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Sustainable Carolina Professional Staff

Sustainable Carolina staff is housed within the UNC Institute for the Environment, representing a central connection point for campus sustainability. The team links strategic visions outlined by the Carolina Sustainability Council with campus stakeholders. We create analyses and feasibility studies of opportunities, report on campus progress, develop messaging around sustainability, and interact with the community.

Sustainable Carolina Staff Members

  • Mike Piehler, Chief Sustainability Officer and Director, UNC Institute for the Environment
  • Langley Smith, Sustainability Program Specialist, Sustainable Carolina
  • Melanie Elliott, Sustainability Analyst, Sustainable Carolina
  • Abigail Brewer, Communications and Engagement Specialist, Sustainable Carolina
  • Cindy Shea, Sustainability Director, Sustainable Carolina

Carolina Sustainability Council

The Carolina Sustainability Council advises the chancellor and his cabinet on sustainability strategy within the Carolina Next: Innovations for Public Good framework. The Council includes students, faculty and staff. These members bring a broad range of expertise, experience, and perspectives from across the University. Council meetings are shared on the University’s Open Meetings Calendar and listed on our events page. Meetings are recorded and streamed through UNC Institute for the Environment’s Youtube channel.

Council Roster 2022-2023

Chair

  • Mike Piehler, Chief Sustainability Officer and Director, Institute for the Environment

Faculty and Staff Members

  • Elizabeth Havice, Professor, Department of Geography, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Nikhil Kaza, Associate Professor, Department of City and Regional Planning and Environment, Ecology and Energy Program, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Jeff Mittelstadt, Professor of the Practice of Strategy and Entrepreneurship and Executive Director of the Ackerman Center for Excellence in Sustainability
  • Jonas Monast, Distinguished Assistant Professor and Director, Center for Climate, Energy, Environment and Economics, School of Law
  • Natalie Murdock, Murdock Anderson Consulting and Senator, North Carolina General Assembly
  • Erin Riggs, Executive Director, Environmental Finance Center, School of Government
  • Aaron Salzberg, Distinguished Professor and Director, Water Institute, Gillings School of Global Public Health
  • Julie Jacobson Vann, Clinical Associate Professor, UNC School of Nursing

Student Members

  • Ileana Fenwick, Doctoral Candidate and Graduate Student Representative, Department of Earth, Marine and Environmental Sciences
  • Ideliya Khismatova, Co-Chair, Renewable Energy Special Projects Committee (RESPC)
  • Ella Feathers and Jacob Crawford, co-directors of department of environmental affairs

Previous Council Members

Previous Meetings and Minutes

Date Minutes Web Link
October 2020 PDF Youtube
December 2020 PDF Youtube
February 2021 PDF Youtube
September 2021 PDF Youtube
December 2021 PDF Youtube
March 2022 PDF Youtube
April 2022 PDF Youtube
September 2022 Walking tour meeting, no minutes N/A
December 2022 PDF Youtube
March 2023 Pending Council Approval Youtube

Sustainability Coalition

Campus staff and student organizations form an interconnected network of sustainability and environmental activities on campus. The Sustainability Coalition enhances communication among these parties. The group includes Sustainable the  Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling, Carolina Dining Services, Transportation and Parking, and sustainability-focused student groups. If your department or student group is interested in sustainability and would like to join the Coalition, send an email to sustainable@unc.edu.

Campus Sustainability Partners

UNC-Chapel Hill’s legacy of sustainability would not be possible without the efforts of campus sustainability partners. Sustainable Carolina highlights the contributions of our campus partners through spotlights, interviews, and media contributions as we develop projects and activities that advance sustainability.