The purpose of the Board of Directors is to advise, govern, oversee policy and direction, and assist with the governance and general promotion of AASHE so as to support the organization’s mission and needs. The Board consists of faculty, staff or administrators and business leaders representing AASHE members. View past Board Meeting Minutes here. 

About the Board
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Current Board Members

  • Sophia Agtarap

    Interdisciplinary Faculty, South Seattle College

    Sophia is a 1.5 generation Filipina American who resides on the traditional lands of the Puyallup people. She works alongside communities in the areas of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion, and climate justice as they do the brave work of imagining the world they want to build and animating others to join them in creating a more just society where all may thrive.

    Sophia earned her B.A. in English, Master in Teaching, and Master of Communication in Digital Media from the University of Washington, and is currently pursuing her Ed. D. in Education Policy, Organization and Leadership with a focus on Diversity and Equity in Education and a Certificate of Specialization in Sustainability and Community College Leadership through the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Sophia is a qualified administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory®–a cross-cultural assessment of intercultural competence.

    Sophia is no stranger to public service, as much of her life’s work has involved communication, advocacy, and engagement in the areas of student success and educational access, immigration, economic justice, healthcare, poverty and homelessness. Prior to her faculty role, Sophia was the director for equity, diversity, and inclusion at the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, led equity efforts in the P-12 sector and for a regional transit agency’s office for Civil Rights, Equity, and Inclusion. She is thrilled to be co-creating alongside the marvelous folks at AASHE.

  • Rania Assariotaki, Vice President

    Sustainability Director, Office of Sustainability, The American College of Greece

    Rania Assariotaki joined the American College of Greece in 2008. She currently holds the position of Director, Office of Sustainability. She has previously occupied the position of the first Sustainability Manager at ACG. Before joining ACG, she has served in the field of customer service. She holds an MSc in Marketing from ALBA at The American College of Greece. Since December 2020, serves as an ex-officio member in the Academic Advisory Board of the ACG Center of Excellence in Sustainability. Under her coordination, in 2020, ACG was awarded with the STARS Gold rating by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. Since September 2020 she participates as a mentor for sustainability issues in the mentorship program of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). Starting January 2022, she serves as an elected member of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) Board of Directors. In February 2021, she was also appointed by AASHE to serve as a member of the AASHE Advisory Council for her constant commitment and support to promoting sustainability best practices and culture on and off-campus. In February 2020 became a member of the Corporate Responsibility Committee of the American – Hellenic Chamber of Commerce. In 2015 she was certified as a GRI G4 reporter and in July 2016 received her certification as a Sustainability (CSR) Practitioner approved by the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA). Also, she has received certifications in Carbon Reduction Strategy, Sustainability Reporting, Social Impact Assessment & SROI.  In August 1019, she has been certified as a Sustainability Management professional and on High Impact Leadership from the Institute for Sustainability Leadership, University of Cambridge. 

  • Jillian Buckholz, Secretary

    Sustainability Advisor, Brailsford & Dunlavey

    Jillian Buckholz is a dedicated sustainability professional with over 15-years experience starting sustainability programs from the ground up. She excels at being a connector, breaking down silos, and building relationships that bring people together to move ideas into actionable plans. Jillian has extensive experience designing, facilitating, and working with executive-level committees and working groups with a proven track record of implementing projects to meet specific sustainability goals. Environmental justice is at the center of her work, focusing on moving sustainability initiatives forward that support people and the planet.

    Jillian is currently a Sustainability Advisor at Brailsford & Dunlavey, where she develops climate and sustainability actions plans for higher education institutions. Prior to consulting, Jillian was the Director of Sustainability at California State University, East Bay. As the first sustainability officer for the campus she was solely responsible for integrating the concepts of sustainability into all aspects of campus from academics to engagement, throughout the curriculum, operations and campus plans, and within administrative policies. Before coming to East Bay, Jillian worked at the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) where she connected with subject matter experts to support the development of the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS), a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. Jillian started her career as the first sustainability officer in the California State University System at Chico State, where she led the synthesis of cross-campus sustainability efforts into a cohesive, award-winning program.

    Jillian holds a Bachelor’s degree from Ohio University in Environmental Geography, a Masters degree in Geography and Planning from Chico State, and is a recent graduate of the Harvard University Executive Education for Sustainability Leadership Program.

  • Chris Ewing

    Vice Chancellor for Infrastructure and Sustainability, University of Colorado Boulder

    Chris Ewing is the Vice Chancellor for Infrastructure and Sustainability at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he manages over 12 million square feet of facilities and oversees an annual operating budget of $98 million. In this role, he is responsible for leading the Infrastructure and Sustainability team, which is responsible for long-range capital planning for the campus, architecture, design and construction, overall operations and maintenance of campus facilities and utilities, transportation services, workplace accident prevention and the creation of a safe working environment for campus employees, environmental health and safety, campus logistics and efforts around sustainability and resiliency.

    Prior to his current role, Ewing served as the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Planning, Design and Construction. He joined CU Boulder in 2008 as Project Administrator/Owner Representative, acting as a liaison between project design and construction teams and campus clients. Before joining CU Boulder, Ewing served as an associate director of facilities for biopharmaceutical company Replidyne, Inc. Before taking that role, he was a project manager at a pre-construction and construction management consulting firm for biopharmaceutical clients. He started his professional career as an intern architect for an architecture firm that specializes in the design of health care and senior living facilities. 

    Ewing was born and raised in Costa Rica.  He has a bachelor’s degree in environmental design (architecture) from the University of Colorado Boulder and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Colorado State University. His interests include camping, hiking, travel, reading and spending time with his family.

  • Greg ``G.L.`` Genco

    CEO and Founder of Generation Conscious

    CEO and Founder of Generation Conscious, G.L., grew up near several waste transfer stations in Jamaica, Queens, and developed asthma as a result of their proximity to toxic, polluted ecosystems. They are a first generation college graduate (Amherst College) and are Trinidadian-Chinese.

    Before starting Generation Conscious, G.L. worked as an Investment Banker at UBS, covering Consumer and Retail. G.L. realized that their greatest opportunity was to open the doors to others and bring environmental and economic justice to finance and business. They created a worker-cooperative art collective for dozens of artists without college degrees to increase their agency, pay, and financial literacy. Thereafter, they cut their teeth as a community organizer, inspiring thousands of volunteers to get out the vote in Ohio.  

    G.L. lived and learned that communities most impacted by climate change and social inequalities are disproportionately underrepresented in sustainability professions. Further, zero-waste, plastic-free alternatives to U.S. hygiene products are expensive, inaccessible, and energy-intensive. With their environmental and social justice credo at heart, G.L. founded Generation Conscious to radically reject the systems and structures perpetuating racial and economic injustice; carbon, plastic, water-waste and pollution—replacing these infrastructures and their consequences with systems and structures that generate true sustainability, equity and accessibility.

    Since launching, they’ve trained hundreds of first-generation, low income (FGLI) students as community organizers and product managers, equipping them with skill sets for the circular economy. These FGLI students have expanded the Generation Conscious zero-waste hygiene equity system to 20+ Universities across 10 states, enabling hundreds of thousands of students to refill their hygiene products without packaging or water. Generation Conscious is the winner of the 2023 Most Innovative Consumer company by the Reusies and is a certified M/WBE with the NYC Small Business Services.

    G.L. is excited to connect with communities that are interested in dreaming up additive businesses that transition from extractivism to regeneration. They currently live in Brooklyn with their partner, Kim, and their dog, Kai.

  • Kim Hankins

    Managing Director of Sustainability at McHenry County College

    Kim Hankins is a recognized leader in sustainability with several decades of experience spanning higher education, government, and nonprofit sectors. Since 2013, she has served as Managing Director of Sustainability at McHenry County College (MCC), where she established the college’s Sustainability Center and developed one of Illinois’ first community college sustainability strategic plans. Under her leadership, MCC has implemented transformative initiatives, including a 336-panel solar array, electric vehicle charging stations, campus-wide composting, and energy efficiency upgrades. She also chairs MCC’s Sustainability Committee and develops faculty workshops on integrating sustainability into curriculum, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

    Dr. Hankins’ commitment to community engagement is evident through her leadership of the annual Green Living Expo, now in its 18th year, and the creation of the widely distributed Green Guide Recycling Directory. She has cultivated partnerships across counties to advance green economies and foster environmental awareness. Her work has earned MCC national recognition, including the first Green Star Restaurant certification for a community college café in the United States. Kimberly also advises the MCC Student Environmental Action Club, promoting experiential learning and student leadership in sustainability.

    Beyond higher education, Dr. Hankins has held influential roles in government and nonprofit organizations. She served as such as Chair of the City of Crystal Lake Sustainability Committee, President of the McHenry County Conservation District Board, and President of the Board for the Environmental Defenders of McHenry County, a county-wide award-winning environmental NGO. Her early career included outreach leadership at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, where she developed a nationwide program for stormwater management compliance. Kimberly’s ability to bridge policy, education, and community action has made her a trusted voice in sustainability advocacy.

    Kim holds a Doctor of Education in Educational Sustainability from the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point, a Master of Science in Environmental Science from Johns Hopkins University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Policy from Hartwick College. She is an AASHE Fellow and serves on the AASHE Advisory Council, contributing to strategic initiatives that advance sustainability in higher education. Her career reflects a lifelong dedication to creating resilient communities and empowering others to integrate sustainability into everyday practices.

  • Léonie Lado

    Student, McGill University

    Léonie Lado is an architecture student at McGill University who has always had a passion for sustainability. She has been volunteering for the McGill Office of Sustainability as a Sustainability Projects Fund Ambassador since 2023 in order to mobilize student engagement and promote the development of sustainable initiatives. In 2024, she began a position on the Architecture Student Association as a Sustainability Coordinator to further promote sustainability among the student community.

    Prior to these positions, Léonie practiced advocacy by volunteering for organizations such as Children First Canada, where she participated in the Young Canadians Parliament in 2022 to write mock parliamentary bills, suggestions and solutions about various contemporary challenges faced by Canadian youth.

    Along side her involvement in sustainability and advocacy, Léonie Lado works as a swimming instructor and lifeguard, through which she promotes water safety, and drowning prevention.

  • Joseli Macedo

    Professor, School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape at the University of Calgary

    Joseli Macedo is an educator, architect, urbanist, and leader with a wide range of experiences in the United States, Brazil, India, Australia, and Canada. Before joining the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape at the University of Calgary, she was Dean of the Faculty of Architecture and Planning at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia. Prior to coming to Canada, she was Head of the School of Design and the Built Environment at Curtin University in Perth, Australia. Dr. Macedo has spent most of her academic career in the U.S. teaching and conducting research on sustainable human settlements. At the University of Florida, she served as Chair of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, Director of the Center for International Design and Planning, and Affiliate Faculty in the Center for Latin American Studies and the School of Natural Resources and the Environment. She received a Fulbright-Nehru award in 2012 that allowed her to research settlements in India. Dr. Macedo has worked in the areas of sustainable cities, urban design, and international development planning for 30 years. She is the author of several publications on city design and urban form, urban ecology, land policy and land tenure, housing policy, urban planning history, and pedagogy. She has also served as an international consultant to the World Bank and to the GAIA Consortium in Brazil.

  • John Madden

    Director of Sustainability and Engineering, University of British Columbia

    John directs the activities of the Sustainability and Engineering unit within Campus and Community Planning at the University of British Columbia. The unit is responsible for setting policies on resource and infrastructure management plans for both the Vancouver and Okanagan campuses. John oversees operational sustainability planning and reporting, creating incentives for sustainable behaviours among staff, faculty and students, green building programs and providing engineering services for land use planning and permitting processes. John is responsible for advising the UBC Okanagan campus efforts in climate action, sustainability and infrastructure management planning and ensuring alignment between the University Sustainability Initiative and Campus Sustainability.

    John brings over 25 years of experience working for local municipal government, consulting, international agencies and higher-education working to advance sustainability policies and implementation strategies. While working in the Middle East, John led efforts in the design and implementation of an innovative green building and sustainability program which was awarded the “Best Regional Sustainability Initiative” by the World Green Building Council. John was also a sessional instructor at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design teaching on the subject of Sustainable Master Planning and is currently adjunct professor for UBC’s Masters of Engineering Leadership in High Performance Buildings. He holds a B.A. from the University of British Columbia as well as graduate studies at UBC’s School of Community and Regional Planning.

  • Yasmin Mansour

    Sustainability Director, The American University in Cairo

    Yasmin, a passionate and experienced professional in the field of Sustainable Facilities and operations, boasts an impressive track record of over 15 years. Her expertise lies in driving sustainability initiatives within facility management, tackling critical environmental issues
    such as climate change, energy efficiency, water reduction, resource scarcity, pollution, and waste management. Currently serving as the esteemed Sustainability Director at The American University
    in Cairo (AUC), she plays a pivotal role in leading the Office of Sustainability.
    Yasmin has extensive experience in developing and writing technical reports, including the Carbon Footprint Sustainability Report, and ESG reporting as well as international reports addressing Sustainable
    Development Goals (SDGs). She has also developed AUC’s COE “UNGC – Communication on Engagement,” highlighting the university’s commitment to the United Nations principles on human rights,
    labor, environment, and anti-corruption.
    Yasmin is a certified Sustainability Facility Professional (SFP) and holds Facility Management Professional (FMP) credentials from the International Facility Management Association (IFMA).
    Mansour received a master’s degree with high honors in Construction Management from the American University in Cairo.
    In addition to her role at AUC, she is actively involved in community services and NGOs. Yasmin is a board member of the Egyptian Facility Management Association (EGFMA).
    Moreover, she is a member of the ISO/TC 267 Facility Management Committee, indicating her involvement in developing international standards in the field of facility management. Yasmin is a
    certified AUC Executive Education Instructor and SFM instructor at AUC, as well as a course developer.
    For the past three years, Yasmin has served on the Advisory Committee of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). Being part of the Advisory Committee of AASHE is a valuable opportunity to make a positive impact, network with sustainability leaders, and contribute to the advancement of sustainable practices in higher education.
    Yasmin is a passionate coach of design thinking, dedicated to fostering innovation and problem-solving through a human-centered approach. With a deep understanding of design thinking principles and methodologies, Yasmin guides individuals and teams in unlocking their creativity and unleashing their potential.
    Her core motivation is to embed sustainable development philosophy and culture within the context of The American University of Cairo and improve its institutional response to environmental challenges.
    Through her work, she always aims to improve the university’s operations, strengthen its finances, and enhance its reputation as a sustainability leader in Cairo, Egypt, and the Middle East and North Africa region.
    Overall, her expertise lies in the intersection of sustainability, the facilities management field, and design thinking, with a focus on promoting sustainable practices in facilities and operations where she has gained
    international recognition for her efforts in promoting sustainability at AUC and contributing to the development of sustainable practices in the built environment.
    Yasmin was born and raised in Cairo, Egypt. In 2002, Mansour graduated with high honors from Ain Shams University with a B.Sc. in Architecture Engineering, Urban & Planning department. Mansour is a
    master in English, French, and Arabic.

  • François Miller

    Executive Director of Sustainability, McGill University

    François Miller has over 20 years of professional experience in sustainability, mainly in the municipal and higher education sectors. He spent close to 13 years at the City of Montreal where he stewarded the development and execution of Montreal’s award-winning sustainability plans, which mobilized over 250 partner organizations. Prior to this, François was part of research groups that worked on urban sustainability issues in Bolivia, Brazil and France. Now acting as the Executive Director of Sustainability at McGill University, François leads the planning and implementation of McGill’s strategic plans on climate and sustainability. He also works to advance sustainability across all sectors of the University through internal and external partnerships. Under his tenure, McGill University was recognized as Sustainability Institution of the Year by the International Green Gown Awards (2019), won AASHE’s Campus Sustainability Achievement Award (2019), and was recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Greenest Employers four years in a row (2018-2019-2020-2021). He participates in multiple internal and external advisory committees focused on green buildings, sustainable events, green funds, etc. François Miller holds a master’s degree in environmental sciences from the Université du Québec à Montréal. 

  • Kristin Parineh, Treasurer

    Director of  Sustainability, Stanford University

    Kristin has been advancing Stanford University’s sustainability agenda since 2012, and currently serves as the Director of Sustainability. Kristin’s work aims to transform the university’s climate and waste future and support the next generation of sustainability change management leaders. Kristin’s team is responsible for university sustainability storytelling and reporting, waste operations, living laboratory programs, culture change, climate and waste goals, and their regulatory and voluntary compliance. Prior to joining Stanford, she served as the first Sustainability Planner for the City of Palo Alto, where she developed and enforced the city’s green building and sustainable development policies, and as the Assistant Director for the Collaborative for High Performance Schools, a similar non-profit to AASHE, but for K-12 schools. She also has work experience at both the U.S. and California Environmental Protection Agency, and Natural Resources Defense Council. She received a BA in Communications and a BS in Environmental Design from the University of California, Davis and a Masters in Environmental Science, Policy and Management from Columbia University.

  • Daryl M. Pierson, PhD, President

    Director of Sustainability, University of California Merced

    Daryl Pierson is the Director of Sustainability for the University of California Merced. In this role, Daryl leads sustainability for the institution in support of the University’s strategic objectives and UC systemwide priorities. Daryl utilizes a transformative leadership lens to guide efforts in sustainability. He partners and collaborates with the campus and community to lead in visioning, develop tactical and strategic initiatives, measure and assess impact, and operationalize sustainability and climate action at UC Merced. His professional interests include growing leadership capacity to confront societal challenges related to sustainability. Personally, Daryl enjoys exploring the great outdoors in nearby Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks. He currently serves as president on the Board of Directors for the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). Daryl received a PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies with a research focus on sustainability leadership. He also has a master’s degree in urban planning.

  • Elizabeth Swiman

    Director of Sustainability, Communications, and Training; Florida State University Facilities Department

    As the Director of Sustainability, Communications, and Training for the Florida State University Facilities department, Elizabeth Swiman oversees the programs and procedures that facilitate outreach, both internally within the department and externally to the broader FSU community.

    Elizabeth spearheaded the founding of Sustainable Campus at FSU, which has grown from a handful of outreach programs to an integral part of academic, student affairs, and campus operations. She brings a unique perspective of strategic engagement at large research institutions with multiple priorities and initiatives to her role on the AASHE board.

    Elizabeth, a certified ISSP Sustainability Excellence Associate (SEA), celebrates 19 years at FSU, joining Facilities in 2010 following a 2-year start at the Center for Leadership and Civic Education. She also served as an adjunct at FSU, teaching leadership in sustainability and energy
    conservation. A graduate of the University of Florida, Elizabeth earned her Bachelor and Master of Science in Wildlife Ecology & Conservation. Before joining FSU, she held roles in corporate sector environmental affairs and public sector outreach in both Florida and Colorado.

    Elizabeth’s passion and dedication to sustainability and the environment stem from her love of animals and a lifelong connection to the outdoors. She has even kayaked the entire length of the Apalachicola River with a team of fellow advocates. In addition to kayaking, outside of work, Elizabeth enjoys hiking, reading, and traveling.