Katie is the Sustainability Coordinator for UCLA Recreation Sport Venues and Event Operations. She is responsible for developing and developing and implementing sustainability initiatives throughout the Recreation Department, including the John Wooden Center, Pauley Pavilion, the Student Activities Center and Sunset Canyon Recreation Center. Her focus involves zero waste, energy use reduction, air quality and outreach. She graduated from UCLA with a Bachelor’s degree in Geography/Environmental Studies and a minor in Environmental Systems and Society. As a student, she was involved in our program and led the Zero Waste Pauley Action Research Team. We are thrilled to have Katie onboard to continue to push boundaries and support UCLA’s commitment to sustainability.

Emma is the Sustainability Manager for UCLA H&HS and oversees the development, implementation, maintenance and tracking of sustainability programs of all On- and Off-Campus Housing, UCLA Dining Services, UCLA Guest House, Conferences and Catering, Vending Services, the Lake Arrowhead Conference Center, Bruin Woods Family Resort, and the Luskin Conference Center. Her current efforts include water conversation, waste reduction & diversion, behavioral change and sustainable food procurement. As busy as Emma is with everything that she does, she always makes time for her SAR team. Her past team have raved about her intelligence, work ethic, and most of all, her passion for sustainability and student projects. This will be her third year guiding a team and we incredibly excited and grateful to have her continued presence.

Todd is the Principal Project Planner for UCLA Capital Programs. He is campus planner and specializes in the U.S. Green Building Council’s “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” rating system, known as LEED TM.  This internationally-recognized standard for sustainable design and construction has dramatically shifted construction industry practices toward much healthier environments and substantial conservation of water, energy, and other resources.  Todd has helped 30 UCLA buildings achieve LEED certification buildings, with 8 at the Platinum level. 

Todd is also a Lecturer in professional practice for the UCLA Department of Architecture and Urban Design, as well as the Architect Licensing Advisor for the campus. A regular participant in the SAR program, Todd have been with us since 2012. He sees the interdisciplinary and project-based nature of SAR as a great microcosm for how planning, design, construction, or certification processes play out at any scale, and also as a great catalyst for sustainable progress on UCLA’s campus. 

Bonny Bentzin is the Deputy Chief Sustainability Officer of UCLA. Bonny is a key member of the leadership team for sustainability at UCLA, helping manage sustainability across the university. Prior to joining UCLA, Bonny was the Head of Sustainability and Project Integration for the Trust for Sustainable Development, working on Spirit Bay Developments, coordinating all sustainability aspects and planning key projects for a new town concept being developed in partnership with the Sc’ianew First Nation (Beecher Bay Band) near Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. This work included successfully securing $540,000 in grant monies for an Ocean Thermal Heating and Cooling system and district, and to plan the town centre. An experienced sustainability expert with a focus on developing and executing sustainability programs in the field of higher education and complex organizations, she has over 12 years of leadership, management and consulting experience, both within large‐scale organizations and as an outside consultant. 

Nurit Katz is an educator and sustainability professional who cares deeply about creating a sustainable, resilient, and healthy region for all Angelenos.

As Chief Sustainability Officer for UCLA, Nurit Katz led the development of the university’s first comprehensive sustainability plan and fosters collaboration across the leading public university to advance sustainability through education, research, operations, and community partnerships. For six years Ms. Katz also served as Executive Officer for Facilities Management. Nurit has over 15 years of teaching experience and is an Instructor for the UCLA Extension Sustainability Certificate Program. She has also taught for the UCLA Institute of Environment and Sustainability and prior to UCLA worked in environmental and outdoor education.

Ms. Katz currently serves as Commissioner on the Board of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP). She has served in a number of public sector and non-profit advisory capacities including on the LA 100 Advisory Group, Los Angeles County Climate Vulnerability Assessment Technical Advisory Committee and the Resilient Infrastructure Working Group for Resilient LA. She currently serves on the Biodiversity Expert Council for the City of Los Angeles, and the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Areas Steering Committee.

Ms. Katz holds an MBA and a Masters in Public Policy from the UCLA, and a BA in Environmental Education from Humboldt State University. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UCLA and is a Trainee in the National Science Foundation Research Traineeship (NRT) Innovation at the Nexus of Food, Energy, and Water Systems (INFEWS) program.

Nurit enjoys wildlife photography and urban ecology research and serves as the Outreach Coordinator for the Los Angeles Raptor Study, a community science-based study of nesting raptors, supported by Friends of Griffith Park.

Gabriella is a Southern California local, growing up in Imperial Beach, the most southwesterly city of the United States. Living just blocks from the ocean, she developed a passion for nature, healthy living, and yoga. Gabriella is currently a fourth year at UCLA, majoring in Environmental Science with a concentration in Conservation Biology. This is her second year as Communications Director for Sustainability Action Research. She played a critical role in the program’s recent rebranding. She understands the power of bringing critical research to the attention of the public. After graduation, Gabriella hopes to pursue a career at the junction of communications and environmental research.  

As a student, researcher, employee, and activist, Austin Park extends his passion for climate action through all areas of his life. He is in his fourth year as a civil and environmental engineer, and he plans to study energy-based solutions to climate change in graduate school next year. In addition to co-directing the 2017 Sustainability Action Research Teams, Austin works for the UCLA Office of Sustainability as a Carbon Neutrality Fellow. In this capacity, he develops engagement efforts for the Carbon Neutrality Initiative, assists UCLA’s carbon neutrality planning, and contributes to UC system-wide research. Austin has worked as an energy efficiency engineer for Lawrence Berkeley National Lab and as a data analyst for the California Air Resources Board. He co-led the 2016 Sustainability Action Research Team, which recently secured an $18,000 grant to introduce stormwater capture infrastructure at UCLA. In May of 2015, Austin represented the United States and UCLA at Make It Work, an international simulation of COP21. At the negotiations, he successfully spearheaded the effort to establish an international carbon market. He is a Regents Scholar, Alumni Scholar, and received the first-ever UCLA Student Sustainability Leadership Award. Austin loves to surf and play piano, and he never misses a chance to jump in the ocean or go on a hike.