Meet the Team

• CSD Staff Members

  Nicole Killen (she/her)

  Director of Sustainability 

  Nicole first came to the College as a graduate student in the concurrent Environmental and Sustainability Studies and Public Administration programs. As a graduate assistant with the CSD, Nicole worked on student-facing programming. Her thesis was on creating sustainable behavior change with recycling in athletic facilities at the College. She moved into a full time role as the Associate Director of Student Engagement in 2023, then transitioned to the Director of Sustainability a year later in 2024. Her primary focus as director is overseeing sustainability-related initiatives at the College, and guiding the implementation of the Sustainability Action Plan. Some other fun information about Nicole is that she was a collegiate softball player and has been to 46 out of the 50 states. 

   

  Abbey Vohs (she/her)

  Associate Director of Student Engagement

  As the Associate Director of Student Engagement, Abbey supports and implements a range of student engagement opportunities designed to connect students with both academic and operational aspects of sustainability on campus. She works to embed sustainability into the student experience, fostering inclusive, action-oriented programs and events that prepare students to be changemakers in a rapidly evolving world. A fun fact about Abbey is that she was trained pre-professionally in classical ballet!

   

  Katie Doherty (she/her)

  Zero Waste Manager

  Katie is the Zero Waste Manager for CofC. She's responsible for the strategy, management and continuous improvement of the College’s zero waste initiatives. She’s an advocate for sustainable waste management, manages partnerships with stakeholders, and works on improving the infrastructure, programs and services for our campus community. A fun fact about Katie is that she loves the outdoors and used to be an overnight camping and kayak guide in the Lowcountry.

   

  Gwenaelle Monnet-Yague (she/her)

  Graduate Assistant

  Gwenaelle is a second-year graduate student at College of Charleston getting her masters degree in Environmental and Sustainability Studies and Public Administration. She received her B.S. in Environmental Science and minored in Political Science from Rhodes College in Memphis, TN. Gwenaelle helps collect and draft content for the College’s Annual Sustainability Report, leads the Greenhouse Gas inventory, support the College’s Climate Action Plan, enters Zero Waste program weight data in spreadsheets, and helps manage climate-related events and initiatives. A fun fact about Gwenaelle is that she is trilingual!

   

  Abby Malloy (she/her)

  Graduate Assistant

   Abby is a second-year graduate student in the Environmental and Sustainability Studies and Public Administration concurrent Master's Program at the College. She also received her B.S. in Environmental and Sustainability Studies with a minor in Geology and a Sustainable Business Solutions Certificate from the College of Charleston! As a Graduate Assistant with the CSD, Abby assists the Associate Director with student programming, including our Living Labs, Rotation Interns, and Honors Engaged Students. A fun fact about Abby is that she is gluten-free and loves baking gluten-free treats!

  Zero Waste Team

  Robert Fields (he/him)

  Keith Freeman (he/him)

  Jerome Smalls (he/him)

  Carlos Summersett (he/him)

• CSD Student Interns

  Abby Hiller (she/her)

  Marketing and Communciations Lead

  Abby is a junior at the college double majoring in English and Business. She is also an active member within the Honors College, and is passionate about literature and writing. Within her position, she creates marketing materials to promote the Center's mission, programs, and events. She also manages our public identity through social media and the Resilient Advocate newsletter. A fun fact about Abby is that her favorite book and movie is Pride and Prejudice!

   

  Courtney Hill (she/her)

  Student Engagement and Campus Outreach Lead

  Courtney is an Honors College student doubling in environmental sustainability and political science with a concentration in politics, philosophy, and law. She is passionate about conservation, legal accountability, and the intersection of the two. Her role focuses on maintaing a consistent brand image and ensuring accurrate information and communication across all platforms. A fun fact about Courtney is that she studied abroad in the Amazon of Ecuador this past May, studying water quality, soil contamination, and legal accountability!

   

  Elise Roman (she/her)

  Project Implementation lead

  Elise is a first-year graduate student pursuing her master's degree in Environmental and Sustainability Studies. She is passionate about the environment and about how natural systems work and how our everyday choices can shape the planet's future. She hopes to make a lasting impact through environmental policy, conservation, and advocacy. As the Project Implementation Lead, Elise helps bring sustainability initiatives to life across campus by turning ideas into action. Outside of school, she loves traveling and spending time outdoors. A fun fact about Elise is that she's scuba certified and loves to explore new places underwater whenever she gets the chance!

   

  Jessica Gabell (she/her)

  Free Store Manager and Reuse Lead

  Jessica is a Junior at the College and is majoring in Environmental Geosciences and ENVS. She is the manager of the Cougar Free Store and Reuse Lead at the CSD. With her position, she aims to create a lasting sustainable impact and reduce waste from landfills, while encouraging a circular economy by providing a space for reuse on campus. A fun fact about Jess is that she has studied abroad in Ecuador’s Amazon Rainforest!

   

  Kaliz Blake-Wade (she/her)

  Zero Waste Lead - Specialty Recycling and Data

  Kaliz is a rising senior and a double major studying Marine Biology and Environmental Sustainable Studies. She will be joining over the summer as the Zero Waste Lead, so she’ll help out with specialty recycling and data entry. A fun fact about Kaliz is that she plans to start either a small vegetable or pollinator garden back home for her mom who loves to see bees on her roses!

   

  Mariana Ortiz (she/her)

  Zero Waste Lead - Events and Infrastructure

  Mariana is a rising junior at the College of Charleston studying Geosciences and Sustainability. She loves the beach and trying new foods. She’s always trying new ways to connect sustainability to practical actions. As the summer Zero Waste Events and Infrastructure Lead, she's making sure CofC events are as green as possible and that everyone has the proper infrastructure to dispose their waste in. A fun fact about Mariana is that she loves sleeping in a hammock!

   

  Melanie Bade (she/her)

  Staff and Academics Engagement Lead

  Melanie is a rising senior majoring in Historic Preservation and Community Planning, with a minor in Art History and a certificate in Cultural Sustainability. She is passionate about sustainable urban development and helping communities become more resilient and environmentally conscious. A fun fact is that she has a twin sister!

   

  Sydney Tuplin (she/her)

  Zero Waste and Reuse Support Specialist

  Sydney is a senior Environmental and Sustainability Studies student, passionate about upcycling and the outdoors. As the Zero Waste and Reuse Support Specialist, she supports the implementation and creation of zero-waste events and initiatives on campus. A fun fact about Sydney is that she loves to play hacky sack and climb trees!

   

  Tessie Goron (she/her)

  Cougar Changemaker Chair

  Tessie is a senior studying Communication, Spanish, and Political Science. She is passionate about advocacy, outreach, and the overlap between environmental and social sustainability. As the Cougar Changemaker Chair, she works with other students to propose sustainable solutions that positively impact our campus. A fun fact is that she was on her high school's girls' weightlifting team!

   

• CSD Rotation Interns

  Autumn Banfield (she/her)

  Briana Byrd (she/her)

  Izzy Martinez (she/her)

  Lena Baker (she/her)

  Sephira Austin (she/her)

• Living Labs Program Participants

  Angelina Kennedy (she/her)

  Keelyn Feneis (she/her)

  Lucy Case (she/her)

  Morgan Walsh (she/her)