Rukaiya Sunelwala
I will be completing my final year at the University of California, Santa Cruz with a double major in Politics and Sociology. I hope to attend law school in the future and study environmental law. Environmental activism is very important to me and through this project, I hope we can establish a natural source of electricity to our community.
Leslie Serafin
Leslie is currently a junior studying at UCSC for her bachelor’s degree as an Earth Science major with a concentration in Environmental Geology. She is currently an intern for the summer working with the Waste Not, Want Not project.
Kaylia Bravo
Development Director
Kaylia is completing dual degrees in Latin American Latino Studies and Politics at UCSC with a minor in Sustainability Studies. Her previous career was in Arts and Education and she has always been interested in policy. Last quarter she was a Policy Intern for the American Sustainable Business Council in Washington DC. She is proud of the work that SSRF is doing spearheading the official internship program and offering Sustainability Now! radio shows as SSRF campaigns to raise awareness and reach out to the community at large.
Justin P. Farris
Project Director
Farris holds a BS in Game Design and Computer Science with a minor in Sustainability Studies from UC Santa Cruz. He has experience with project management, green building design/construction, and waste management.
Cori Strell
Research Analyst
Strell earned a BA in Psychology with a minor in Sustainability Studies from UC Santa Cruz. She has experience with facilitating college-level zero waste workshops, organizing sustainable fashion events, and local waste diversion infrastructure. Through the lens of social psychology she merges social welfare and environmental sustainability into her writing and research.
Liane Bauer
Research Analyst
Bauer holds a BA in Legal Studies with concentrations in Environmental Law and Policy from UC Santa Cruz and has experience as a legal and policy intern on environmental issues.
Mark Andy Buck
Intern (May-June 2019)
Tomas Nilsson
Intern (Summer 2019)
Nilsson is studying in Environmental Studies at UC Santa Cruz, with a concentration in GIS.
William F. Bravo
Intern (Summer 2019)
Bravo is currently completing a BS in Computer Science at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, with interest in Digital Music Visualization Design.
Mia Alonso Geopath
Michael Pham, GIS
Melinda Martinez, Geopath
Alexandra Herrera, Geopath
Tati Martinez is currently a third-year undergraduate student at UC Santa Cruz pursuing a B.A. in Global Economics with a minor in Sustainability Studies. She is currently interning at SSRF researching sustainable and biodegradable packaging alternatives for local businesses under the Waste Not, Want Not initiative, as well as working part-time at Snap Taco in Santa Cruz.
Sabrina Manrique is currently majoring in Technology Information Management at UC, Santa Cruz. She has experience managing numerous projects involving engineering, programming, education, leadership and environmental activism. Her interests are centered in utilizing technology and other resources available to make a difference in the environment and in people’s lives. Sabrina is currently managing and contributing with the Waste Not, Want Not initiative and she is excited about the outcomes that this project has to offer.
Lauren Schenck is born and raised in Silicon Valley- San Jose, California- Lauren has a diverse background in real estate, office administration, and food service. She recently graduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz, with her B.S. in Earth Sciences with a concentration in Environmental Geology, where she gained lab, field, and coding experience, and she will be attending Northwestern’s Pritzker School of Law in the fall for their Masters of Science in Law program. Her current focus is the creation and implementation of environmental policy, and has been selected to intern at the Sustainable Systems Research Foundation via GEOPATHS, a National Science Foundation program.
Merc has been a fund-raiser for many years. He earned his BS in Astronautical Engineering at the US Air Force Academy, and then an MS in Program Management at USC. A former US Air Force pilot, he founded a green start-up, Verdafero, where he co-authored a patent for software services for businesses wanting to improve their carbon footprint. He then was the Director of Supply Chain for Nanosolar, a manufacturer of thin-film. solar panels for utilities. Merc also wrote the Nanosolar presentation which garnered a $70M investment.
His LinkedIn profile can be found here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mercmartinelli/
Devesh is a technology and information management graduate from UC Santa Cruz. He hopes to apply his knowledge of systems analysis, design, and product management to curate actionable sustainability solutions.His goals include developing an understanding of self-sustainable living, and the externalities of renewable energy.
Leslie Serafin is currently a junior studying at UCSC for her bachelor’s degree as an Earth Science major with a concentration in Environmental Geology. She is currently an intern for the summer working with the Waste Not, Want Not project.
Hi there! My name is Rukaiya Sunelwala and I will be completing my final year at the University of California, Santa Cruz with a double major in Politics and Sociology. I hope to attend law school in the future and study environmental law. Environmental activism is very important to me and through this project, I hope we can establish a natural source of electricity to our community.
Alex Derrick is an applied physics graduate from UC Santa Cruz. His experiences as a backpacking guide, gardener, maintenance worker, and food service worker, as well as with housing insecurity, have inspired him to work towards personal and community sustainability projects. He is particularly interested in efforts that consolidate the powers and benefits of sustainable technologies and practices in the community.
Jasmine Krause is a third-year undergraduate student at the University of California, Santa Cruz pursuing a B.S. in Environmental Science. She currently works at the Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems as a Produce Coordinator and a Co-Chair for the Food Systems Working Group. Her passion lies in pursuing research in food and water security, specifically how hydrology ties into sustainable food systems. Jasmine is excited to work on the Sustainable Urban Food Initiative Project for the Sustainable Systems Research Foundation.
Ally Pecego is from Long Beach, California but is now at UC Santa Cruz pursuing a double major in Environmental Studies and Legal Studies as a third-year undergraduate. She has experience in sustainable research as a UCSC Dining Sustainable Coordinator and intern at Committee to Bridge the Gap, a non-profit organization that focuses on nuclear policy issues. Right now, she is involved with SSRF’s Sustainable Procurement Integration Network (SPIN) project, where she is exploring compostable alternatives for local restaurants and grocery stores. Her hope is to one day be involved with environmental policy at the national or international level to mitigate climate change and attain a sustainable future for all.
Lauren Baldock-Wood is a fourth-year student at UC Santa Cruz pursuing a degree in Business Management Economics and Art. Born and raised in the Bay Area, she is now living in Santa Cruz as she completes her undergraduate studies. Lauren has gained valuable experience in planning and design through her coursework, as well as internships she has completed throughout her academic career. Currently, she is working as a volunteer at SSRF, focusing on research toward the development of accessory dwelling units in the greater Santa Cruz area.