Sustainable Operations Council (SOC) Membership

Chartered in 2016, the Sustainable Operations Council serves to integrate sustainability as a core business strategy that strengthens and accelerates the ability of Penn State Finance and Business (F&B) and other units to provide quality service. The SOC has since brought together diverse perspectives and expertise to enhance sustainability efforts of F&B as well as additional units and groups within the university, including Penn State Athletics, Academic Colleges and Campuses, University faculty, staff, and student representatives. SOC members have been involved with projects and initiatives that advance sustainable operations at Penn State through efforts focused on energy savings, food waste reduction, renewable energy, recycling and waste initiatives, sustainable purchasing strategies, transportation, sustainability literacy and teaching, and many others.

Click here to see the charter.

Executive Team

Sara Thorndike

Senior Vice President, Finance and Business

Lara Fowler

Chief Sustainability Officer, Penn State
Director, Penn State Sustainability

Thomas Rodgers

Interim Vice President of Facilities Management and Planning & Chief Facilities Officer

David R. Snyder

Associate Vice President
Auxiliary and Business Services (ABS)

Council Members:

Penn State Sustainability
Meghan Hoskins, Co-Chair
Krista Bailey
Jack Rumery
Lara Fowler

Office of the Physical Plant
Shelley McKeague
Ayo Oluwalana

Office of Budget and Finance
Marilyn F. Presto

Penn State Auxiliary & Business Services (A&BS)
Haley Sankey, Co-Chair

Office of Central Procurement
Duane Elmore

Commonwealth Operations
Jonathan Kukta

Transportation Services
Rick Ward

Human Resources
Drew Brennan

Penn State Information Technology (IT)
John Matty

Penn State Athletics
Vinnie James

University Park Undergraduate Association
Ben Lindgren

Graduate and Professional Student Association
Musa Mohammed

Council of Commonwealth Student Governments
Youssef Elouardighi

Student Sustainability Advisory Council
Jacob Seiler

College of Medicine Finance & Business
Duncan McIlvaine
Mark Heisey

Office of Real Estate
Tamia Kramer

Penn State Global
Matt Lockaby Leet

University Faculty
Shelly Grinar, Penn State Abington
Mary Ann Smith, Penn State Schuylkill
Tim White, College of Earth & Mineral Sciences

University Staff
Deb Gulick, College of Arts & Architecture

If you are interested in learning more about the projects and initiatives the Sustainable Operations Council is involved with, please contact Penn State Sustainability via email: sustainability@psu.edu.

The SOC looks to the Penn State Strategic Plan as well as the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as framework for priortizing initiatives. The 17 SDGs are at the heart of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, a blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and planet. These goals recognize that “ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests.” – sustainabledevelopment.un.org