Liz’s career focus is sustainability strategy and behavior change, with a particular interest in aligning organizations and engaging individuals to reach social and environmental targets. Her internships have been with The Coca-Cola Company, the World Wildlife Fund, and Honest Tea, and her projects at Michigan include analyzing the relationship between organizational culture and sustainability success as well as advising a communications and training firm on its market positioning. Prior to matriculating at Michigan, she worked on federal conservation policy The Nature Conservancy's Worldwide Office in Arlington, Virginia and served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Republic of Macedonia. She graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelors of Science degree in Natural Resources.
Katie is passionate about creating mission-based business models that integrate sustainability as core strategy. She is most excited about exploring practical applications of cradle-to-cradle design to sustainable food systems and supply chains. Katie spent Summer 2008 interning as a Packard Fellow with Chefs Collaborative in Boston, where she investigated local food distribution models. She serves on the leadership board of Ross Net Impact and spends much of her free time experimenting in the kitchen. Before Michigan, Katie was a communications specialist for a nonprofit environmental law firm in Oakland, CA. Katie received her B.A. in English and Italian from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Nemanja is interested in corporate strategy, including environmental one, economics of carbon and climate change, as well as many other sustainability issues, and is in school now to find an area of focus. Prior to Michigan, he did marketing for P&G, learning a lot about consumers’ diswashing habits, frequency of teeth brushing and shopping preferences. In his spare time, he travels cities across the globe trying to avoid snowy winters. He received his Bachelor of Arts from University Braca Karic in Belgrade, Serbia.
Annie is focused on climate change strategy and carbon finance. Her primary
interest is in helping companies proactively and strategically position themselves to take advantage of future changes to climate change policy through reducing emissions, creating frameworks for pricing carbon into project finance, and participating in carbon markets. Prior to coming to Michigan, Annie worked for Fisher Investments, an asset manager in San Francisco, CA. Her primary role at Fisher was creating business strategies to improve customer service, employee productivity, and vendor relations. Annie also has experience in micro-finance, having worked as a business analyst for the HealthStore Foundation, which runs a network of micro-franchised health clinics in rural areas of Kenya. Annie graduated from the University of Puget Sound in 2003 with a B.A. in Asian Studies and wrote her senior thesis on the connection between Buddhism and Forest Conservation in Mongolia and Thailand.
Russell is interested in using land-use planning, green building strategies and renewable energy systems to drive profitable and sustainable urban real estate and economic development projects. Before coming to the University of Michigan, Russell worked for the City of New York, where he supported program performance measurement, strategic planning and communications efforts for the City's integrated economic and workforce development initiatives. At the Erb Institute, Russell is studying Sustainable Energy Systems and Corporate Strategy and is an active member of the Energy and the Real Estate Clubs. Russell holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy from Brown University.
Becca is interested in the intersection of corporate strategy and public policy with a focus on emerging markets in environmental services. Her master’s project will examine the connection between bioenergy subsidies, land use change and wildlife habitat. Prior to Michigan, she worked for the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies in Washington D.C. on a national campaign for new and greater funding for wildlife conservation and related education and recreation. She has taught coastal ecology to middle school students, studied climate change science and policy responses through the National Science Foundation, and developed a business plan for the Foresight Design Initiative. Becca is an active member of Michigan’s Environmental Policy Organization and Ross Net Impact. In her free time she enjoys hiking, biking, cooking, and travel. Becca holds a BA in Biology and Environmental Studies from Oberlin College.
Laura is interested in energy sector strategy as this industry prepares for future climate change regulation and the growth of carbon markets. She developed this interest while working at the World Bank carbon funds sourcing emissions credits from renewable energy and other low-carbon projects in the developing world. Laura has also worked at several environmental non-profits on energy, climate, and transportation policy. Most recently she was a consultant for the National Environmental Trust where she analyzed proposed climate legislation and ways of linking with international regulatory systems. Laura graduated from Columbia University in 2002 with a B.A. in anthropology and the history and theory of architecture.
David is focusing his work at Michigan on exploring business development strategies for renewable energy in both the developed and developing world. This past summer, he worked as a summer associate with Clipper Windpower in their Commercial Operations Unit. During his time at Michigan, he has also worked on strategic marketing projects in the solar arena with Applied Materials’ thin-film group and enXco. Prior to graduate school, David lived in Grand Rapids, MI and working in fund development and marketing for an international relief and development non-profit. David graduated from Calvin College with a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science. While at Calvin, a research fellowship enabled David to coauthor a published paper on the politics of AIDS in Africa with his supporting professor. Outside of school, David enjoys running, tennis, and trying to surf.
Anna's interests center around organizational behavior, change management, strategic planning and dispute resolution. This past summer, Anna interned at Goodwill Industries in San Francisco where she advised senior management on a community engagement strategy. Prior to Michigan, Anna consulted for a national insurance carrier where she worked with senior management to design and implement a company-wide, collaborative strategic planning process. As an analyst at Project Performance Corporation, Anna managed the design and implementation of a database that currently supports the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency, and developed performance metrics for an office within the National Nuclear Security Administration. Outside the classroom, Anna enjoys training for triathlons, traveling, making movies and working with disadvantaged youth. Anna holds a BA in Economics from Carleton College.
Evan is interested in the formulation of policy to effect positive environmental and security-related change in the global energy mix and the interaction of government and industry therein. His previous academic work focused on U.S. national security policy and the implications of peak oil theory for U.S. energy policy. Prior to Erb, Evan worked as a researcher for the OpenNet Initiative in the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard Law School. There, he focused his research on Internet censorship and filtration in Sub-Saharan Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. Evan graduated from Princeton University in 2006 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs and a certificate in Linguistics. In his spare time, he enjoys cooking, golfing, running, and playing marginally acceptable guitar.
Siobhan has five year's experience in the alternative energy industry working across the private, government and non-profit sectors. Prior to Michigan, Siobhan worked for the Center for Resource Solutions (CRS) based in San Francisco. CRS is a national non-profit working to build a robust renewable energy market by increasing demand and supply of renewable resources. While at CRS, Siobhan managed the day-to-day administration of the Green-e, the nation’s leading independent renewable energy certification and verification program. The Green-e Program works to expand the market for clean, renewable energy by advancing awareness of renewable energy options and protecting consumers. Siobhan has also assisted in administering the EPA's Energy Star Program, developing a renewable energy program for Shanghai and support ing Rhode Island businesses to purchase renewable energy. Siobhan graduated from Smith College with a B.S. in Government and a minor in Environmental Science and Policy. Siobhan's current interests lie in the area of renewable energy and finance.
David Fribush is interested in how to use sophisticated media and marketing techniques to facilitate society’s rapid and comprehensive adoption of sustainability. He is an award-winning filmmaker with over 10 years experience as a writer, director, producer, and editor of projects ranging from commercials to documentaries to educational series. Prior to beginning graduate studies at University of Michigan, he was a Fellow with Rocky Mountain Institute in Snowmass, Colorado creating and producing video content promoting sustainability and RMI’s work. Prior to that, he spent a year traveling and volunteering in Central and South America, which followed a long, traffic-filled exile in Los Angeles working in the entertainment industry. He received a B.A. in Economics from Wesleyan University, and completed post-graduate science coursework at Columbia University.
Elizabeth is focusing her studies in how corporate social responsibility, sustainability initiatives, and environmental strategy contribute to performance. Prior to attending the University of Michigan, she worked in the National Audubon Society’s Public Policy office in Washington, DC. She also worked in client services for CreateHope, a technology company that provides branded corporate philanthropy services to some of America’s largest corporations. Elizabeth graduated from Georgetown University in 2005 with a Bachelor of Arts in English and minors in Biology and Environmental Studies.
Paul’s interest in social impact and sustainability developed while working in a jungle hospital in Ecuador. Upon receiving his B.A. in International Studies and Political Science from Middlebury College, he spent seven months in the management consulting world before leaving to help manage Strategies for International Development, an organization which assists disadvantaged farming communities in Latin America and Africa. Paul enjoys studying entrepreneurship, sustainability and renewable energy, particularly as they relate to the development of emerging markets. He is currently working on two start-up businesses – an information management web service and, on behalf of an environmental advocacy organization, a testing service for hazardous chemicals in household items.
Leonore first discovered tourism’s positive effects while conducting fieldwork in Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary. For her internship with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, she studied how the establishment of a national park had brought funding for hospitals, schools, and wells to a rural area of Senegal. After finishing her undergraduate studies at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, she joined the Peace Corps and served as an environmental volunteer in Benin. There, she worked with local beekeepers to start a beekeeping cooperative and reforestation project. She also taught environmental education classes to high school students and hosted a weekly radio show on a rural radio network. She plans to work for a large hotel chain and focus on sustainability issues.
Aaron's studies focus on corporate strategy and demand-side energy
solutions for the built environment. As an Erb student, Aaron has
worked with UM administrators to create enterprise-wide sustainability
strategy and campus-wide green building standards. His collaboration
with the university's CFO and multiple presentations to the Board of
Regents have elevated awareness across the institution for the
strategic importance of sustainability. As an intern, Aaron worked
with the executive team at Net Impact's central office to develop the
5-year strategic plan for this international organization. He has
studied design at Harvard and leadership at the Center for Leadership
Design. His professional background includes start-ups in rural
Montana, troubled teenagers in rural Utah, cross-cultural training,
university teaching, and program administration. Aaron received a
Percy Award for his contributions to the Erb community. He holds a
B.S. in Social Science from the University of Michigan.
Arie is interested in energy strategy and is focusing his efforts in entrepreneurship and business development in renewable energy and clean technology. Prior to graduate school, Arie spent 4 + years working in the audit practice of Deloitte’s San Francisco and Boston offices. Last year, Arie trained Karen refugees along the Thailand / Burma border in renewable energy technologies. Their main project was to install, alongside Karen engineering students, solar systems in 8 refugee camps. These systems were designed to provide electricity to power computer centers. Arie has lived in South America and Southeast Asia and speaks Spanish and Thai. He is interested in starting a clean technology venture fund at UMich. He graduated from UC Santa Barbara where he studied economics and accounting.
Brian joins the Erb Institute from San Francisco where he worked for Google for the past four years. During his time there he spent a year and a half living in Hyderabad, India setting up their customer service operations and, most recently, worked with Google's Mergers and Acquisitions team in Mountain View. It was in India that Brian saw the dire need for sustainable energy in developing countries and what ultimately landed him here at Michigan. He is excited about innovative technologies that can help move renewable energy onto the main stage. He hopes to found a technology start-up or join a venture capital firm concentrated on sustainable energy. Brian holds a BA from Northwestern University in Environmental Science and Philosophy.
Julia’s interests are focused on reducing the impact of the built environment on the natural environment, while supplementing the social good. For her first summer, she interned with the International Iron and Steel Institute, performing a life-cycle assessment of a new building under construction in Wuhan, China. Her second summer internship was in internal consulting with Johnson Control’s Building Efficiency division, where she primarily worked on the deployment of an energy and emissions management system into the company’s Performance Contracting line of business. In her pre-Erb life, Julia graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelors of Architecture degree. After college, she worked in urban design, municipal master planning, and architecture at Torti Gallas and Partners in Washington, D.C. She then spent one year in high-end residential design and project management in Chicago. She has also worked and volunteered in Dublin, Ireland, San Jose, Costa Rica, and Lima, Peru. She is a member of NCARB, ULI, USGBC, and is a LEED Accredited Professional. She serves as the President of the Michigan Real Estate Club and works in Ross’ Office of Career Development as a Career Counselor.
Tom is interested in studying the renewable energy industry, and is particularly interested in the intersection between government policy and business strategy. Before coming to Michigan, Tom worked at NYSE Regulation, a securities industry regulator responsible for ensuring market integrity and investor protection. At the NYSE, he was an analyst in the Division of Enforcement and an associate in the Risk Assessment Unit. He also worked on Mike Bloomberg’s 2005 mayoral reelection campaign. Tom earned his undergraduate degree in Political Economy at Georgetown University; he loves competitive sports of all kinds, enjoys traveling (most recently to Morocco), and is an Admissions Ambassador for the Ross School of Business.
Theo is interested in renewable energy and clean technology, with a focus on
expanding the availability of innovative renewable energy and clean tech
products. Theo spent his first summer internship at Gas South, working on
green product offerings, including landfill gas and carbon offset programs.
Prior to attending Michigan, he spent four and a half years coaching water
polo, during which time he also tutored, traveled in South America, and
worked at a startup online media company in San Francisco. Theo graduated
from Harvard University in 2003 with a Bachelor's of Arts in Earth and
Planetary Sciences. He has studied Japanese and Spanish and enjoys most
things active.
Jennifer is passionate about making positive social and environmental impacts through entrepreneurial enterprise. Currently, she is working to start-up a solar-electric design firm here in Ann Arbor. Her 2008 summer internship and master’s project work, both of which were in conjunction with Ford Motor Company’s Sustainable Business Strategies division, resulted in the creation of practical tools to help Ford improve the social and environmental conditions experienced by many urban slum dwellers throughout the world. Jennifer graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 2002 with a Bachelor of Science in engineering. Prior to entering the Erb program at Michigan, she completed her five year active duty military commitment at the Los Angeles Air Force Base Space and Missile Systems Center. She worked as a developmental engineer and project manager on both the Space Radar and Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite systems. She also spent six months working with NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA designing optical systems for the Space Interferometry Mission.
Laurel is spending her second summer working for Deloitte Consulting’s Enterprise Sustainability practice. She is interested in competitive environmental strategy for the retail and consumer goods industry. Her goal is to help companies integrate principles of sustainability throughout their supply chains, working with suppliers to bring “greener” products to market. Last summer she interned at Target, where she redesigned the company’s process, tools, and strategy for sourcing imported private label food products. Before coming to Erb, she worked as a Consultant at Deloitte on projects including strategic planning, process redesigns, organizational restructuring, business case development, and project management. Laurel graduated Summa Cum Laude from Middlebury College in Vermont with a B.A. in Economics. She currently serves as Co-President for Ross Net Impact, and is a member of the Operations Management Club and Wolverine Wine Club. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, skiing, and cooking.
While growing up in Santiago, Chile, Pablo saw first hand the environmental effects of economic growth: increased pollution and waste as well as deterioration of the landscape. As a dual degree student, Pablo is focusing his studies on the application of sustainable systems and renewable energy in order to not only support company growth but also mitigate environmental impact. Prior to Ross, he worked at Wells Fargo as a retail banker in Oregon. Pablo’s other activities included working as a tour guide in Patagonia to showcase regional biodiversity and effects of global warming, heading the The Dalles Area Habitat for Humanity, and hiking the 2100-mile long Appalachian Trail.
Mark is interested in corporate environmental strategy, linking strategic environmental choices to the profitability of firms. Prior to coming to Michigan, Mark was working as a mechanical engineer at Varian, Inc. doing research and development for their nuclear magnetic resonance division. Mark graduated from Stanford University with a BS in Mechanical Engineering and a BA in Economics. While at Stanford, he was also a diver on the NCAA champion swimming and diving team. In his spare time, Mark enjoys skiing, mountaineering, mountain biking, running and cooking.
Originally from the DC area, Brent graduated from The Colorado College with a B.A. in Political Science. Since then he has pursued a variety of environmentally focused careers from being a wildlife research assistant in the Utah desert to running Outward Bound leadership courses in Costa Rica. Most recently, Brent worked for the U.S. Green Building Council where he coordinated the educational program for its annual Greenbuild conference. Targeting a career in the renewable energy industry, Brent spent his first summer working in wind power project development for E.ON Climate & Renewables and his second part of GE’s Renewable Energy Leadership Program. His hobbies include mountain biking, backpacking, guitar, and chocolate-chip cookie eating.
Gaurav is interested in starting a socially-responsible business in India and wants to learn how corporations can play a bigger role in making a global positive impact. Before attending Michigan, Gaurav worked with an Indian non-profit group Indicorps/Manav Sadhna, for four years. Nearly two of those years were spent in India working with a slum community and making efforts to improve their living conditions. Prior to his non-profit venture, Gaurav worked for six years in the investment management industry, last for Loomis Sayles & Company, managing institutional relationships. During this time, he also served on the board of directors for Children’s Council of San Francisco. Gaurav holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Arizona.
Upon graduation from U of M, Emily hopes to spend her days meaningfully integrating sustainability into corporate culture and strategy, managing partnerships between business, non-profits, and government, and providing technical analysis of and solutions to challenges at the intersection of business, the environment and society. Prior to coming to Michigan, Emily worked for Deloitte & Touche and Robert Half Management Resources as an in-charge or senior auditor. Her focus was on analyzing and testing internal controls of multiple corporationsfor Sarbanes Oxley compliance. She also organized enough sustainability-centric events to warrant the creation of a new 501 (c)(3) non-profit named Green Columbus. She serves on the Green Columbus board remotely and continues to encourage networking among people with varying interest in sustainability as an active member of Ross Net Impact, Ann Arbor Green Drinks, and as Co-President of the School of Natural Resources and Environment’s student government.
Zach is passionate about helping firms develop competitive advantage through corporate environmental strategy. He is excited to work with industry leaders to incorporate ecological, social and economic interests into the design process, thereby ensuring that the next batch of gadgets are equitably created. Prior to the Erb Institute, Zach spent seven years in Silicon Valley, working with Sun Microsystems and advising companies such as Google, eBay, and Apple. Zach earned his Bachelor's degree in Computer Science at Vanderbilt University.
Prior to beginning the Erb program, Beth worked with the World Wildlife Fund on improving the environmental sustainability of international financial institutions through partnerships and environmental policies. Before this, she spent time in Cameroon, West Africa, as a Peace Corps Volunteer focused on enhancing soil fertility through natural methods in a small farming community. She is interested in helping businesses develop and implement strategies that promote both environmental sustainability and profitability, specifically in the areas of sourcing and finance.
Ryan's interests include corporate environmental strategy, sustainable
development, and sustainable behavior. Prior to graduate school, he founded
a consulting company providing project management, marketing, and strategic
planning services to Microsoft and other clients in the Seattle area. Ryan's
career experience includes training for an energy systems software company,
managing R&D projects for 3M, and helping to found an environmental dot-com,
as well as working for the National Park Service in Alaska, leading
adventure travel tours throughout the U.S., and spending two years pursuing
naturalist training and wilderness studies. Outside of work, Ryan enjoys
skiing, running, and international travel. He graduated from Northwestern
University with a B.S. in Environmental Engineering and a certificate in the
Business Institutions Program.
