About Us

We work every day to create a more sustainable campus and community through our teaching, operations and interaction with the community — and we've been doing it for three decades.

UB Sustainability Team

UB Sustainability works with a broad range of campus and community groups, including the UB Stewardship Committee, to facilitate the university's Climate Action Plan, which calls for UB to achieve climate neutrality by 2030.

The office also works with campus partners to promote sustainability related programs and events throughout the year.

Sustainability Office Location

Visit the UB Sustainability Space at 101 Statler, North Campus to meet, gather, and find resources on sustainability.

Meet the UB Sustainability Team

Ryan A. McPherson, Chief Sustainability Officer

In September of 2011, Ryan was named the University at Buffalo’s first Chief Sustainability Officer. In his role as the CSO, Ryan connects people across the university with information, innovation, and tools to reduce UB’s footprint on the future and enhance quality of life by improving environmental stewardship, increasing economic efficiency and augmenting cultural values and awareness. He specifically works closely with university partners and employs an integrated campus-wide strategy that leverages the university’s operations, curriculum, external engagement and research to further UB’s sustainability efforts.

Derek Nichols, Sustainability Engagement Coordinator

Derek works to connect students, staff and faculty across the university with information, innovation and tools to reduce UB’s footprint on the future and enhance quality of life. He does this by improving environmental stewardship, increasing economic efficiency and augmenting cultural values and awareness to the UB community through campus outreach and communication. Derek will coordinate the engagement efforts of the university’s Localizing Buffalo’s Renewable Energy Future project awarded by the State through the REV Campus Challenge.

Erin Moscati, Sustainability Education Manager

Erin works to identify strategies and create educational programs to help the campus community engage in sustainability initiatives, and transform UB’s operations. Erin coordinates UB’s participation in RecycleMania, oversees the Zero Waste program at UB Stadium and assists the student led UBReUSE team. Erin works closely with the Education and Leadership Fellows in Sustainability (ELFS) to create student led sustainability programming, and with the sustainability student team to deliver campus programming.

JoMarie Woltz, Administrative Assistant

JoMarie joined UB Sustainability in 2014 as Administrative Assistant after spending many years at UB as Secretary to the Chair in the Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health in the School of Public Health. JoMarie has worked with research and academic faculty and staff and comes to Sustainability with over 30 years of knowledge and experience in the University's business systems. She works closely with the Chief Sustainability Officer and Sustainability Team to ensure that day-to-day office operations run smoothly and efficiently.

Meet Our Student Assistants

UB Sustainability wouldn't be able to get all the work it does without the help from our amazing student assistants!

Megan Benzinger

Name, hometown, year, major and personal passion: My name Megan Benzinger. I'm from Massapequa, NY, and I'm a senior Studio Art (Graphic Design) student with a minor in Strategic Media Marketing and Environmental Design. Digital design is my passion.
Why did you decide to work with UB Sustainability? My position with UB Sustainability was recommended to me by a peer and I jumped at the opportunity. I have always appreciated design’s ability to communicate and I think sustainability is an important principle to be communicated. I was excited to help spread UB Sustainability’s message, knowing I would learn valuable information along the way.
What do you love most about UB? What I love about UB is the amount of opportunities and paths available. I appreciate that if I decide to change directions or want to try something new, UB almost always has something to offer to help me explore it.
When you visit UB in 25 years, what do you hope to find? I think UB has taken a lot of large steps recently in terms of sustainability and inclusivity. When I visit UB in 25 years, I hope to see that the university has continued to grow in those directions. A goal like completely ridding of single use plastics would be amazing to see accomplished.
Fun fact/secret skill: A fun fact about myself is that I am a member of the UB Dazzlers dance team.

Netra Mittal

Name, hometown, year, major and personal passion: Hi! My name is Netra Mittal and I’m an international student from India. I’m studying Applied Mathematics and minoring in Economics. I'm a very politically active person who loves volunteering, working on community projects, reading, and baking!
Why did you decide to work with UB Sustainability? I've always wanted to channel my passion for advocacy and research into a productive, goal-oriented environment. Coming from a country that doesn't have as much of a sustainability culture, I love seeing the tangible change and work being put into environmental justice. I hope to learn as much as I can from some of the most knowledgeable people in the game!
What do you love most about UB? I love that we have created a community that mobilizes and shows up when someone or something needs attention. I am constantly motivated to keep growing because I'm surrounded by people who are very diverse in thought. I appreciate the emphasis put on representation through inviting diverse groups of people for the lecture series as well.
When you visit UB in 25 years, what do you hope to find? I hope to see the successful implementation of the Climate Action Plan, an increase in funding for mental health services and counseling, and also a change in campus dining culture. I'd like to see more of a collaboration with and dependency on local farms and businesses and our campus garden to meet our dining needs.
Fun fact/secret skill: I love embroidery because it's very calming, mechanical, and reminds me of my grandma!

Julian Morgan

Name, hometown, year, major and personal passion: My name is Julian C. Morgan. I'm from Beacon, NY. This is my first year as a graduate student in the Sustainability Leadership MA program. I'm personally passionate about intersectional environmentalism, mindfulness, working out and giving people a reason to smile.
Why did you decide to work with UB Sustainability? They’re a fantastic department that will allow me to get closer to reaching my goal of becoming a sustainability director.
What do you love most about UB? The people. I’ve meet some of the most incredible people during my time here at UB. Some of the relationships I've made are bonds that will last a lifetime.
When you visit UB in 25 years, what do you hope to find? In 25 years from now if I were to visit UB I would hope to find a lot of things different. In 25 years I hope UB has reached net zero. Additionally, I hope that in 25 years UB is a leading institute in for combating climate change and achieving a more sustainable world.
Fun fact/secret skill: I'm highly empathetic and get along with almost everyone.

Jeremy Sanford

Name, hometown, year, major and personal passion: Jeremy Sanford from Stafford, VA. 2^nd year masters student in Urban Planning with a specialization in Environment & Land Use planning. My personal passion is to reduce the impact of human action on the surrounding ecology and to amplify the voices of communities of color in environmental action & decision making.
Why did you decide to work with UB Sustainability? I love the proactive approach UB is taking in their sustainability actions, so I wanted to be a part of that as much as I could while also bringing unique voices into climate conversations, decision making, and oversight processes at the university.
What do you love most about UB? UB is attempting to be proactive to climate issues and environmental protection which I love. Also the student body is really great in engagement and welcoming new comers.
When you visit UB in 25 years, what do you hope to find? I hope to find the greenest campus in the country when I visit in 25 years. That means an equitable campus that allows people of all backgrounds, creeds, and ideals to thrive to the best of their ability without pressures of inequity. Also way more bike infrastructure specifically
Fun fact/secret skill: I’ve played guitar for about 9 years! I make music that I will never release until I’m 50 or have the time to be in an indie band – whichever comes first.

Matt Taboni

Name, hometown, year, major and personal passion: Matthew Taboni (he/him), Tonawanda, NY, first year graduate student, JD/MBA 2025, personal passion is social justice
Why did you decide to work with UB Sustainability? I decided to work for sustainability to expand my skill set in sustainability and so I could make more of an impact on the social issues that are intertwined with sustainability.
What do you love most about UB? AThe thing I love most about you are the opportunities that I have been able to have and the community I have made along the way.
When you visit UB in 25 years, what do you hope to find? In 25 years, besides a pastry shop on campus, I hope that UB has a comprehensive and robust student support center that serves as a one stop for all student support needs.
Fun fact/secret skill: I am an avid baker and want to open up my own pastry shop one day and my secret skill is that I know how to juggle.

Izzy Van Patten

Name, hometown, year, major and personal passion: She is from Holland Patent NY, and is a second year master’s student in the Sustainability & Leadership program. Her areas of expertise are: gender equity, political institutionalism & intersectional environmentalism.
Why did you decide to work with UB Sustainability? I was involved in a carbon offset project for one of my classes and knew I would love to work with everyone in the office! Promoting social sustainability is also really important to me so it seemed like a great fit and opportunity to incorporate it more in our future projects.
What do you love most about UB? What I love most about UB is all the exciting research everyone is doing. I loved working with the gender studies department in undergrad and it is so exciting to be able to bring that analytical lens to the EVS department.
When you visit UB in 25 years, what do you hope to find? That we run on 100% renewable energy! It would be great to see UB producing their own food and composting in every building/office too.
Fun fact/secret skill: I help run social media accounts which I love doing so hi everyone!