Alumni honorees at this year's Sustainability Awards.
Alumni, faculty, staff and students were recognized for their sustainability efforts during the third annual UNH Sustainability Awards on Tuesday, May 9.
Awards included lifetime achievement recognition in each of the non-student categories, as well as selection of a Student Organization of the Year.
The awards were established to recognize UNH alumni, faculty, staff and students for their contributions to sustainability, including research and scholarship, curriculum development and teaching, campus initiatives and external activities and achievements.
“For over 25 years, UNH has been a leader in sustainability, and what we saw here was a celebration of that leadership, from our faculty and staff to our students and our graduates,” UNH Provost Wayne Jones said at the ceremony. “It’s a moment to be proud of for UNH. I know it makes me very proud to be a part of this community.”
The event also featured an alumni awardee panel that sparked engaing conversation on a number of sustainability topics.
"We are facing significant global challenges, challenges that are going to require new ways of thinking, new technologies, new ways of overcoming barriers. And I was thinking, what does UNH bring to that? Community,” Jones said. “It brings community that is inspired by the words of our alumni here on stage. It brings a community that is going to be listening, a community that is going to put people first … that thinks about the future and the world we live in, that promotes education as the solution that we all must strive for. That’s the community that really makes me proud.”
Below is a complete list of the honorees this year.
2023 Sustainability Awards
ALUMNI
Lifetime Achievement
Kerem Durdag ’94G, chief operating officer and president, Great Works Internet; founder/managing partner, Indus Fund
Jason McBriarty ’92, director of communications and operations, Levi Strauss Foundation
Sharon Runge ’83, executive director, Kenya Connect
Graduates of the Last Decade
Andres Mejia ’14, ’18G, director of DEIJ Initiatives, SAU 16 (Exeter, N.H.)
Andreanecia Morris ’20G, executive director, HousingNOLA
Sarah Wrightsman ’15, ’17G, community engagement coordinator, New Hampshire Housing
FACULTY
Lifetime Achievement
Thomas P. Ballestero, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, ocean engineering, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences; UNH Coastal Habitat Research Team; director, UNH Stormwater Center
Joanne Burke, linical professor emerita, eepartment of agriculture, nutrition and food systems, College of Life Sciences and Agriculture
Mary Friedman, principal lecturer, department of natural resources and the environment; program coordinator, community and environmental planning program, College of Life Sciences and Agriculture
Ju-Chin Huang, James R. Carter Professor of Economics, Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics
Campus and Community Engagement
Gabriela Bradt, associate fisheries state specialist, NH Sea Grant/UNH Cooperative Extension
Jennifer Griffith, associate professor of organizational behavior and management, Morrison Faculty Fellow of Diversity, Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics
Amy Hollar, state specialist and area of expertise chair for healthy living, UNH Cooperative Extension
Kaitlynn Liset, clinical assistant professor, department of nursing, College of Health and Human Services
Amy Taetzsch, clinical assistant professor, director, Dietetic Internship Program; College of Life Sciences and Agriculture
Curriculum: New
Theresa Oehmke, Postdoctoral Diversity and Innovation Scholar, mechanical engineering, College of Engineering and Physical Sciences
Wendy Pothier, associate professor, business and economics librarian
Cinthia Satornino, assistant professor marketing, Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics; research director, UNH Sales Center
Curriculum: Existing
Judy Sharkey, John & H. Irene Peters Professor of Education; core faculty, women’s and gender studies, College of Liberal Arts
Research: Emerging
Cristina Faiver-Serna, Postdoctoral Diversity and Innovation Scholar, geography, women’s and gender studies, College of Liberal Arts
Sherri Simmons-Horton, assistant professor, department of social work, College of Health and Human Services
LGBTQ+ Food Insufficiency Research Team: Analena Bruce, assistant professor, department of agriculture, nutrition, and food systems; Jess Carson, research assistant professor, Carsey School of Public Policy; Isaac Sohn Leslie, postdoctoral research associate
Youth Retention Initiative: Andrew Coppens, associate professor, education dept.; Cindy Hartman, associate professor, recreation management & policy dept.; Jayson Seaman, associate professor and chair, recreation management & policy dept.; Erin Sharp, associate dean, College of Health and Human Services; Molly Donovan, former community and economic development state specialist, UNH Extension; Sarah Jusseaume, doctoral candidate, education department
Research: Established
Bonnie Brown, professor and chair of department of biological sciences, College of Life Sciences and Agriculture
Mary Stampone, associate professor, department of geography, College of Liberal Arts; Earth sciences affiliate faculty; New Hampshire State Climatologist
Faculty Nominees – Sustainability Champions
For a complete list of faculty nominees, click here.
STAFF
Lifetime Achievement
Katharine Duderstadt, research scientist, Earth Systems Research Center
Andrea O’Brien, director, Business Sustainability Program, NH Small Business Development Center, Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics
Campus Culture and Operations
Jack Aydelott, chef, UNH Conferences and Catering
Neil Sirota, assistant dean, career services, Franklin Pierce School of Law
Darleen Smith, graphic designer, UNH Printing Services
UNH Library Furniture Repurposing Project: Tracey Lauder, assistant dean for library administration; Jennifer Daly, senior administrative assistant for library administration; Donald Dow, information desk manager; Zach Lewis, evening library services specialist; Kevin Connolly, director, athletics development
Campus Community and Engagement
Career and Professional Success
Zeanny Egea, program manager health and well-being,Nutrition Connections, UNH Cooperative Extension
Katherine Gaudet, associate director, University Honors Program; affiliate faculty, department of classics, humanities, and Italian studies, College of Liberal Arts
Paul Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee: Victoria Parker, associate dean of graduate education and faculty administration & Jennifer Griffith, Morrison Faculty Fellow for Diversity, and all committee members
Staff Nominees – Sustainability Champions
For a complete list of faculty nominees, click here.
STUDENTS
Student Organization of the Year
Black Student Union: Tinotenda Duche, DK Alakwe, MaryRose Wainaina, Ama Owusu, Christian Katumba, Morgan Williams, FaithBonett, Bilal Kamal, Renee Brogan
Undergraduate: Campus Culture, Operations and Engagement
Daisy Young '23, English and sustainability dual major, social justice leadership minor
Jason Plant ’23, entrepreneurship
Kayla Landino ’25, occupational therapy; Samantha Pearson ’25, physics
Aliya Sarris ’23, political science, women's and gender studies, and Spanish
Graduate: Campus Culture, Operations and Engagement
Jo Field ’26G, Ph.D. student, natural resources and environmental Studies
Roozbeh Ghasemi ’24G, Ph.D. student, civil and environmental engineering
Taler Bixler ’23G, civil and environmental engineering Ph.D. candidate
Sydney Rollins ’24G, biotechnology
Student Research Awards and Student Nominees: Sustainability Champions
For a complete list of Student Research Awards and student nominees, click here.
Funding Award Recipients
For a complete list of Funding Award Recipients, click here.
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Compiled By:
Keith Testa | UNH Marketing | keith.testa@unh.edu
