' dining team and 412 Food Rescue, FRH volunteers package and deliver thousands of meals each semester. The student group is currently recovering more food than ever before, helping reduce waste and fight food insecurity on and off campus. Their efforts directly support Pitt’s goal to reduce landfilled materials 25% by 2030, while building a stronger, more sustainable and food secure Pittsburgh.
2024 Erika Ninos Student Leadership Award
Christy Kim was been a strong sustainability leader during her time at Pitt. While in SOOS leadership, Christy founded the Eco-Justice Collective, which is dedicated to integrating environmental justice into Pitt’s culture. In this role, she led discussions on environmental justice policy, connected with Pitt’s Community Engagement Center in the Hill District and spoke at Black Women Green Future’s Policy Summit. Christy also spearheaded SOOS’s Sustainable Valentine’s Day Workshops, which have been well attended. Academically, Christy also advance course student projects on solar power into implementation of Pitt’s first solar-powered picnic tables (located outside Posvar Hall)
(Environmental Studies 2024)
2024 Pitt Sustainability Student Award
Throughout her time at Pitt, Maggie Lincoln has been a shining example of student leadership in campus sustainability. After being involved in Pitt Green Team during her freshman year, Maggie was a Pitt EcoRep in her sophomore year, and joined the Student Office of Sustainability (SOOS) as the Pitt Green Suite lead — and now Student Director. Over the years, Maggie helped grow Pitt Green Team membership, engaged first-year students in the Pitt Sustainability Plan, managed the Pitt Green Host program, and led campus-wide sustainability efforts with grace.
(Environmental Studies and Ecology & Evolution 2024)
2024 Pitt Sustainability Student Award
Martina Frederick served as the Pitt Athletics Sustainability Intern from Fall 2022 through Spring 2024, helping educate staff and student athletes on waste management, composting, and recycling.
Martina reinvigorated the Athletics Sustainability Committee, which includes staff, coaches, student athletes, and campus partners. With the committee, she helped Athletics gain Pitt Green Office designations and hosted “Green Games” to educate fans on sustainability using the video board, announcements, and volunteers educating fans about composting and recycling.
(Environmental Studies 2024)
2023 Erika Ninos Student Leadership Award
Cameron Chase graduated with a B.A in Environmental Studies, minor in Economics, and certificate in Sustainability. During her first semester at Pitt, Cameron participated in Green Team, which led her to pursue involvement in campus sustainability as an Eco-Rep and eventually other leadership roles. Since 2021, Cameron has worked as the Managing Director of the Student Office of Sustainability to oversee the student team and lead various projects and programs around campus. Cameron is incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work with so many talented and passionate students and staff.
(Environmental Studies 2023)
2023 Pitt Sustainability Student Award
Claire Kemick is a senior studying environmental science with a minor in architecture. Claire has worked for the Student Office of Sustainability (SOOS) for the past two years as the Program Associate for Affiliated Organizations and Member Outreach, where she started an alumni project database. Outside of the SOOS, Claire is a longtime member of Epsilon Eta and she studies river surface reflectance data in comparison to gross primary productivity in riverine systems.
(Environmental Science 2023)
2023 Pitt Sustainability Student Award
When awarded the Pitt Sustainability Award, Gal Yovel was a sophomore Nordenberg Scholar majoring in Neuroscience on the pre-med track. He was also the president of Food Recovery Heroes, an organization that fights food waste and hunger at Pitt and the local Pittsburgh community.
(Neuroscience 2025)
2022 Pitt Sustainability Student Award
Brandon Brewster majored in Environmental Science at Pitt, with minors in Environmental Engineering and Studio Arts, and certificates in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Sustainability. In 2020, he led the U.S. EPA-award winning "Team PreciPITTation" Campus Rainworks Challenge submission, alongside 7 other undergraduates developing a holistic green stormwater plan. Brandon served on the Campus Tree Advisory Committee, loves rock climbing, slacklining, trees, and spending time outdoors! Read Brandon’s Pitt News 2022 Silhouette!
(Environmental Science 2022)
2022 Pitt Sustainability Student Award
Aaron Carr was an Environmental Science major pursuing two certificates in GIS and Sustainability. Aaron served as an EcoRep for 3 years (since the program began in Fall 2019) and defined the role and the team. As Lead EcoRep, Aaron designed a multitude of educational programs, created a well-researched building waste audit methodology, established a successful social media brand for the Pitt EcoReps, and sustained progress through the pandemic. He also evolved the Pitt Green Resident Program, growing its participation, influence, and measurable outcomes. He created a Pitt Sustainability Dashboard to share Healthy Ride Bike Share Utilization at Pitt. Aaron was also a member of Epsilon Eta and the Transportation Coordinator of Food Recovery Heroes.
(Environmental Science 2022)
2022 Pitt Sustainability Student Award
Felicity Shafer was the Sustainability Communications Intern for the Office of Sustainability for 2 years, where she started developing the 2018-22 Pitt Sustainability Progress Report that ultimately detailed progress on the 61 goals outlined in the Pitt Sustainability Plan. She creates collaborative social media that helps Pitt community members engage with sustainability on-campus and was the chair of the 2022 Earth Month Planning Committee. Felicity was also a teaching assistant for GEOL:1333 Sustainability (taught by Ward Allebach) and the Secretary of Plant2Plate student garden.
(Environmental Studies 2022)
2021 Pitt Sustainability Student Champion
Hannah Chen served as the Thriftsburgh Board Director and was the driving force in Thriftsburgh’s efforts to create the online Thriftsburgh store. Hannah worked tirelessly to keep the project on track, has worked closely with the University stores to troubleshoot, and created manuals and processes for the other store associates to follow. She was the lynchpin to the process of creating the e-commerce site!
(Health Information Management 2021)
2021 Pitt Sustainability Student Champion
Anna led the peer training, coordination and execution of First Year Sustainability Presentations that expose thousands of first year students to sustainability in their seminar courses. Anna was critical in Pitt's 2021 AASHE STARS reporting, specifically the Academic portions. Anna was a fantastic student sustainability leader in MCSI, SOOS, Global Studies, and her organizations like Fossil Free Pitt.
(Global Studies 2021)
2021 Pitt Sustainability Student Champion
Julianna was actively involved in sustainability since she was a freshman on Pitt Green Team. Her sophomore year, Jules was one of the first Pitt EcoReps and helped develop the position. In 2021, she was Student Office of Sustainability Program Associate, Communications Chair for Plant2Plate, and the Service Chair for Epsilon Eta. Jules is also involved in sustainability in every aspect of her life.
(Geology and Environmental Science + Political Science 2021)
2021 Pitt Sustainability Student Champion
Zach was truly a student sustainability powerhouse! In his 4 years at Pitt, Zach accomplished an extraordinary amount of work. Some of those accomplishments: - Being the student team leader on the environmental justice alternative break in Washington. Greene and Beaver counties,
- Chairing the student coalition that advocated for the broad availability of disposable period products campus wide AND the Zero Waste Period campaign,
– Serving as Co-Director of the Student Office of Sustainability and co-chairing the SOOS council through an extraordinary year,
– Managing the student-facing Pitt Green programs (including events) and shepherding the program through a massive re-visioning.
(Geology and Environmental Science, 2021)
2021 Pitt Sustainability Student Champion
In her time at Pitt, Sydney DuBose was the sustainability and wellness RPT. She was committed to including sustainability in her work programming for all students. Her collaborations with the Pitt EcoReps led to improvements in resident advisor access to ready-made sustainability programs.
(Geology and Environmental Science, 2021)
Maya began her journey as the Green Fund Allocations Board Director this year after serving on the board for the past two years. She has done a wonderful job this year leading the board through a tumultuous year. Given the difficulties of granting project based funding during a pandemic, Maya has kept board motivated and enthusiastic about long term projects. As a member of the Student Office of Sustainability council she plays an active role and lends her calm and practical voice to discussions about SOOS programs and initiatives. Maya will be missed by the Green Fund and the SOOS council when she graduates this year, but she has put both in a good place to continue and expand their work through her leadership and tenacity this year.
(French & Italian + Political Science. 2021)
2021 Pitt Sustainability Student Champion
Anfernee has been involved in Pitt sustainability from his first year on campus! He joined the Pitt Green Team as an incoming first year and he has been an integral part of the SOOS ever since. In his time with SOOS his accomplishments have been many- here are just a few: 1) managed the Green Events program, 2) assisted with the development of the Green Resident program, 3) grew the Pitt Green Team from a simple first year volunteer program to a dedicated pipeline for future student sustainability student leaders, 4) managed and coordinated endless service events for SOOS and PittServes in the past three years. Anfernee has always made mentoring students particularly younger students his core goal.
(Environmental Science, 2021)
2021 Pitt Sustainability Student Champion
As a sustainability intern for Pitt's Business & Auxiliary Services, Liz Hogan supported the University Stores as they explored innovative ways to reduce waste and source more sustainable products. Liz worked closely with Pitt Sustainability staff lead Nick Goodfellow to rewrite the Bike Pitt website and promote the Healthy Ride at Pitt program on social media.
(Geology and Environmental Science, 2021)
2021 Pitt Sustainability Student Champion
Gabby has devoted her time at Pitt to service and has been an asset to Pitt Sustainability since joining us in the fall. She crafted two comprehensive Year of Engagement grant proposals – leading one on indoor air quality. She laid the foundation for the future outreach. She has also been crucial in developing content for our new social media accounts!
(Geology and Environmental Science, 2021)
2021 Pitt Sustainability Student Champion
Lou currently serves as the Coordinator of Affiliate Organizations for the Student Office of Sustainability and he serves as a member of the Student Office of Sustainability Council. In light of the pandemic, Lou worked to adjust his priorities and to advocate for the needs of SOOS affiliate orgs. He worked to continue the First Thursday tradition in an engaging, if virtual format. The SOOS has consistently had very good turn out for virtual programs this semester owing in large part to Lou’s determination and enthusiasm. He advocated that we needed to alter our expectations of affiliate organizations given current circumstances- and created a “hibernation” policy for affiliates, allowing them to prioritize their members needs.
(Geology and Environmental Science, 2021)
2021 Pitt Sustainability Graduate Student Champion
Eric came to Pitt/GSPIA with the goal of working with the DEP and local governments to develop climate action plans. His community engagement through CONNECT has led to 6 new local Climate Action Plans produced through his internship and creating more pathways for other Panthers to engage their Pitt sustainability work for real world impact. Because of his work, now all 40+ governments within CONNECT are working with other partners across campus on a Regional Climate Action Plan, aligning people and processes with the Marshall Plan and other big sustainability initiatives in our region.
(Masters's of Public Administration in Energy & Environment, GSPIA 2021)
2021 Pitt Sustainability Graduate Student Champion
Jessica performed this year’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory for the University of Pittsburgh, which has been a critical analysis for future planning and the Pitt Climate Action Plan. Her research around environmental justice, indoor air quality, and using engineering solutions to improve the quality of life in the local community embodies the triple bottom line and she is a true leader in this field.
(Master's in Civil & Environmental Engineering, 2022; Phd, 2024)
2021 Pitt Sustainability Graduate Student Champion
In her role as the Pitt Pantry’s graduate student intern, Kelsey Wolfe went above and beyond to ensure that the Pantry continues to support students despite the challenges posed by the pandemic. She also planned and coordinated Pitt’s first year participating in National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, and the Pantry’s first time participating in Pitt Make a Difference Day.
(Master's of Higher Education, 2022)
Department of Administrative & Policy Studies, Office of PittServes