Contact

Kenneth Foster, PhD

Director of Sustainability

Ken leads and coordinates Vassar’s efforts to decarbonize campus operations and implement environmentally-friendly practices, while providing active support for sustainability-focused education and skills development. Ken came to Vassar in 2024 after over two decades working in Minnesota and British Columbia. He spent seventeen years as Professor of Political Science and Environmental Studies at Concordia College, where he also served as Chair of the President’s Sustainability Council and, for three years, as Director of Community Engagement. During that time, Ken served as a Public Member, appointed by Governor Walz, of the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board and spearheaded the Moorhead Community Resilience Project. He also has deep experience in China and Taiwan. Ken serves on the Board of Directors of the national organization Wild Ones, which promotes native plants and natural landscaping.

Kyra Hoffman ’24

Jill Troy Werner Sustainability Fellow

Kyra is the Jill Troy Werner Sustainability Fellow at Vassar College. She is from Massachusetts and graduated from Vassar in May 2024 with a BA in Environmental Studies. Her thesis investigated how beaver dams impact the water quality of the Casperkill. She is continuing work in environmental studies through this fellowship by promoting sustainability initiatives and supporting student projects. In her free time, she knits the day away and fights the never-ending battle of crafting clutter.

Alexandra Tapia

Social Media Intern

Hi everyone! My name is Ale (short for Alexandra) and I am from Newburgh, New York. I am a junior majoring in Neuroscience. I got my interest in sustainability and green initiatives from my very enthusiastic AP environmental teacher in high school. I wanted to find a way to incorporate those while I’m at Vassar because I think the sustainability movement is something everyone across all disciplines should be involved in, we all have the Earth in common after all. I also love how our campus is full of adorable animals and plants! It’s so fun to post about and I love seeing everyone appreciate it too.

Madi Sandy

Social Media Intern

Hello everyone! My name is Madi and I am from Jericho, Vermont. I am a senior majoring in Environmental Studies and Science, Technology, and Society, with my primary academic interest in environmental health science. Sustainability has always been a core value in my life, and I believe it’s essential for people to adopt more sustainable habits to protect the environment, animals, and public health. I’m excited to begin my fourth year with the Sustainability Office and to help engage other students in Vassar’s sustainability initiatives!

Nico Reyes Cardozo

Outreach and Education Intern

Hi! My name is Nico and I am an international student from Uruguay. I am a sophomore planning on double majoring in Biology and Physics with an International Politics correlate. In my free time I like being outdoors, especially in natural environments. I play tennis and this year I am joining the rugby team. I have a passion for environmental policies and social impact. My first time working on a sustainability project was in 9th grade, when I started a project to donate bicycles to students who did not have access to efficient transportation to school. Later on, I was selected to be part of a team working on climate change mitigation policies for the Ministry of Environment of Uruguay. I was able to participate in the creation of an environmental education policy for all public high schools of the country. I want to be part of this team because I want to extend my work to Vassar. I am eager to work on projects that will improve Vassar students’ knowledge on sustainability and the office’s job on campus.

Mira Saturen

Outreach and Education Intern

Hello, my name is Mira Saturen! I am a first year from Ashland, Oregon and I am interested in majoring in Environmental Studies. I love skiing, rafting, thrifting, and hiking, and these passions inspire me to provide education about the outdoors and the climate crisis, something that I am excited to work on with this team! Sustainability and environmental justice have been core values throughout my life, especially growing up in an area that is severely affected by climate change. I was a part of a youth climate action team during high school, and with this group I helped lead several rallies and walkouts. Being a part of a global movement like the one for climate justice has been incredibly inspiring, and I can’t wait to continue this at Vassar! I was inspired to join the sustainability team to be a part of furthering Vassar’s climate movement.

Maisy Richardson

Graphic Design Intern

Hi! My name is Maisy Richardson, and I am a freshman from Oakland, California. I’m a prospective major in Mathematics and Visual Arts, with the goal of pursuing Architecture later in life. Along with graphic design, I love painting, art history, rugby, video games, and birding! In high school I took Environmental Science and Ornithology, which grew my interest in sustainability and climate action. This team intrigued me because it combines my love of sustainability and graphic design. I want to use my artistic abilities to help others express themselves while also expressing myself, which this position allows me to do. I can’t wait to meet the rest of the team and to help spread the mission of the Office of Sustainability!

Lily Shimpach

Lead Waste Reduction Intern

Hi everyone! My name is Lily Shimpach (she/her) and I am a junior from Northampton, Massachusetts. I am pursuing an Environmental Studies major with concentrations in Earth Science and Media Studies, as well as a Geography correlate. Besides working with the Office of Sustainability, I am a member of Vassar’s cross country and track teams! I am really looking forward to working with the Triple R Team this semester. Sustainability is important to me as it represents a measure we can take against climate change on an individual level. Our program, in particular, can make a tangible difference on the Vassar community and help educate our peers on the importance of sustainable practices. Last year, I worked with the Office of Sustainability and participated in waste audits and planning meetings aimed at making Vassar more sustainable when it comes to food waste and waste in general. I am excited to continue that work this semester. We have the ability to make a positive impact on the environment and with our combined experience, I am confident we will be successful in that endeavor!

Sofia Rojas Collins

Waste Reduction Intern

Hi everyone! My name is Sofia (She/Her)I am a freshman from Washington D.C. I am currently thinking of majoring in Biology, and minoring in Art and Spanish. My interests revolve around thrifting, painting, STEM and the environment. Since the second I learned of the climate crisis I have felt obligated to try and limit my ecological footprint. I am a pescatarian to reduce meat consumption and sell used clothing on Depop to promote the recycling of clothing. I hope to contribute ideas both related and unrelated to my interests. I am really excited about this team and meeting everyone!

Diego Sari

Waste Reduction Intern

Hello my name is Diego (he/him), and I am a freshman from Peekskill, New York. I intend on majoring in Economics or Mathematics. Some of my interests are running because I got into running my sophomore year of high school when I began cross country and track. Another of my interests is soccer. I am a big Lionel Messi fan and an FC Barcelona fan as well. What motivated me into working on this team was that in my high school I conducted a recycling education intervention project where I assessed students’ improvements towards recycling. The main reason why I began this project in my high school was there was very little recycling going on in my community and I wanted to change that. Along with this there was actually an incinerator in Peekskill which many students were unaware of and I felt they should be aware of the things they throw away due to it affecting us so closely.

Lora Jaczewski

Waste Reduction Intern

Hello everybody! My name is Lora (she/her), and I am a first-year student from Queens, New York. I intend on majoring in Biology with an Environmental Studies and English correlate. I love learning about Earth’s beautiful and complex environment, and the many different ways organisms are able to interact with each other and respond to their environments. Because of this interest, I was immediately drawn to sustainability and learning about the variety of ways we can individually make sure the environments that we live in and affect are protected for future generations. I love in-person activism and being able to make a difference firsthand, like picking up trash from shores or cleaning up trails with friends. But when I’m not engaged in stewardship, I love learning new languages, writing, or staying active through sports like fencing and equestrianism. I can’t wait to meet everyone and see just how much we can accomplish together!

Harshini Pothuganti

Reuse Programs Intern

Hi everyone! My name is Harshini but I also go by Hershey (she/her) and I’m a freshman from India (but I’ve been living in Westchester NY for the past couple of years). I’m intending on doing a chem and econ double major and maybe an environmental science correlate. I would like to pursue a career in sustainability and green finance! I first got into sustainability around 7 years ago when I began to learn meteorology and since then, I’ve done many little projects to try to raise awareness and spread information regarding the climate crisis and what we can do to reduce our impact. I’ve also been a vegetarian my whole life!As for hobbies, I love listening to music in different languages, cooking, and drawing. I also love reading, mostly in the mystery, historical fiction, dystopia, and fantasy genres. I’m so excited to get to know everyone!

Cassie Koyamatsu

Sustainability Data Intern

Hello! My name is Cassie Koyamatsu. I’m a senior who is majoring in Biochemistry. I am from San Diego, California. I enjoy drawing and painting, reading, watching tv and playing video games. I am interested in sustainability because I love nature and want to limit the amount of plastics and pollution affecting the world. I have experience working with data from my scientific background and I am excited to help increase awareness of Vassar’s role in sustainability.

Zephan Aruede

Sustainability Data Intern

Hello! My name is Zephan and I am currently a senior majoring in Environmental Studies and Cognitive Science. I spent my early childhood moving around and eventually my family settled in Scarsdale, NY; just an hour south of Vassar. During my time at Vassar, I fell in love with understanding the relationship between people and the environment, and what brought me to this job was the opportunity to analyze and better understand this relationship. I like to spend most of my time meeting new people and being around loved ones. When I’m not doing that, I like to make music, skate, and make use of my friend’s Crunchyroll account.