Contributors

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Host

Aparna Chandrashekar

This co-host is passionate about recycling, and has been an advocate from her ripe elementary school years (shout out to Global Green Kids). Aparna spent her formative years in Austin, Texas, and studied civil engineering and humanities at the University of Texas at Austin, focusing on building materials and their associated embodied energies. From here, she moved to Washington DC to work with a general contractor focusing on historic buildings, and spent years managing the restoration at the Jefferson Memorial on the national mall. Aparna then pursued a MS in Energy and Sustainability at Northwestern before returning to DC to work in the green buildings industry. She's eager to help folks find their footing in this space and shine some light on pathways to green jobs! 

One of her sustainability quirks: has been inside a corporate dumpster ... as a part of her job, she promises! 

Favorite quote: "If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter"

https://www.linkedin.com/in/aparna-chandrashekar/
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Host

Kiersten Washle

This co-host has been interested in sustainability for as long as she can remember! From North Carolina, Kiersten moved to Washington DC to study systems engineering and sustainability, then engineering management. During college, Kiersten tried as many diverse internships with varied job titles as she could with the hope to work in something that made the world better. Now that Kiersten has some years in the industry under her belt, she wants to help others navigate their own journey to a sustainable job! 

One of her sustainability quirks: had a “b-earthday” party instead of a “birthday” party. (She was and is really proud of that pun.)

Favorite quote: “You cannot do all the good the world needs, but the world needs all the good you can do!” -Shelbizlee

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiersten-washle/

Guests

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Alejandra Menchaca

Alejandra is a world-leading expert in quantifying how design decisions impact indoor air quality, thermal and visual comfort, and carbon emissions. Combining her expertise in mechanical engineering and architectural design, Alejandra works with design teams to achieve innovative cost-effective and long-lasting design solutions that increase occupant productivity, while minimizing environmental impact and associated risks. She holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from MIT, and has lectured at MIT’s Department of Architecture and the Harvard GSD.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alejandramenchaca/

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Betsy Brunner

Betsy is a scholar and practitioner who was spent half of her career in nonprofits and the other half in academia. Today, she manages to do both. As the Net-Zero Business Development and Financial Strategist at Idaho National Laboratory, she is charged with finding and securing funding to transition an 890 square mile campus to Net-Zero emissions by 2031. As an adjunct professor at Utah State University, she teaches courses like Science Communication, Organizations & Social Change, and Environmental Communication. She also continues to publish academic work on environmental movements and ecotourism. Betsy has worked across any areas, including the environment, health, art, and education and this experience has helped her to understand the deep connections among these different subjects. When she isn't working, she is likely skiing, mountain biking, hiking, or trail running somewhere in the American West.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/betsy-brunner-b713867/

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Christina Cuellar-Nelson

Christina is a solutions consultant with a passion for sustainability and advancing the modernization of the built environment, currently specializing in mission critical infrastructure process management through commissioning. 
With a background in engineering and a love for the outdoors, she is driven by the intersection of technology, environment, and community. Christina thrive's on bringing people together to find innovative solutions, going on long hikes, and can normally be found running.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-cuellar-nelson/

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Fulya Kocak

Fulya Kocak is a global ESG authority recognized for her exceptional leadership in developing and managing sustainability strategies. As the former head of ESG for Nareit, she played a pivotal role in shaping initiatives within the U.S. real estate industry.
An award-winning thought leader, educator, and sustainability pioneer, Fulya is also a LinkedIn Top Voice whose popular courses have reached over 500,000 learners worldwide.
With two decades of experience, Fulya excels at integrating sustainability into corporate strategies, advising major brands on impactful ESG initiatives, and designing and delivering corporate sustainability education that drives meaningful action.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/fulyakocak/

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Gretchen Carey

Gretchen Carey has worked in the environmental field for over 15 years as a volunteer, municipal recycling coordinator, and now the Republic Services Sustainability Manager for New England. Gretchen provides recycling and food waste training and education on for both municipalities and commercial customers. She is also President of MassRecycle, the statewide non-profit organization dedicated to sustainable materials management. Gretchen is a LEED Green Associate, a Zero Waste TRUE Advisor, and co-founder of GreenLabs Recycling, the hyperlocal company for plastics recycling. 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gretchenkcarey/

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Justin Den Herder

Justin’s love of trees and poetry inform his career as a structural engineer. He cares deeply about the impact of the built environment on the natural environment and is passionate about the integration of mass timber and other bio-based materials within architecture and engineering. He is especially fond of the challenges associated with adaptive reuse and renovation projects and takes pride in contributing to public projects; libraries, museums and other civic institutions.

In each of the 500+ projects that he’s been part of, he strives for harmony between the structure & architecture form through collaborative means. He’s humbled and grateful to have worked with many of the best, most renowned architects in the world.

His class at Cooper Union, titled ‘Structural Poetics’ explores the ways in which efficient, elegant and equitable structures and forms can improve the built and natural environment.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-den-herder-pe-94463615/

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Guest

Justin Den Herder

Justin’s love of trees and poetry inform his career as a structural engineer. He cares deeply about the impact of the built environment on the natural environment and is passionate about the integration of mass timber and other bio-based materials within architecture and engineering. He is especially fond of the challenges associated with adaptive reuse and renovation projects and takes pride in contributing to public projects; libraries, museums and other civic institutions.

In each of the 500+ projects that he’s been part of, he strives for harmony between the structure & architecture form through collaborative means. He’s humbled and grateful to have worked with many of the best, most renowned architects in the world.

His class at Cooper Union, titled ‘Structural Poetics’ explores the ways in which efficient, elegant and equitable structures and forms can improve the built and natural environment.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-den-herder-pe-94463615/
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Kiran Mohanraj

Dr. Kiran Mohanraj is a pavement engineer and project manager at The Transtec Group in Texas. He has over 17 years of experience with pavement materials, testing, design and construction. He received his master's in civil engineering from Arizona State University and PhD from The University of Texas at Austin. His current interests include i) design, construction and maintenance of sustainable and resilient pavements, ii) behavior of asphalt binders and cracking in flexible pavements, and iii) impact of pavements on vehicle fuel consumption and their impacts to the environment.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiran-pavements/
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Natalie Pereira

Natalie Pereira is a partnerships manager with a dynamic background spanning business development, advertising, and sustainability. Currently serving as an Account Executive at Alvéole, Natalie helps drive impact through urban beekeeping by cultivating partnerships that support biodiversity and bring nature back to cities. At Alvéole, she’s not just growing accounts—she’s growing ecosystems, helping organizations across the U.S. take meaningful steps toward sustainability. Natalie is known for her strategic thinking, creative sales approach, and collaborative spirit. Her mission? To create buzz—in the best way possible.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/pereiranatalie/
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Sophie Martin

Sophie is a Building Performance Analyst at Page with a passion for supporting high performance, sustainable building design. She is a Professional Engineer, LEED AP, and Certified Passive House Consultant. Sophie graduated from George Washington University in 2017 with a B.S. in Civil Engineering and a Minor in Sustainability. 

She started off her career in building enclosure consulting / commissioning at Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates. In her current role at Page, she primarily focuses on embodied carbon analysis, enclosure review, daylight analysis, and LEED certification. She has worked on a variety of project types including universities, embassies and other government buildings, community centers, elementary schools, hospitals, industrial, commercial, and mixed-use. Sophie focuses on exploring the role of enclosures in building energy performance, embodied carbon emissions, and air, temperature and moisture control.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophie-j-martin-pe-leed-ap-cphc-940b6b8a/

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Veni Mittal

Veni is a Sustainability professional and works for JLL as Global Senior Sustainability Analyst. She also holds an EcoDistrict Certification, LEED GA and
serve as Board Secretary of Etna Community Organization. she is dedicated to building a more vibrant and sustainable future where we all have the opportunity to thrive and lead healthy, fulfilling lives. Encouraging a more sustainable lifestyle is about more than a climate solution; it is building community power, caring for the well-being of people. Through her academic and professional experiences in both the private and non-profit sectors ,she has developed a comprehensive understanding and a well rounded skill set that enables me to work through the complex challenges associated with transitioning to a sustainable and circular economy.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/veni-mittal/

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