Samantha Chan, Assistant Director of Sustainability, University of Pittsburgh

Samantha Chan is the Assistant Director of Sustainability in the University of Pittsburgh’s Office of Sustainability. She works with the University-wide, cross-departmental Sustainability team, providing support for the Pitt Sustainability Plan’s goals and strategy. Sam and her colleagues help advance the University towards achieving all 68 sustainability goals; she leads efforts to further embed sustainability into the culture of the University with a special focus on the Pitt Green suite of programs, employee education, communications, and strategic partnerships. Sam empowers positive behavior change, helps advance sustainability projects and build collaborations, strategically advances sustainability initiatives, and communicates about Pitt’s sustainability leadership and innovation. With over a decade of experience, Sam is passionate about creating sustainable solutions so current and future generations can thrive. Sam’s professional and educational experience includes environmental analytics, wildlife conservation, revitalization efforts, and biophilic resiliency initiatives that benefit both people and the planet. Prior to joining Pitt, Sam worked with the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing & Innovation at the University of Tennessee on embodied energy and recycling techniques to further the circular economy for airplanes and wind turbines. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Environmental Science and Psychology from Allegheny College and a Master’s of Sustainability from Chatham University.

Leoncio Lagarde, CU Boulder Green Labs Program Assistant and Outreach Coordinator, Environmental Center / CU Boulder

At the University of Colorado, Boulder, Leoncio takes on the role of the Green Labs Program Assistant & Outreach Coordinator. With a solid academic foundation including an undergraduate and master’s degree from the Earth and Planetary Science department at UC Berkeley, coupled with his previous professional lab experience as a chemical analyst, he is dedicated to fostering a culture of safety and sustainability in laboratory settings at CU Boulder. Through maintaining sustainable lab projects and facilitating targeted training sessions, he aims to propel forward impactful and sustainable practices within the campus lab community.