2024 Sustainability Interns

Izzy Andrus

Student Programs Intern

Izzy is a junior from Portland, Oregon, and plans on majoring in Environmental Studies. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, she always felt connected to nature and spent most of her free time outdoors. She has always devoted herself to advocating for sustainability and environmental justice. Izzy hopes she can use her time at Richmond to create more of an impact on fighting the climate crisis. Outside of school, Izzy enjoys hanging out with friends, hiking, swimming, and playing soccer.

Antonia Awad

SUSTAINABLE DINING INTERN

Antonia is starting her sophomore year at the University of Richmond and is planning on majoring in Environmental Studies and minoring in Business Administration. She was born and raised in Miami, FL, and constantly found herself on the water, exploring the diverse wildlife around her. She loves to hike, paint, and spend time with friends. Throughout her life, she has traveled all over the world, developing a connection with so many different cultures and environments. She is excited to start making the University of Richmond a more sustainable community in order to start making change globally.

Zoe Cultrara

Climate Action Planning & Graphic Design Intern

Zoe is a senior from New Jersey majoring in environmental studies and double minoring in visual art and Rhetoric & Communications. She is the Co-coordinator of GreenUR and is passionate about environmental justice and increasing awareness about the intersections of climate in order to unite efforts in advocacy. Through her internship at the office, she combines her interests in art and the environment to additionally promote climate education on campus. In her free time, she enjoys music, hiking, drawing, videography, and cooking with family and friends.

Kerin Debany

Academic Support Intern

Kerin is a senior from Long Island, New York double majoring in Global Studies and Spanish with a minor in Sustainability. Kerin's interests are in renewable energy development and sustainability policy where she is particularly focused on understanding how sustainability and economic development can complement one another instead of being seen as opposing interests. After Richmond, Kerin is hoping to pursue a career in corporate sustainability. When she's not engaged in academic pursuits, you can find her dancing at men's and women's home basketball games as a member of the University of Richmond's dance team.

Ava Dibattista

Biodiversity and Community Garden Intern

Ava is a sophomore from Greenville, SC and is majoring in Environmental Studies. She grew up in Tucson, AZ where she frequented the Tucson Wildlife Museum and camped on the weekends with her family. The desert sparked her interest in the environment, and she has been in love since. Ava is a member of Women's Club Volleyball at UR and is in Tri Delta. In her free time, she enjoys playing volleyball, hiking, trying new coffee shops, and stopping community members on campus to say hi to their dogs.

Emery Elkinson

Tree Campus Intern

Emery Elkinson is a sophomore from Lexington, KY majoring in Environmental Studies with minors in Geography and Spanish. Her passion for the environment comes from early experiences exploring the outdoors with her family. In high school, Emery became involved in environmental justice and interned with the Lexington's Division of Planning where she co-authored the city's first net-zero emissions goals. In her free time Emery enjoys camping, hiking, cooking, reading, and spending time with friends. 

Laneah Gordon

Student Programs Intern

Laneah is a senior from Maryland majoring in Environmental Studies and Political Science. From a young age, she has always loved the outdoors. Laneah is also an advocate for environmental justice. She solidified her love for environmental protection after an internship involving climate change and sustainability research. Besides her interest in the environment, Laneah enjoys reading, playing the piano, and walking her two dogs. 

Stephanie Moki