Meet the Staff

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Allison is a fourth year studying Society & Environment and minoring in City Planning. She is interested in environmental policy and sustainable development and hopes to pursue these interests after graduating! She is currently a member of the Systemwide Pesticide Oversight Committee, which is a UC task force developing an integrated pest management program for all UC campuses. In her free time, she enjoys reading, going for long walks, and taking spontaneous trips with friends.

Allison Curtis (she/her/hers)

Events Associate
Amira is a fourth year studying Society and Environment and minoring in Journalism. She is interested in the nexus of science, community, culture, and multimedia storytelling. Growing up in Southern California, the diverse ecosystems gave way to her passions in ecology, sustainability and conservation. The interactions between the Port of Los Angeles and the environmental sector sparked curiosity in city policy and local environmental initiatives. Her international background and love for traveling inspired her to understand different cultures; it has provided her with a unique perspective on environmental impacts and place based solutions. In her free time you can find her being a DJ at KALX (Tune into 90.7fm!), or relaxing on the Glade with a good book.

Amira Belhedi (She/her/hers)

Media Associate
Andrea is a fourth year transfer student, South Central LA born and raised, majoring in Sociology. Motivated by their passion to support and uplift underserved marginalized communities, they are interested in amplifying the voices and narratives of BIPOC environmental advocates who are imperative to the environmental movement. During their spare time, Andrea enjoys going to the beach, attending concerts & festivals, as well as drinking Thai tea. Andrea looks forward to connecting with the community at SERC, and contributing to their mission to cultivate a space that actualizes a more effectively sustainable, intersectional, and equitable future.

Andrea Olivera (they/she)

Social Marketing Associate
Ash was born and raised in southern California, but has been living in the Bay area for the past two years. She recently graduated from UC Berkeley with a major in Ethnic Studies and a minor in Education. During her undergraduate years, she enjoyed networking and building community with the people around her. Now that she has graduated, she plans to build and expand on these efforts. Ashly is greatly inspired by nature, friends, love, and passion and lets this fuel her desire to create and build better worlds

Ash Flores (she/her/hers)

College Corps Food Justice Engagement Coordinator
Cailin is going into her third year studying Molecular & Cell Biology and Psychology with quite a few minors in mind. Cailin is originally from the Sacramento Valley which is luckily surrounded by nature. She has been apart of the Zero Waste Membership Team since Spring 2020 and is so excited to work with the SERC community. Cailin is interested in all things zero waste, particularly fast fashion and plastic reduction. When she is not doing premed coursework, you can find her listening to crime podcasts, knitting, traveling, or volunteering with kids!

Cailin Born (she/her)

Vermicomposting Co-Supervisor
Candace (she/her/hers) is a first year majoring in Environmental Engineering Science. Growing up in Monterey she fell in love with the ocean early on, and has since developed a passion for marine conservation and sustainability as a whole. She’s currently exploring the intersection of her interests in marine ecology, renewable energy, and urban systems, potentially through the electrification of maritime transportation. In her free time she enjoys eating watermelon, cycling, hiking, and tide pooling, and hopes to soon pick up scuba diving!

Candace Wong (she/her)

E-Waste Associate
Carli Baker is a community-centered educator and naturalist, whose love of nature sprung from early experiences exploring, playing, and fishing in and around the American River. After graduating from UC Berkeley with degrees in Conservation & Resource Studies and Anthropology, with a minor in Forestry, she explored a myriad of environmental careers while working in zoos, aquariums, community gardens, public parks, museums, nature centers, classrooms, offices and field sites. They are passionate about supporting efforts to cultivate environmentally literate communities that advocate for community-centered solutions to environmental and social problems. She enjoys any activity that can be done outside, including cycling, running, kayaking, and taking her cats Alfonse and Casimir on walks in the East Bay Hills. As a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, she is in the process of learning her native language and thinking about how to decolonize their life as an urban Indigenous person. They are a certified California Environmental Educator, California Naturalist, current Justice Outside Rising Leaders Fellow, and a board member of the San Francisco Bay Area Chapter of the Wildlife Society.

Carli Baker (she/they)

The Green Initiative Fund and Sustainability Initiatives and Operations Manager
My name is Gavin, and I am currently a 4th year obtaining dual degrees in Political Science and Conservation and Resource Studies. I am really interested in the ways that policy can be made to produce sweeping benefits for both the environment and people, and which was one of the major factors for why I wanted to join the SERC team. I love being outside by the beach or in the mountains with friends, as well as talking to people I bump into, just being out in nature and showing people how beautiful the natural world is. When I am not endlessly talking I love listening to music and going to festivals, as well as going to farmers markets and hiking with friends.

Gavin Healy (he/they)

Executive Assistant
Jacqueline is a second-year studying Conservation & Resource Studies and Geography. Her experiences as a Mexican-Nicaraguan American and youth organizer in the San Joaquin Valley have shaped her passion for environmental justice. She enjoys thinking at the intersections of ecology, accessibility, storytelling, and design. On campus, you’ll find her in spaces like the Students of Color Environmental Collective and Herbicide Free Berkeley (and probably sipping a chai latte). Jacqueline is also a big lover of live music, poetry, and collage art 🌿✨

Jacqueline Canchola-Martinez (she/her/ella)

Environmental Justice Associate
Jade is a third year majoring in Environmental Science with a minor in African American Studies. She is extremely passionate about sustainability and plans to pursue a career grounded in environmental justice after college. She grew up in Los Angeles and has swam competitively her entire life. She enjoys reading, impromptu concerts, and bringing her friends on sunset drives.

Jade Marum (she/her)

Outdoor Education Associate
Jakob is a fourth-year majoring in Society & Environment and Political Science. He is fascinated by the intersections between environmental justice and politics and is grateful to be surrounded by passionate change-makers in the eco-community. In his free-time, you’ll find Jakob spending too much time on Twitter, reading (attempting to, at least), and singing along to Lady Gaga in the shower.

Jakob Evans (he/him)

Community Engagement Associate
Jed Terrence Lee (they/them), is a Taiwanese and Chinese-Filipino American activist and artist. As a recent graduate from UC Berkeley, Jed received a B.S in Society and Environment and two minors in Global Poverty & Practice and City Planning. Jed is now working for the Student Environmental Resource Center on campus as a Wellness and Environmental Justice Coordinator to continue pursuing environmental, climate, and development justice. Jed strongly believes that we can always look to nature to find inspiration for our interpersonal relationships, collective movements, and personal healing, and that there is always love, life and hope in this world. Jed loves hanging out, being outdoors, gardening, and exploring new food places! Jed also holds a major love for the ocean, sociology, writing, and hearing about other people’s stories.

Jed Terrence Lee (they/any)

Wellness and Environmental Justice Community Engagement Manager
Jennifer Lopez is a Class of 2022 Urban Studies Cal graduate from southeast Los Angeles, CA. She is excited to be this year’s Climate Justice College Corp Community Engagement Coordinator. She has experience in community engagement, environmental planning, transportation research, coalition building, and environmental justice research. She is excited about applying her urban planning background towards this year’s work on climate justice and learning from students dedicated to this work. She hopes that this year, she and the College Corp fellows can expand their understanding of what it means to decolonize climate action spaces, build meaningful coalitions, historicize climate conditions, and envision different futures.

Jennifer Lopez (she/they)

College Corps Climate Justice Community Engagement Coordinator
Josh is a fourth-year undergraduate studying environmental policy, law, and philosophy. This is their third year with the TGIF team, and they're very excited to continue supporting the many vital projects pushing Berkeley's environmental goals forward. Outside of work, they enjoy boulding, hiking, and cooking, and are currently writing a thesis on land distribution after the Mexican-American War.

Josh Kay (He/They)

TGIF Program Associate
Joshua is a third-year student majoring in Materials Science and Engineering. Through his love for camping, hiking, and other outdoor activities, he developed a passion for sustainability. He is interested in blending materials science and sustainability to create eco-friendly solutions to engineering practices.

Joshua Lazovick (he/him/his)

3D Printer Filament Reclamation Project Lead
"My name is Kaila Botifoll and my pronouns are she/her. I attend Albany High school and I’m a junior. My favorite hobbies include sports, hanging out with friends, and going to the beach. I play basketball, waterpolo, track, and taekwondo. My favorite food is sushi and I love boba. I love dogs and I have a dog named Parker, he is named after Spider-Man. I’m interested in joining SERC because I want to learn more about climate change and I think it would be a good experience considering that I’m also taking APES in high school."

Kaila Botifoll (she/her)

Albany High School Environmental Design, Society, English and Technology (EDSET) Intern
Kat is a rising sophomore majoring in Data Science with a minor in Geospatial Information Science & Technology. She is passionate about sustainability, zero waste, and environmental justice, and hopes to use data science to aid sustainable decision-making. During her first-year, she was a part of SERC's Zero Waste Team and Carbon Crew, and she is delighted to be continuing her involvement with SERC as the Green Team Associate by leading the Single Use Plastic Elimination Policy Roadmap and striving to advance zero waste efforts at Cal. In her free time, she enjoys going on long hikes, picnics, and doodling in her bullet journal!

Kat Nguyen (she/her)

Green Team Associate
Kaye Beja-Rubic had just graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a Bachelor’s of Science in Civil Engineering only to go right back for a Master’s of Science in Engineering Project Management (EPM) and a certificate in Engineering and Business in Sustainability (EBS). During her graduate, she will also be continuing her fellowship with the Student Environmental Resource Center (SERC) as well as participate in the civil engineering competition team, Cal Construction, in integrated project delivery (IPD). Her passion is in safety and sustainability in the construction industry, building a bridge between the people and the environment.

Kaye Beja-Rubic (she/her)

Impact Lead - TBB Graduate Fellow
Hey, I am Khyati. I am an international student, an Indian born and brought up in the UAE. I am a rising junior studying Chemical engineering with a strong passion for energy and the environment. I am currently working on a few carbon capture and zero waste projects. I am also interested in the policy and advocacy of the Sustainable Development Goals. I am super excited to be part of this diverse community and am looking forward to helping Cal reach its green goals. I enjoy spending my spare time with family and friends doing anything and everything.

Khyati Garg (she/her/hers)

Carbon Neutrality Initiative Engagement Fellow
Lauren is a junior majoring in Conservation and Resource Studies, and her studies involve exploring intersectionalities of agriculture, labor, policy, gender, identity, and various forms of oppressions. At the moment, the name of her area of interest is "Linked Oppressions in Agro-food Systems and Categories of Difference" (quite a mouthful!). She's passionate about food systems, and she hopes to someday become a farmer. She is currently a Vermicomposting Co-Associate along with Cailin Born. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, reading, spending quality time with friends, tutoring kids in Chinatown, and having her hands buried in soil at the Oxford Tract (come for open hours, it's lots of fun)!

Lauren Olivia Pong (she/her/hers)

Vermicomposting Co-Supervisor
"Hi! I'm Louis, a second-year Ecosystem Management and Forestry student on the professionally focused track. I've been a lover of all things outdoors since I was little, when I began spending weekends on hikes and campouts in the woods of New Jersey and Virginia. As I've gotten older, I've graduated to weeks-long treks through the Alaskan wilderness, the Sierra Nevadas, the Grand Canyon and many more! Since arriving at Cal, I’ve participated in both field- and lab-based environmental research, been Secretary for the Forestry Club, and served as a Sustainability Associate in ASUC. And now, I'm excited to be bringing that passion—as well as my experience with team leadership, environmental education, and community engagement—to the work I'll be doing at SERC! When I'm not reading at the top of the Campanile, you can probably find me climbing trees at the Faculty Glade, listening to strangers play the piano at Sproul, or watching sunset from the top of the Fire Trails."

Louis Cimmino

Academic & Professional Development Associate
Megan is a fourth-year international student from Taiwan studying Molecular Environmental Biology and Ecosystem Management and Forestry. She is passionate about sustainability, environmental justice, and educational equity. She is currently involved in the Macroecosystem Labratory facilitating dendroecology research and Matriculate, a nationwide organization that provides free college advising to low-income, high-achieving high school students. In her spare time, Megan enjoys baking, watching anime, bouldering, and swimming.

Megan Wu (she/her/hers)

Development and Alumni Relations Associate
Rae is a second-year History and Conservation and Resource Studies student from Portland, Oregon. She is a passionate environmental policy wonk and interested in learning about and supporting the different community-based climate initiatives in Berkeley. In Oregon, she was involved in various organizations focused on advancing an intersectional environmental justice agenda at the state level. Alongside her climate advocacy, Rae loves to try out ridiculous new coffee orders, lounge on the glade, and lift heavy things in the RSF.

Rae Blackbird (she/her)

Development and Alumni Relations Associate
Sharon was born and raised in San Diego county, where she began her educational endeavors at her local community college. She is a proud first generation college graduate and daughter of Lao refugees. She is an aspiring pleasure activist, environmental educator, and centers her work and vision with values of love and joy. Her passions lies among working with students and student activists on supporting their ideas and projects toward a more just world. Sharon served as the TGIF & Sustainability Initiatives Coordinator from 2014-2017, and has been serving as the SERC Director since March 2017. Prior to UC Berkeley, Sharon worked as the Sustainability Strategist for the Associated Students Inc. at San Francisco State University. At her leisure, she enjoys live music, cooking, and spending time with her loved ones (especially her cat, Lucille). She also serves as a board member for Food Empowerment Project, a vegan food justice organization. Sharon holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies from San Francisco State University, is a certified Zero Waste Community Associate, and holds a certificate in Fundraising and Volunteer Management from UC Berkeley Extension.

Sharon Daraphonhdeth (she/her)

SERC Director
Sunny is a writer from Fresno, CA studying sociology and media studies, with a minor in digital journalism. Sunny is really interested in social justice and its application in media. Outside of SERC, they are the editor-in-chief of B-Side, a music magazine on campus, and they really love the work they do there as well. Sunny has a passion for entertainment that co-aligns with their passion for social change. They work alongside the lovely professor Abigail DeKosnik to assist her research in media diversity. Sunny enjoys writing poetry, fiction, and pursuing art in general. They like nights-in with friends, skating around, and eating the delicious sweet cold plums that were in the icebox.

Sunny Sangha (they /them)

Leaflet Editor in Chief
Taylor (she/her/hers) is a third-year studying Society & Environment and Global Studies. She’s passionate about solutions-oriented approaches in environmentalism, and is enthusiastic about supporting student projects that promote diversity and innovation in campus environmental spaces. Taylor began exploring her passion for environmentalism through journalism before entering UC Berkeley. Her current interests include global sustainable development, food systems, and agroecology. She has previous experience in the ASUC Department of Unsustainable Partnerships' Pour Out Pepsi campaign and in EthiCAL Apparel on the UC Berkeley campus. In her free time, she enjoys painting, exploring art museums, knitting and crochet, and gardening.

Taylor Atienza (she/her/hers)

TGIF Program Associate
Thao is an incoming Master’s student studying climate science in the Earth and Planetary Science Department. Motivated by her upbringing as an immigrant and daughter of war refugees, she turned to the physical sciences to understand climate phenomena and curtail the emergence of climate refugees/migrants through a scientific lens. She strives to prioritize the needs and experiences of global at-risk populations in her climate research and action. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys exploring new physical activities (currently into backpacking, running, gym, yoga) to ground her mental health.

Thảo Thị Phương Trần (she/her)

Graduate Student Liaison
Tiffany is a second year student majoring in Society and Environment and minoring in GIST and Data Science. She is interested in exploring how community-driven innovation can solve pressing sustainability challenges. In the future, she would like to pursue a career at the intersection of technology and the environment where she can advocate for both people and the planet. In her free time, Tiffany enjoys creative writing, reading sci-fi/fantasy/thriller books, and trying to master another skill (most recent: backbend and wall-stand).

Tiffany Mar (she/her)

TGIF Program Associate
Tina is a fourth year, studying Molecular Environmental Biology, Psychology and Math. She is passionate about marine and wildlife conservation and sustainability. She has been a part of SERC since Fall 2019 and is super excited to help envision SERC’s new Outdoor Education program! In her free time, she enjoys hiking, volunteering, and hanging out with friends and family.

Tina Li (she/her)

Academic & Professional Development Associate
Ty is a third year Conservation and Resource Studies major studying Environmental Policy with a focus on agriculture. They’ve been involved with the Berkeley Student Cooperative as Sustainability Coordinator and with the Berkeley Student Food Collective as Data Democratization Associate. They are passionate about Queering our idea of nature and creating a world that is interconnected and intersectional. In their free time, they enjoy smelling every flower possible, hiking, and playing music with friends.

Ty Shelton (they/them)

Resource and Operations Associate
Varsha is a senior majoring in data science and society and environment, exploring the intersections of environmental justice and technology. She has been involved in a number of campus environmental spaces, including student-run, facilities operations, and administrative organizations. She is passionate about environmental justice through her invovlement in SCEC (the Students of Color Environmental Collective) and hopes to provide resources and set up institutional frameworks for underrepresented communities in the environmental field through SERC. In her free time, she enjoys walking around Berkeley, reading, and watching movies on 2x speed.

Varsha Madapoosi (she/her/hers)

Community Resilience Associate

SERC Staff Alumni & Founders

2021-2022 SERC Team:

Andy Myers, Ashley Cowell, Brooke Chang, Candace Wong, Gabrielle Ambayec, Jed Lee, Jessie McGinley, Joshua Kay, Kiana Kazemi, Sharon Daraphonhdeth, Tamlyn Schafer, Teresa Yu, Tina Li, Jakob Evans, Grace Martin, Jacob Dadmun, Allison Curtis, Gavin Healy, Satchi Thockchom, Ulyses Mendoza, Cailin Born, Kaye Beja-Rubic, Khyati Garg, Tiffany Mar, Taylor Atienza, Megan Wu, Alexis Aguilar

2020-2021 SERC Team:

Andy Myers, Ashley Cowell, Brooke Chang, Caitlin Cotter, Elizabeth Reyes, Gabrielle Ambayec, Jed Lee, Jesica Sutandi, Jessie McGinley, Josh Kay, Kasia Baranek, Kiana Kazemi, Maya Roma, Michelle Hernandez, Naseem Salim, Sabina Mahavni, Samy Long, Sarah Xu, Sharon Daraphonhdeth, Sion Calabretta, Tamlyn Schafer, Teresa Yu, Tess Gauthier, Tina Li, Victoria Ng

2019-2020 SERC Team:

Serena Patel, Serena Patel, Jenny Chiu, Colette Cosyn, Shirley Sun, Dante Gonzales, Melissa Jaffe, Lauren Irie, Rebecca Harcourt, Michelle Hernandez, Ashley Cowell, Angelica Santos, Jacqueline Tooley, Sarah Xu, Samantha Long, Jesica Sutandi, Gabrielle Ambayex, Elizabeth Reyes, Jessie Mcginley, Elizabeth Rozmarynowska, Paloma Ledesma, Teresa Yu, Sabina Mahavni, Nonnie Coelho, Tamlyn Schafer, Tess Gauthier, Celine Yang, Courtney McGuire & Sara Amiri

2019 Fall Team

Courtney McGuire & Sara Amiri

2018-2019 SERC Team

Alejandra Marquez, Andrea Luna,Andrew Chow, April You, Claire Parkinson, Colette Cosyn, Courtney McGuire, Dante Gonzales, Elizabeth Reyes, Jed Lee, Jenny Chiu, Jenny Rempert, Jessica Mcginley, Jun Bin, Lauren Irie, Madeline Tucker, Maggie Li, Melissa Jaffe, Michelle Hernandez, Nils Jepson, Rebecca Harcourt, Sara Amiri, Scott Silva, Serena Patel, Shirley Sun, Teresa Yu, Valerie Yong, Victoria Bartoszewicz, Yu-Shien Ni, Zahira Chaudhry

2017-2018 SERC Team

Amanina Shofry, Andrea Luna, Anna Michel, Anna Whitney, Anna Yip, Annakaren Ramirez, April You, Aubrey Hills, Claire Parkinson, Colette Cosyn, Courtney McGuire, Echo Sun, Jed Lee, Jenny Chiu, Jivna Punjavi, Kathleen McCully, Kristy Drutman, Isaias Hernandez, Nicole Panditi, Nonnie Coelho, Madeline Greene, Madeline Tucker, Maggie Li, Scott Silva, Sebastian Jintra-Cotilla, Serena Patel, Steven Chan, Tony Hall, Valerie Yong, Yu-Shien Ni

SERC Staff Alumni & Founders

2021-2022 SERC Team:

2020-2021 SERC Team:

2019-2020 SERC Team:

2019 Fall Team

2018-2019 SERC Team

2017-2018 SERC Team

2016-2017 SERC Team

2015-2016 SERC Team

2014-2015 SERC Team

2013-2014 SERC Team

2012-2013 SERC Team

TGIF Coordinator (2019-2022)

SERC Director (2013-2017)

SERC Founders 2012

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