I’ve worked at AU for six months. Before that, I was a mechanical engineer for a firm that works on energy-efficient public school building renovations.

My job is to know the process for how every physical item is disposed of on campus and how we can divert as much of that trash out of the landfill as possible. A typical day might include performing waste audits on campus, analyzing data, contacting research organizations, and developing partnerships for recycling and reusing materials. My office is in the Asbury Building.

My favorite place on campus to steal a quiet moment is Woods-Brown Amphitheater. My go-to order at the Dav is a latte—hot or iced depending on the weather. Campus is at its prettiest during the cherry blossom season.

I show my AU spirit by working towards making our campus and community as sustainable as possible. I’m on the operations side within Facilities Management, so a lot of my day-to-day is keeping everything clean and ensuring the experience on campus is a positive one. Mine is an Eagle family. My mom came to AU in the late 1970s for the Washington Semester Program.

The person who helped show me the ropes is Ransom Schutt, assistant director of grounds, vehicle maintenance, and support services. He’s been a great manager and mentor. I found my community at AU by meeting and getting to know people. The great thing about my job is that waste touches everything, so I end up forming relationships with people on pretty much every facet of campus.  

My favorite day of the workweek is Wednesday. I’m able to get caught up from the weekend by then, but there’s still more time in the week to get things done. When I’m not at work, you can find me at home with my dog, Howl, and my partner, Donavan, or at a woodshop working on my newest project. My hobbies include making small furniture, playing video games like Hades II, and going to trivia. I’ve also developed a reputation among my friends for caramel and candy making.

The last great book I read was King of the Armadillos by Wendy Chin-Tanner. The last great show I watched was the third season of Abbott Elementary. The last great meal I ate was homemade stir-fried noodles with mushrooms from a farmers market, bok choy, and gochujang-glazed tofu.

If I wasn’t a zero waste manager, I’d be a custom furniture maker who constructs things with wooden joints—not nails or screws. But my job at AU is best because I know my work is directly benefitting the world around me and the community I’m part of.