Fellows and Ambassadors
2019-20 Fellows & Ambassadors
Hometown: Sandy Springs, Georgia.
What are you studying at Georgia Tech?
My major is industrial engineering.
When and how did your interest in sustainability develop?
Beginning in middle school, my interest in sustainability was sparked by my passion for innovation and business and by my desire to do something meaningful.
Please describe a sustainability-related event that had an impact on you.
During my senior year of high school, I attended the Chattahoochee Riverkeeper Climate Change Conference at Georgia Tech. This 2017 event introduced me to the legacy of Ray C. Anderson and to the ways that the Ray C. Anderson Foundation is contributing towards a more sustainable future. The experience was very meaningful to me. Since then, I look to Anderson as a role model for how I want to conduct myself and my business ventures.
If someone writes a biography about you, what should the title be?
The Quiet Dreamer.
How do you hope to make a positive impact on the world in your career?
I hope to establish my own sustainability design firm to help businesses and cities combat climate change and to implement innovation in smart cities to enhance the living experience for all individuals.
If you were a new addition to the crayon box, what color would you be and why?
I would be the color “Dallah” (a play on my last name), which is a plain navy with gold flakes that only show up in the color when you write. I can be quiet most of the time. However, I’ve been told that when I speak up, I bring a lot to the table.
Hometown: Orlando, Florida
What are you studying at Georgia Tech?
I am a third-year environmental engineering major.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
I was blessed by the Living Goddess of Nepal.
What are some of your hobbies?
Running, meditation, hiking, and yoga.
How did your interest in sustainability develop?
When I was four years old, I learned that a lot of water was wasted by people who left the faucet on while brushing their teeth. After that, I was hooked on trying to conserve water. I became really interested in sustainability—and in sharing what I learned about being “green” with those around me.
Describe some of your sustainability-related activities at Georgia Tech.
I was selected to serve as a Living Building Equity Champion for our campus’s new Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design. This role has led to a budding interest in sustainable business. Also, being involved in student clubs such as #FridaysForFuture and Eco-Warriors has inspired me to learn more about the fusion between sustainability and business.
What type of positive impact do you hope to make in the world?
While it may seem like a big goal, I want to contribute to solving the climate crisis. I want to help people understand the issue and inspire them to take action. I hope to develop engineering solutions to the climate crisis and to collaborate with people from around the world to make an impact on a global scale.
If someone wrote a book about your life, what would the title be?
Angelica Acevedo: The Value in Being Yourself.
Hometown: Alpharetta, Georgia.
What are you studying at Georgia Tech?
I’m pursuing the B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Information Technology Management.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
I have a twin brother.
How did your interest in sustainability develop?
Recently, I became more aware of reports about global warming, climate change, ocean pollution, and other issues related to environmental sustainability. After learning that 100 companies are responsible for 71% of global emissions, I became particularly interested in businesses’ role in climate change and making a positive impact on sustainable business practices.
How have your work experiences influenced your interest in sustainable business?
As a student, I’ve had the opportunity to intern with eBECS, Mercedes-Benz USA, and Adidas North America. Working at Adidas as an intern in E-Commerce Operations motivated me to engage in more sustainable business practices. After joining Adidas’s Green Team, I initiated a sustainability project to reduce paper towel waste in the North American headquarters. This incredible opportunity to make a difference has inspired me to continue doing more to make businesses more sustainable.
How do you hope to make a positive impact on the world in your career or otherwise?
In my career and personal life, my goal is to become more knowledgeable about sustainable business practices. My intention is to implement these practices in my daily life and to motivate others working in corporate organizations to do the same. Together, we can make a much-needed difference in the world.
What are your hobbies?
I enjoy running, playing and watching soccer, watching basketball, and reading.
Hometown: Rouen, France.
What is your graduate program at Georgia Tech?
Currently, I am completing a dual degree. I am working towards my master‘s degree (focusing on sustainability and data analysis) in France as well as my MBA in the Full-time Program here at Georgia Tech.
What was your educational path before you came to Scheller College?
I attended a business school in France, where I obtained my undergraduate degree in human resources and communication.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
I can fall asleep anywhere. I can basically shut off my mind and rest my eyes.
What extracurricular activity has been meaningful to you?
I play with the Georgia Tech women‘s rugby team. Rugby has played a big part in my life. The sport has taught me about having team spirit, aiming for higher goals, and remembering that there is always room for improvement.
When and how did your interest in sustainability develop?
My interest in sustainability really developed when I listened to Emmanuelle Faber's speech, “Without Social Justice, There Is No Future for the Economy,” at the 2016 graduation at the HEC Paris Graduate School of Business. Faber talked about how graduates could use their diplomas to make a positive impact on today’s world. His call to action resonated with me; ever since, I have been working to ensure that most of my actions help to create a better society and planet.
Have any work experiences influenced your interest in sustainable business?
I have completed two internships within human resources departments where I gained experience in areas such as recruiting, training, and engagement. After completing a supply chain internship at an umbrella startup company, I realized how much work still needs to be done in order to reduce the carbon footprint in a production cycle.
How do you hope to make a positive impact on the world in your career?
I am hoping to help a company understand its role in creating a more sustainable world and implement enduring solutions toward reducing its carbon footprint.
Hometown: San Ramon, California.
What is your graduate program?
I am a first-year student in the Full-time MBA Program.
What's a fun fact about yourself?
I once won a trip to Miami on the radio.
Tell us about one of your most meaningful extracurricular activities.
I volunteer with the Georgia Aquarium and have had the privilege of working on the Whale Shark Research Team. This activity is meaningful to me because I've always loved animals, and I'm able to do something I really enjoy while also giving back to the community.
How did your interest in sustainability begin?
I've cared about environmental sustainability for as long as I can remember. Over the past couple of years, I've come to understand that sustainability encompasses so much more than just the environment. I recently attended a conference on climate change that opened my eyes to the connection between environmental issues and social equity. I've realized there are so many different avenues to improving sustainability.
Tell us about your background.
I received my B.S. from the University of Alabama (Roll Tide!), where I majored in civil engineering and minored in environmental engineering and water resources management. I started my career in the environmental consulting sector. As an engineer, I would travel to different sites and sample groundwater, surface water, and soil for contamination. My team and I would then develop solutions to clean up or contain the contamination. My next job was related to updating floodplain maps for FEMA. I worked directly with both engineers and property owners who were affected by flooding. Both of these roles influenced my interest in sustainable business.
How do you hope to make a positive impact on the world through your career?
I want to help businesses reduce the negative impacts they have on the environment and find solutions for them to be more sustainable. I hope I can help more people understand that it is our responsibility to take care of our planet.
Hometowns: Miami, Florida; and Lausanne, Switzerland.
What are you studying at Georgia Tech?
I have a double major in earth and atmospheric sciences, and biochemistry.
What is a fun fact about yourself?
I am Swiss-Panamanian and was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
What are some of your hobbies?
Music—specifically, playing the viola and composing.
How did your interest in sustainability develop?
When I first learned about climate change in middle school, I thought, Something must be done! Later, when I came to Georgia Tech, the grand exchange of ideas and plethora of student organizations allowed me to understand the true gravity of the climate and ecological crisis. I became greatly intrigued in this subject. After seeing the general apathy towards this global concern, I knew I wanted to be an agent for positive change. I was fortunate enough to find a sustainability community on campus with other students who share my concerns about the environment. This inspires me to take action and spread awareness since the most effective solutions arise when we work together.
How do you hope to make a positive impact on the world?
I want to find new solutions for the climate crisis, to implement existing solutions (of which there are many!), and to spread awareness of the climate and ecological crisis. Through education, we can ensure that future generations will learn from our mistakes and build a more just and sustainable society.
What extracurricular activities have been most meaningful to you?
Greater Miami Youth Symphony and Students Organizing for Sustainability at Georgia Tech.
If a book was written about your life, what would it be called?
The Balance: Climate, Music, and Life.
Hometown: Alpharetta, Georgia.
What is your graduate program?
I am a second-year student in the Full-time MBA Program.
What’s a fun fact about yourself?
I am a mediocre drum player. Over the holidays, I take part in a fam-jam with my guitar-playing brothers and bass-playing dad.
What is your educational background?
I am a “Double Jacket,” having graduated from Georgia Tech with a degree in business administration and a focus in finance.
How did your interest in sustainability begin?
I’ve always loved being outside in nature. A couple of my favorite hobbies are horse riding and hiking. My interest in sustainability began as soon as I was old enough to understand what environmental degradation and climate change were.
Tell us about a meaningful sustainability-related event you have attended at Scheller College.
The Scheller College Net Impact MBA chapter sponsored a screening of the documentary, Who Owns the Water? The film tells the story of a young man and his friend who canoed from the headwaters of the Chattahoochee River to the Gulf of Mexico. It was amazing to see how important the water system is to so many communities and ecosystems.
Describe your career trajectory up until this point. Have any positions influenced your interest in sustainable business?
I have worked in investment banking at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey and in pricing analytics at The Home Depot. During my summer internship, I worked for another Fortune 500 company. This experience galvanized my interest in sustainable business after I saw firsthand how little action the company took to mitigate its huge carbon footprint and environmental impact.
How do you hope to make a positive impact on the world through your career?
I hope to get to a level of seniority in a company where I can impact its policies and environmental practices.
Hometowns: London, England; and Ottawa, Ontario.
What is your graduate program at Georgia Tech?
I started the Evening MBA Program in Fall 2019.
What extracurricular activities have been most meaningful to you?
I have enjoyed volunteering and service in different places around the world—from war-torn, post-tsunami Sri Lanka to a solar array system in scenic Catalonia, Spain.
What are your favorite hobbies?
Travel with a purpose, piano, poetry, languages, and running.
How did your interest in sustainability develop?
Around ten years ago, after reading parts of E. F. Schumacher’s book, Small Is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered, I realized I wanted to make a difference. Beginning with a career in electrical engineering, I transitioned first to working for a solar company and second to consulting in renewable power. I’m excited to connect with more sustainability opportunities at Scheller College and beyond.
How have you been involved in sustainability initiatives at Georgia Tech and beyond?
Due to my work experience in solar photovoltaic technology, I was asked to be a consulting instructor in electrical engineering at Georgia Tech. I was then invited to do a graduate degree in sustainable architecture at Georgia Tech. I am proud to have helped design the campus’s new Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design. This September, I gave a presentation on the building at the World Energy Conference in Washington, D.C, and that was a lot of fun.
What is a fun fact about yourself?
I took up tango many years ago because I was so bad at it. It has been a challenge, but I hope I’m better now!
Hometown: Johns Creek, Georgia.
What are you studying at Georgia Tech?
I am pursuing a B.S. in Business Administration with a concentration in Information Technology Management. I also have two minors: French, and Computing & Business through the Steven A. Denning Technology and Management Program.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
I am very good at riding mechanical bulls.
What extracurricular activities have been meaningful to you?
In high school, I was director of photography for my yearbook. Now, I run my own photography business where I shoot portraits and weddings. Although I am pursuing a technical degree at a STEM-focused school, I love having a creative outlet.
What sparked your interest in sustainability?
I have been passionate about the environment since I read An Inconvenient Truth, by Al Gore, at the age of 10. While I have always made conscious personal lifestyle choices and have tried to educate my friends and family about environmental sustainability, I never thought about pursuing it professionally. However, after realizing that the climate crisis is worsening, I have begun to refocus my career goals to figure out how to make an impact.
What sustainability-related event at Georgia Tech has made an impact on you?
I attended the Fall 2019 Global Climate Action Symposium, which was hosted by the Global Change Program. It was the first major event held in the new Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design. The event and astonishing new building serve as symbols of hope at this time when more and more people are feeling despair as we face (arguably) the largest crisis in human history: climate change.
How do you hope to make a positive impact on the world through your career?
No matter where I go in my career, I am certain about wanting to work for a company that prioritizes social responsibility over profit.
Hometown: Cumming, Georgia.
What are you studying at Georgia Tech?
I am a second-year undergraduate student majoring in public policy. I am specifically interested in environmental and climate policy. I am also minoring in international affairs.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
I am scuba certified.
What extracurricular activities have been most meaningful to you?
For three years, I have been a member of Citizens’ Climate Lobby, which lobbies for bipartisan climate solutions at the federal level. I am also a trained mentor for the Climate Reality Project, a member of Georgia Tech’s Sustainability Advisory Council, and a Millennium Fellow committed to further developing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. All of these groups have helped me to develop many skills, such as community outreach and relationship building. Most importantly, they have taught me how to stay positive and hopeful while working on climate solutions.
When and how did your interest in sustainability develop?
I have been working on climate action since I was 16 years old. After watching Leonardo DiCaprio‘s documentary, Before the Flood, I looked for ways I could make the most impact in combating climate problems. Shortly after, I became a field representative for Our Climate, a group that educates students about carbon pricing. My interest in sustainability and climate policy has blossomed from there.
Describe a sustainability-related event that has made a big impact on you?
This fall, I attended the ceremony for the E3 Awards, which are presented by the Metro Atlanta Chamber to sustainability leaders. Beril Toktay, faculty director of the Ray C. Anderson Center for Sustainable Business, was a finalist in the “Impact” category. The event opened my eyes to numerous sustainability projects and innovative initiatives that are being implemented across metro Atlanta.
How do you hope to make a positive impact on the world in your career?
I hope to work on international climate policy and related negotiations in the future. More and more, the world is coming together to further develop a framework for climate solutions, targets, and standards that will directly affect our future, and I want a seat at the table.
Hometown: Peter lived in Brooklyn, New York until he was 16. He then moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where he has lived ever since.
If there was a theme song for your life, what would it be?
“A Certain Shade of Green,” by Incubus (acoustic).
What extracurricular activity has been most meaningful to you?
My years working part-time at the Center for Pan Asian Community Services (CPACS), a non-profit community center, has put me in direct contact with children and families in the U.S. struggling to assimilate and make a living. This exposure has taught me gratitude, charity, and values.
Tell us about a Scheller College professor or class that made an impact on you.
Professor Toktay’s Business Strategies for Sustainability course introduced me to cradle-to-cradle and circular economy concepts. Included in the coursework was a submission to the Carbon Reduction Challenge, which required us to identify a carbon emission reduction strategy and to implement it with an external stakeholder. Coming from an engineering and environmental background, I was mistaken to think that companies would easily accept energy-saving recommendations—even if they benefited the bottom line. Thus, the class taught me the value of communication and how best to make a compelling business case for a sustainability initiative.
How did your interest in sustainability develop?
As I approached my junior year studying chemistry at Georgia State University, I became interested in solving big, global, environmental issues. On the brink of graduation, I transferred to Georgia Tech and earned my B.S. in Environmental Engineering, where the environmental courses exposed me to many issues related to sustainability. My interest hasn’t stopped growing since!
How has your career influenced your interest in sustainable business?
My professional career consists of having worked for the Department of Natural Resources Air Branch—first in Delaware, and now in Georgia. I am currently a compliance engineer. I inspect and regulate various chemical, mineral, lumber, pulp, and paper facilities for their air emissions and compliance with the federal Title V program and NAAQS. Knowing that sustainability is achieved by three pillars, I plan to continue building experience in environmental and social aspects. I aspire to make a positive impact on business's bottom line. I also want to help businesses accept responsibility for the entire value chain of their product or service.
Hometown: Miami, Florida.
What are you studying at Georgia Tech?
I am majoring in materials science and engineering and minoring in industrial design. I am also a participant in the Innovating for Social Impact Program.
What extracurricular activity has been most meaningful to you?
The first organization I ever created and ran was Earth Club in my high school. This activity gave me an entrepreneurial spirit and taught me that you are never too young to work towards making a difference in the world.
How did your interest in sustainability develop?
Since childhood, my genuine interest in biodiversity has prompted me to take action to protect the environment. In the summer of 2018, two international experiences broadened my interest in sustainable development. First, I went to the Dominican Republic on a service trip for global health. Second, I was selected to participate in the UK-US Fulbright Summer Institute. At the University of Strathclyde and the Glasgow School of Art, I studied innovation, technology, and creativity. In the program, I learned how innovation districts can create sustainable solutions to unique problems in different industries.
How do you hope to make a positive impact on the world?
I hope to create a conservation non-profit organization and found a consulting firm for sustainable materials research, design, and innovation. Both organizations would help to create a positive impact in biodiversity preservation and sustainable development of developing communities.
If you could be any color in the crayon box, what would it be?
I would be grey. This is because the world is not black and white. In order to solve big problems, one must be open-minded and acknowledge that there is good and bad in everything.
Hometown: Alpharetta, Georgia
Current student status:
I am a second-year student in the Full-time MBA Program at the Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business..
Educational background:
B.S. in Mechanical Engineering (Georgia Tech, 2017)
What is a fun fact about yourself?
I have a million craft-related hobbies! Ceramics, lacemaking, metalworking, and fashion design are the latest crafts I have been practicing.
What makes you a “Ray C. Anderson of tomorrow”?
From a young age, I developed an awareness of making deliberate choices and understanding their impact before acting on them. Growing up in a sustainability-focused home and my supply chain work experience have both contributed to me becoming someone who believes that sustainability should be integrated into our daily lives and careers. For me, being a “Ray C. Anderson of tomorrow” means bringing that mindset to the people, places, and processes on which I have an influence.
Hometown: Port Jefferson, New York.
What is a fun fact about yourself?
When I was an undergraduate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, I was on the NCAA Division 1 women’s varsity rowing team.
What is your educational background?
I graduated from MIT in 2016 with a degree in mathematics and two minors (management science, and ancient and medieval studies). At Georgia Tech, I am a dual degree student; I am pursuing an MBA and a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering. I have been a researcher and project manager in the Physical Internet Center in the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering for the past three years. I am developing a methodology that is data-driven and an optimization model enabled for market deployment roadmaps, logistics operations, and supply chain solutions (for both a startup and a large courier company).
How do you hope to make a positive impact on the world through your career?
My goal is to become a research professor who studies sustainable supply chains. I would like to build upon my past research on reducing waste in the fresh supply chain. In the future, I would like to build local supply chains to reduce the carbon footprint of food logistics.
What extracurricular activities have been most meaningful to you?
I am passionate about growing and maintaining the number of women in STEM. At MIT, I served as the president of the Undergraduate Society of Women in Math. At Georgia Tech, I re-established the Graduate Society of Women Engineers and have served as the organization’s president for the past two years. I am also currently the graduate programming chair-elect for the national level of the Society of Women Engineers, the world’s largest advocate, and catalyst for change for women in engineering and technology.
Hometown: Bogotá, Colombia.
What is your educational background?
I received my B.S. from James Madison University (engineering major and chemistry minor), my M.S. in Environmental Engineering from Georgia Tech, and a Graduate Certificate in Finance Administration from Universidad de los Andes. I am now pursuing a Master of Sustainable Energy and Environmental Management degree at Georgia Tech.
What are your favorite hobbies?
Golf, fitness training, and traveling.
What extracurricular activities have been most meaningful to you?
Playing NCAA Division 1 golf as an undergraduate at James Madison University, and participating in LOGRAS and the Scheller College Net Impact MBA chapter at Georgia Tech.
How did your interest in sustainability develop?
I became interested in sustainability when I was an engineering undergraduate student. Throughout my studies, I learned how to evaluate products, processes, and projects through a sustainability lens. For two years, I worked on a capstone group project that dealt with designing sustainable clinics for sub-Saharan Africa. While pursuing my M.S. in Environmental Engineering, I worked on a thesis that focused on sustainable biofuels.
How has your career been related to sustainability thus far?
After finishing my M.S., I joined the Sustainability and Climate Change practice at PwC Colombia, where I developed several environmental and climate change projects. Through this work, I learned that many companies avoid sustainability initiatives mainly because they do not lead to immediate revenues. This increased my motivation to keep working towards more efficient sustainable business practices.
What color in the crayon box are you?
Sky blue—because it is bright and relaxing.
Hometown: Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.
What is your graduate program at Georgia Tech?
I am a first-year student in the Full-time MBA Program.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself.
I had a pilot’s license before I had a driver’s license! Flying has given me a strong sense of self-confidence, discipline, and responsibility. As a member of both the Commemorative Air Force and the Yellow Jacket Flying Club at Georgia Tech, I have formed lifelong friendships with other people who share my love for flying.
What was your educational path prior to coming to Scheller College?
I received a B.S. in Astrogeophysics from Colgate University in 2008, an M.S. in Geophysics from Georgia Tech in 2011, and a Ph.D. in Geophysics - Earth and Atmospheric Sciences from Georgia Tech in 2013.
How has your career trajectory influenced your interest in sustainable business?
After getting my Ph.D., I worked in earth science and engineering research. Many of my projects—from measuring glacier recession to monitoring levees that protect flood-prone areas—showed evidence of climate change. These projects have led me to want to make a large-scale sustainability impact in the world by developing sustainable business practices.
How has your interest in sustainability developed?
Extensive research in earth sciences has allowed me to see how much humans are changing our planet for the worse. I strongly believe that altering the course we’re currently on starts with education and change at the personal level.
If someone wrote a biography about your life, what should the title should be?
On Silver Wings: A Life in Perpetual Transition.
What is your graduate program at Georgia Tech?
I am pursuing a Master of Sustainable Energy and Environmental Management (MSEEM) degree.
If someone wrote a book about you, what would the title be?
Courage, Confidence, and Connections: A Guide to Succeeding in Business and Life.
How would you define “sustainability”?
Sustainability involves much more than just caring for the environment. It's also an approach to sustaining life, businesses, communities, and employees.
Where did your interest in sustainability begin?
Growing up along the Gulf of Mexico, I’ve always seen the value in taking care of beautiful places in nature. However, after giving birth to my child, my passion for sustainability grew. I wanted to contribute to creating a better world for him.
Share your career path before coming to Georgia Tech.
When I graduated from the University of South Florida with a BA, my passion was advertising. However, I ended up working in group and corporate sales at Universal Studios. Later, I gravitated toward disruptive and innovative startup companies where I was happy to roll up my sleeves and jump in. In the process, I learned to be a jack of all trades. For the past decade, I have developed and managed acquisition channels and negotiated partnerships for Fortune 500 public companies in heavily regulated industries.
What prompted you to pursue the MSEEM?
Global corporations and society are moving towards a sustainable, low- to no-carbon future. I am currently working in the energy industry, and I am pursuing the MSEEM to expand my perspective on public policy, sustainable business practices, carbon reduction strategy, and issues related to climate action. My vision is to help drive innovation and change for our business in order to benefit our customers, our stakeholders, and the communities we serve.
Hometown: I grew up in a small town 300 miles west of Shanghai, China.
What is your graduate program at Georgia Tech?
I am a student in the Evening MBA Program while working full-time at Georgia Tech as a research scientist.
What is a fun fact about yourself?
My childhood dream was to become a chef.
What is one of your favorite hobbies?
Basketball. I play for five to ten hours every week.
How did your interest in sustainability develop?
I first become passionate about sustainable development on a wet winter morning about five years ago when I flew from Osaka to Shanghai. These two megacities are only two hours apart by airplane; however, the difference between their air qualities is drastic. This experience was incredibly enlightening. Although I had previously learned about the negative environmental impacts of industrialization, I was completely shocked to experience firsthand a city in which air pollution is such a dire problem. I realized that we need to learn how to develop our world responsibly—without destroying our environment in the process.
What is the connection between your career and sustainability?
I’m a chemist by training and have worked in various roles in the chemical industry—from small-scale R&D in university laboratories to pilot manufacturing in chemical plants. Over the last several decades, the chemical industry has been viewed negatively by the public due to its environmental impact. On the flip side, medicines made from chemicals save lives, and agricultural chemicals increase standards of living and eliminate poverty in developing countries. It is the responsibility of chemists to provide and implement new technologies, create new jobs, and make impacts in areas such as environmental remediation and sustainable development.