Our Team

Andrea Ruedy Trimble is the Sustainability Director at the University of Virginia and has been a leader in higher education sustainability initiatives for fifteen years.  Andrea’s work focuses on the interconnectedness of operations, curriculum, research, and engagement, and the potential to accelerate solutions to pressing issues through collaboration and replicable models.  Andrea leads a team of UVA Office for Sustainability staff focused on pan-university strategic planning, engagement, communication, analysis, sustainable building, and additional programs across sustainability impact areas aligned with UVA’s sustainability goals. Prior to joining UVA in November 2014, Andrea managed Harvard University’s sustainable building program, taught university courses in design and sustainability, and worked in architecture, historic preservation, and sustainability consulting.

Andrea holds a Bachelor of Architecture from Virginia Tech, a Master of Liberal Arts in sustainability and environmental management from the Harvard Extension School, and Master of Science in historic preservation from Columbia University. Andrea is a member of the Better Buildings Alliance Higher Education Sector Group Steering Committee, Ivy Plus/Listening Post Sustainability Working Groups, Albemarle County Climate Action Plan Steering Team, the Board of Directors of Cultivate Charlottesville, and coaches youth soccer.  In her free time she enjoys long distance running and art endeavors, and is the co-founder of Draw Charlottesville.

Jesse is responsible for the University’s electric demand response and sustainable building programs. He leads a team of energy engineers who identify and implement energy efficiency and Delta Force retro-commissioning projects across Grounds. Previously, Jesse worked as a consultant doing energy conservation, HVAC design, energy modeling, and LEED project coordination. He has a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from Virginia Tech and he is a licensed mechanical engineer in the state of Virginia. He is a proud father of three and a rain or shine two-wheeled commuter.

Christine leads the Green Labs Program and Green Labs Working Group and is working to form an internal network of UVA laboratories for developing sustainable practices in lab operations. With eight years of lab experience, she understands that scientific research consumes resources, but there are opportunities to tailor individual conservation programs that work for the planet and allow labs to meet their research goals. Christine holds a Bachelor of Science in environmental science from Christopher Newport University and a Master of Science in entomology from the University of Kentucky. Out of the lab, she enjoys running, bug-hunting, and cooking for friends and family.

Erick is responsible for projects within efficient and specialty lighting retrofits, Delta Force, retro-commissioning, LEED measurement and verification, and water efficiency. Erick has LEED GA and EBCP (Existing Building Commissioning Professional) certifications. He has over 20 years of experience managing energy retrofit projects for hospitals, municipalities, educational institutions, and Fortune 100 corporations. He began his career with Honeywell, Inc. as a building automation controls specialist. In 1996, he founded and managed an energy services consulting company in California serving several of the largest commercial real estate companies in the United States. Erick has a bachelor’s degree in industrial marketing management and was an NCAA baseball player at California State Polytechnic University. In his free time, Erick enjoys spending time with his wife and children, watching baseball, and coaching youth sports.

As a sustainability & energy engineer at the University of Virginia, Ethan works to promote more healthy, comfortable, efficient and productive buildings. He has experience designing high performance buildings with a focus on occupant well-being and energy efficiency. Ethan has worked with a range of municipalities, utilities, and institutions of higher education to develop strategies for decarbonization, climate resilient infrastructure and sustainability action planning. He is a licensed professional engineer in the state of California and has taught sustainable building and decarbonization courses at the University of Virginia, Stanford University and the PG&E Pacific Energy Center.

John joined UVA in October 2010 after holding previous roles in the areas of facilities project management, physical plant operations, and mechanical and building automation systems contracting with various Virginia-based firms. He is currently responsible for evaluating, identifying and implementing energy reduction projects in existing university facilities at UVA. A few of his projects have included Gilmer Hall, Thornton Hall, West Complex and others. John holds a Bachelor of Science in engineering from Old Dominion University and is a licensed engineer in Virginia. He is also an accredited LEED AP BD+C and O+M as well as a Certified Energy Manager. Outside of work, John enjoys outdoor activities and music.

Keith is part of the energy engineering team and helps identify and implement energy efficiency and retro-commissioning projects across Grounds. He also works with various stakeholders on Grounds to improve the built environment in order to increase health and wellness for the UVA community. Prior to joining UVA, Keith worked as a consultant doing HVAC design, project management, and energy conservation. He has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Penn State and he is a licensed Professional Engineer in the state of Virginia.

Samantha joined the Office for Sustainability as a Communications Generalist to help advance sustainability knowledge at UVA. Her background includes over a decade of artistic development with a focus on advertisement design, preprint and digital media marketing, special publication coordination, photography, website design, and brand development. Samantha has a Bachelor degree in Studio Art from the University of Hawaiʻi, Manoa. She enjoys all things DIY, thrift store treasures, and sustainable gardening.

Lela is responsible for supporting numerous sustainability outreach initiatives on Grounds such as various committees, major events, and engagement programming. Her primary responsibilities include working closely with UVA’s dozens of sustainability committees and working groups, supporting the organization of large sustainability events such as the Game Day Challenge and Earth Week, and aiding student groups, particularly the Sustainability Advocates and OFS Student Employees, in their endeavors. Lela started in the Office for Sustainability in September 2017 and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and Sociology from Bowdoin College. Before beginning at UVA she worked with the youth engagement project of the Environmental Defense Fund, which highlights her passion of forwarding sustainability initiatives within the higher education space.

Erika works with UVA’s Schools and operating units to develop their sustainability visions and strategic plans in alignment with the University’s 2020-2030 Sustainability Plan, the Racial Equity Task Force goals, including Inclusive Excellence, and the 2030 Great and Good University Plan. She is co-chair of the Civic Engagement Subcommittee of the Committee on Sustainability as well as co-chair of the Responsible Investing Task Force.

 Erika was formerly Director of Research and Intellectual Capital at the Batten Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the UVA Darden School of Business, where she co-directed Darden’s Business Innovation and Climate Change Initiative and co-chaired ClimateCAP 2020: The Global MBA Summit on Climate, Capital and Business. Erika has also served as the Associate Director of Sustainability Programs at Darden, Managing Director of the Alliance for Research on Corporate Sustainability (ARCS), and Sustainability Manager for UTC Power.

 Erika holds a B.A. from Wellesley College and an MBA from the Darden School of Business full-time MBA program. She is a graduate of Charlottesville’s Center for Nonprofit Excellence Board Development Academy.

Dana Schroeder supports outreach events, programs, committees, and partnerships with a focus on faculty and staff the University of Virginia. Dana holds a B.S. in Environmental Economics from the University of Georgia and a master’s degree from Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs. She is particularly interested in behavioral psychology and social norms as they relate to sustainability involvement and individual action. In her free time, she enjoys swing dancing and exploring new places on foot.

The Energy and Water team focuses on addressing UVA’s impacts and innovations in the energy and water sectors. Our events work to educate students and connect the University with leading professionals and researchers in both fields.

Major projects include:

• The Annual Renewable Energy Expo
• The Dorm Energy Race
• Beta Bridge Stream Cleanup

As the Outreach team, we are excited to empower other students to see the role they can play in making a difference in regards to their impact on this planet. We incorporate interactive sustainability training and education into the Sustainability Advocate program to foster a stronger sense of environmental stewardship here on grounds. Our team looks forward to helping make UVA a leader amongst other schools by prioritizing sustainability.

The main projects of the Outreach team are Sustainability Advocates and our Sustainable Grocery Shopping Campaign.

Our team promotes sustainable events, opportunities, and successes at the University of Virginia and in the Charlottesville community. We hope to communicate the importance of sustainability across environmental, equitable, and economic issues and garner interest, support, and participation in the variety of events and programs working to address these issues throughout Charlottesville and beyond. 

The Recycling aims to educate and excite the student population about waste reduction and diversion through behavior change campaigns and outreach and volunteer events.

The main projects of the recycling team include Green Game Football & Basketball, America Recycles Day, RecycleMania, the Don't Be Trashy Campaign, Corner Cleanup, and the Clothing Swap.