Meet Our Team

Adriana is a senior at Syracuse University, pursuing a double major in Marketing Management and Environment, Sustainability, and Policy. Over the past year, she has been actively involved in facilitating marketing and communication efforts for the Puerto Rico Recycling Partnership through the Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) program. Adriana is passionate about photography, creating content, traveling, trying new coffee shops, and collecting rings. A waste reduction practice that Adriana incorporates into her lifestyle is choosing to buy second-hand. She actively promotes this habit to her friends and peers, encouraging them to adopt more sustainable consumer practices. Adriana’s connection to nature stems from her childhood memories of growing up in the mountains of Puerto Rico. Watching her mother work as an Environmental Scientist has deeply influenced her understanding of and relationship with the natural world.

Averi specializes in communication and engagement for our water and resiliency programming in New York State, focusing on resiliency, public water infrastructure, and workforce development. She also manages marketing and communication for the national Environmental Finance Center Network (EFCN). Averi holds a B.S. in Communication & Rhetorical Studies from Syracuse University, where she double majored in Political Science (Public Policy concentration) and minored in Environment & Society. In her free time, Averi indulges her creative side with crafts, crochet, digital art, and painting. She feels the most grounded and connected to nature through walking, hiking, and meditating outdoors.

Calista earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Environment, Sustainability and Policy from Syracuse University in 2023. She then returned to Syracuse University the following year to receive her Master's in Public Administration with a focus in Environmental Policy and graduated in June of 2024. While pursuing her Master’s, Calista completed a Certificate of Environmental Leadership through SUNY-ESF and worked as a graduate research fellow for the Syracuse University Dynamic Sustainability Lab. She is excited to continue working with the Syracuse community as a Project Assistant on the ISE team, where she is supporting research and writing tasks related to water infrastructure, workforce development, and climate resiliency. In her free time Calista enjoys tending to her houseplants and aquarium, visiting coffee shops, thrifting, and spending time with her dog Walter. She feels most connected to nature on the water when she is paddle boarding, scuba diving, boating, and swimming.

Combining her passion for sustainability with her skill for making connections, Carly assists ISE in all things communication, with highlighted support provided for Recycle Right New York (RRNY) and internal communications. With her English degree from SUNY Oneonta and years of experience in both journalism and marketing, Carly’s areas of expertise include developing and implementing communication and marketing strategies, creating content, and facilitating media relations. One of her favorite ways to reduce waste is bringing her own container to restaurants to take home leftovers. Outside of work, you can likely find her scouring Facebook marketplace or hitting the dance floor (particularly ones where there’s West Coast Swing, Bachata, or Brazilian Zouk). She feels most connected to nature when she can bask in the sun.

Cristen is dedicated to enhancing outreach, engagement, and communication within both the Syracuse University Environmental Finance Center and the national Environmental Finance Center Network. Cristen’s passion lies in fostering sustainable and resilient systems and individuals. She has an A.S. in Biology and earned a B.S. in Environmental Studies from SUNY-ESF. Cristen is fueled by reading, thrifting, collaging, and spending a large portion of her day giving her dog, Phoebe, belly rubs. Cristen loves hiking and values staying connected to the natural world by consciously using all five of her senses. She prioritizes taking the time to appreciate and connect with nature in her daily life.

Francisco drives engagement and outreach initiatives to small community water systems and brings hands-on experience operating and managing a small drinking water system in Puerto Rico. His work also involves assisting community-based organizations facing Climate Change challenges in planning and building a resilient future in the USVI and Puerto Rico. As part of his job, he frequently meets with community leaders, academics, government officials, and non-profit organizations and conspires to find solutions to governance, policies, and compliance on water-related issues. Francisco holds a B.S. in Environmental Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico and earned a Master’s in Environmental Planning from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras. He enjoys playing with dirt, composting, and caring for his food garden while dreaming about his future organic farm. When not at work, he feels connected to nature being outdoors and at the beach.

Jessica works to connect municipalities with funding resources and facilitates technical assistance to local government leaders on topics relating to Local Infrastructure, Leadership, Management and Finance. Jessica holds a Masters of Science in Water and Wetland Resources from SUNY-ESF specializing in Ecosystem-based Management, a Masters of Public Administration from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs with a concentration in Environmental Policy and is certified in Environmental Conflict Resolution and Mediation. Jessica feels most connected to nature when she is working on her 85 acre organic farm, especially when she is tending to her beehives.

Kevin is one of the team’s graphic designers, working on visuals and branding. Fusing both his interests in design and sustainability, he employs the power of imagery to communicate our mission across languages. He is a current student at Syracuse University, studying Computer Art and Animation and minoring in Ceramics. Only discovering his passion for clay while at college, he learned the labor, energy, and materials involved in transforming earth into your everyday mug. If he is not creating a pot for his withering plants, he is thrifting pants never his size and sitting in the dark to save energy. Kevin finds his connection to nature through the sky and the clouds that are never the same.

Lindsay Eberhart, a recent graduate from SUNY-ESF, (21’) integrates her passion for a more seamless human-nature relationship into her work of coordinating outreach related to SMM including Recycle Right New York, Outreach and Engagement Training program, and The Center for Sustainable Materials Management. An avid thrift shopper, she is always searching for ways to buy used first, and in her free time, she can be found practicing handstands- looking for a fresh perspective from below. Whether she is in the ocean, a pond, or an ice cold river, submerged in water is where Lindsay feels most connected to nature.

MeiLin Luzadis (she/her) holds a BFA from Syracuse University in Art Photography. She contributes to the Recycle Right New York (RRNY) Campaign, the Center for Sustainable Materials Management (CSMM), and Women for Reduction, Reuse, Recycling, and Rethinking Strategies for Managing Materials (W4R) in outreach, content creation, and other initiatives. She loves to find ways to combine art and science through photography and content creation to tell stories that inspire awareness and positive change. MeiLin finds she feels closest to nature when on walks and taking in the scenery. Her love of photography stems from the mesmerizing way that water and light interact.

Morgan Ingraham (she/her) works on programs related to sustainable materials and organics management, including community reuse, compost systems, and the NYS SMM Stewardship Program. Morgan has an M.S. in Environmental Biology from SUNY-ESF. To practice living towards a circular economy, Morgan works on reducing consumption by making use of local libraries and buying second-hand whenever possible. Morgan loves to dance, rock climb, read, and watch movies. When outside anywhere, Morgan enjoys observing, listening to birdsong, checking out insects, looking for mushrooms, and appreciating all the connections that make this Earth whole.

Nuria is a junior at Syracuse University, pursuing a BFA in Communications Design with a minor in Marketing. She is a passionate designer that uses her skills to provide clear and effective communication through design for everyone. Over the past year, she has been involved in projects for both New York State and Puerto Rico programs and organizations. With a huge love for creativity, she finds herself spending time working on her art, photography, and cooking. Nuria embraces the sustainable practice of minimalism in her daily life, being mindful of buying only what’s needed, donating what’s not needed anymore, and buying second-hand. She also enjoys going on hiking adventures to connect with nature.

Owen is a Project Assistant who assists the ISE team with communications and social media management. He has an associate’s degree in environmental technology from Onondaga Community College, and a B.S. in Environmental Studies with a focus in Policy and Communications from SUNY-ESF. Two of the main waste reduction practices that he takes part in is thrifting his clothing, as well as composting. Owen is passionate about photography and videography and aspires to use his passion to help bring awareness to worldwide environmental concerns. He feels most connected to nature when he is out doing nature photography shoots and taking in the beauty around him.

Patrick Lynch, Program Manager (Syracuse, NY) email@example.edu Patrick Lynch (He/Him) has spent the last 15 years working at the nexus of environmental advocacy and planning for more resilient communities. At Syracuse University, he manages innovative programs to support governments in building out clean water projects, with a focus on rural and disadvantaged communities. Patrick earned his Master’s in Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School and a J.D. from Vanderbilt Law School. As a social impact producer, his films explore themes of community identity, climate resiliency, and Native sovereignty. Patrick enjoys sourcing food from local farms, foraging with his wife, and cooking healthy meals at home. He feels most connected to nature when he’s paddling on a river, stemming from the eight years he spent in Chile as a director of a Chilean nonprofit in Patagonia. You can follow his adventures on Instagram/X/Threads @plynchrivers.

Sam is a Project Assistant at the Institute for Sustainability Engagement, where he works on sustainable materials and water management projects. Currently pursuing a PhD at SUNY-ESF, Sam's research focuses on international environmental policies, particularly how they are implemented at the local level, with a strong emphasis on SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation). His work also explores the challenges of policy application.Sam's interests span waste and materials management, the circular economy, and composting. Prior to his PhD, he spent five years as a researcher in the waste management industry. He is passionate about policy analysis and the creation of effective environmental policies that safeguard both human life and the natural environment. A people-oriented individual, Sam thrives on meeting new people, building connections, and enjoys spending quality time with friends and family.

Seth Liebstein , Budget Associate (New York) email@example.edu Seth joined ISE in 2020 as a Budget Associate after spending the previous 15 years at Hofstra University. Seth is responsible for administrative duties for the department as well as maintaining grant funds are allocated and spent appropriately. He attended Hofstra University in the Business Administration and Analytics program. Seth loves animals especially dogs as he has three of them keeping him busy in his free time. He feels the most connected with nature when he is by water, whether it is a small stream, a large waterfall or a babbling brook.

Stephanie is a creative professional that’s been working for the past decade in advancing SMM in Puerto Rico, mainly through her work with GREEN-PR, a stewardship program aimed at college students and through co-facilitating the Puerto Rico Recycling Partnership. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from the University of Puerto Rico - Río Piedras and a Master’s in International Development Studies from Utrecht University in the Netherlands. She loves riding her bike, reading books, hiking through nature and singing songs that dream of a better world. While walking her dogs, she’ll often pick up litter before it connects to waterways. She connects to nature through dreams and inspiration.