Our Team

Nina manages the outreach, engagement and communications team for the Office for Sustainability and works collaboratively to foster a culture of sustainability at UVA and beyond. Nina and her team of engagement and communication specialists and student employees develop and implement sustainability engagement programs, outreach tools, embed sustainable practices across UVA, execute sustainability events and campaigns, and manage sustainability communications for the University. Nina also serves as the Civic Engagement Subcommittee Co-chair under the Committee on Sustainability.  Example projects include: Green Workplace Program, Green Labs Program, Green Living Program, Green Athletics, Earth Week and Hoos ReUse.

Nina started at UVA in 2010 and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish & religious studies from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Master of Science in community and regional planning from Temple University.

Andrea Ruedy Trimble is the Sustainability Director at the University of Virginia and has been a leader in higher education sustainability initiatives for over thirteen years.  Andrea has a passion for sustainability at universities because of the interconnectedness of operations, curriculum, research, and engagement, and the potential to accelerate change through replicable models.  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 now leads a team of UVA Office for Sustainability staff focused on pan-university strategic planning, engagement, communication, analysis, sustainable building, Grounds as a learning tool initiatives, and additional programs across sustainability impact areas aligned with UVA’s sustainability goals.

Andrea is a member of the Ivy Plus/Listening Post Sustainability Working Groups, Better Buildings Alliance Higher Education Sector Group Steering Committee, Albemarle County Climate Action Plan Steering Team, Charlottesville PLACE Design Task Force, Board of Directors of City Schoolyard Garden, is co-chair of elementary school PTO sustainability team, and coaches youth soccer.  In her free time she enjoys long distance running and art endeavors.  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.

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.

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, Ethan works to promote more efficient, comfortable, and productive buildings on Grounds. He previously worked as an energy and green building consultant, designing high performance and zero energy buildings. Ethan is a Double Hoo, with a BS in Civil Engineering and an MS in Environmental Science from the University of Virginia as well as an Engineer's Degree in Sustainable Design from Stanford University. He is a licensed professional engineer in the state of California and has taught sustainable building courses at Stanford University and the PG&E Pacific Energy Center. When he’s not working to promote sustainability in the built environment, he probably out exploring the natural environment.

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.

Doug 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, Doug was the Program Manager of the Green Building Services department at Harvard University. Previous to Harvard he worked as a consultant doing HVAC and plumbing design, energy modeling, and energy conservation. He has a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in architectural engineering from the University of Nebraska and he is a licensed mechanical engineer in the state of California.

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.

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.

Dana supports outreach events, programs, committees, and partnerships with sustainability champions all across Grounds. Her primary responsibilities include coordinating the Green Workplace Program, facilitating the Outreach Working Group, and collaborating with students and staff to promote Sustainability Advocates and Sustainability Partners. Dana holds a Bachelor of Science in environmental economics from the University of Georgia and recently earned a master's degree from Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs. She is particularly interested in community-based social marketing and behavioral psychology as it relates to the adoption of sustainable behaviors. She is also interested in yoga, live music, 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.