Meet The C&CP Sustainability Planning and Engagement Team

As Senior Planning & Sustainability Engineer within SPE, Bud oversees the implementation of climate, waste, and water sustainability plans on the UBC Vancouver campus. With a passion for environmental stewardship and a commitment to fostering positive change, Bud's mission is to support UBC's transition towards a more sustainable and resilient future. Bud strongly believes in using holistic approaches to develop solutions to planning issues, through connecting diverse collaborators, processes, and systems in order to achieve co-benefits. 

Please contact Bud if you have questions about the following:

• Zero Waste and Circular Economy policy, planning and projects
• Water conservation
• Campus operational sustainability and linkages with research programs and projects

As Green Labs Program Lead, Kate supports UBC researchers in minimizing the environmental impacts of laboratory-based activities by incorporating sustainable practices and technologies. Recognizing that labs are often very resource-intensive spaces, Kate understands their pivotal role in helping UBC meet its institutional sustainability goals. Kate is actively working to foster an academic culture within research labs that prioritizes sustainability, with the knowledge that such efforts carry significant and far-reaching implications for the future.

Please contact Kate if you have questions about the following:

• Energy and water conservation in labs
• Climate action campaigns
• Sustainable procurement
• Lab waste recycling

As Climate Action Planner, Maxi is responsible for coordinating UBC’s climate change response. He works to reduce climate impacts on the UBC Vancouver campus from a wide variety of angles, ranging from energy systems, environmental policy, economics, project finance, engagement, and more. Maxi feels incredibly lucky to work on climate action and help to make a meaningful impact here at UBC. Through collaboration with committed staff, students and researchers, Maxi is working to set the university on an accelerated path towards net-zero emissions and provide a framework that other jurisdictions can follow.

Please contact Maxi if you have questions about the following:

• Climate action
• Environmental policy
• Zero carbon energy technologies

As Green Infrastructure Engineer within SPE, Jake oversees the Integrated Rainwater Management Plan for the UBC Vancouver Campus. His work helps to support the plan's 3 primary goals, 1) to reduce the flow of water off-campus, 2) to reduce the impacts of stormwater flows off-campus, 3) to maintain and enhance water quality at campus boundaries so that it meets or exceeds municipal best practices.

Please contact Jake if you have questions about UBC Vancouver's Integrated Rainwater Management Plan.

As Sustainability Data and Reporting Manager, Rebecca is responsible for managing a broad range of sustainability data and reporting processes, as well as making decisions regarding the development and implementation of sustainability data and reporting systems. Rebecca is deeply passionate about tackling climate change and the power of collective action in helping our environment. Through her work, Rebecca collaborates with multiple UBC units to manage sustainability data and reporting processes for UBC's net-zero emissions targets and achievements.

Please contact Rebecca if you have questions about the following:

• UBC climate action and greenhouse gas emissions data and performance
• UBC climate action accountability framework 

As Manager of Climate and Sustainability Engagement, Taryn plays a key role in the strategic planning and implementation of UBC’s Climate Action Plan 2030. Her mission is to cultivate a culture of climate action and shared commitment to sustainability at UBC through climate action programming on the Vancouver campus. These programs aim to nurture and build connections between staff, faculty, and students, by providing spaces where diverse perspectives can come together and make meaningful contributions towards envisioning a more climate resilient future. 

Please contact Taryn if you have questions about the following:

• Collaborations under CAP2030 
• Campus-wide climate action engagement
• Sustainability tools and resources

As a Community Engagement and Strategic Projects Specialist, Zainab works to plan and implement programs and events for staff, faculty, and student engagement in order to further the mission of UBC’s Climate Action Plan 2030. Zainab is passionate about community connectivity and its critical role in creating a climate just world.

Please contact Zainab if you have questions about:

• Opportunities for staff, faculty, and students to engage with climate action
• Sustainability-related events and initiatives on campus
• Fostering community connectivity through taking climate action

Guntas is a third-year Psychology student with a deep passion for storytelling, student engagement, and community-based climate action. In her role as the Sustainability Engagement & Communications Coordinator at UBC Campus and Community Planning, she brings a unique blend of experience in visual media, strategic communication, and event coordination. With a background in creative direction, student media, and community engagement, Guntas uses photography and digital campaigns to make sustainability more relatable, vibrant, and human. Her work is grounded in the belief that strong visuals can spark meaningful conversations—and that storytelling can be a powerful tool for environmental change. Through this co-op, she hopes to deepen her impact by helping shape a more connected and climate-aware UBC campus.

Ben is a 4th year Human Geography major and the new Zero Waste Engagement Coordinator. The peak of his passions is found at the intersection of sustainability, community engagement, and working with fellow students. He's previously held leadership roles at the Alma Mater Society, and staff roles at UBC in first year orientations, athletics and recreation, and most recently in film and events right here at home in Campus and Community Planning. It was working with the people here, where he gained a deep admiration for the role C+CP plays in proactively developing a more vibrant and sustainable campus, and he is immensely grateful and proud to be a part of the incredible work done here. Ben is excited to continue learning about sustainability at both the high-level strategic planning perspective and at the ground-level with individuals in our community, and ultimately working to accelerate the University's progress toward a circular economy on campus.