2023-2024 Interns

Energy Team
Jaedyn Williams
Team Leader

Hi my name is Jaedyn Williams! I am a senior from Virginia Beach majoring in mechanical engineering with a minor in green engineering. I am involved with the VT Wind Turbine Team and have raced a few times with the Triathlon Club. I am a foodie, thrill seeker, and I love to try new things. I spend much of my time outdoors climbing, hiking, scuba diving, kayaking, and biking. I am excited to be in a position where I can help ensure long-term sustainability at Virginia Tech. I look forward to working with like minded students and staff to help VT achieve its goal of 100% renewable energy by 2030. After graduation, I would love to work with a renewable energy company on wind energy.

Amy Poyner
Communications Representative

Hi! My name is Amy Poyner and I am a junior studying Chemistry and Environmental Science with plans to graduate in spring of 2025. In my free time, I love hiking, swimming, painting, and reading. I’m excited to work with other members of the Energy Team to promote efficient, sustainable, and environmentally-conscious practices.

Renee Sarmiento

My name is Renée Sarmiento. I’m a sophomore from El Paso, Texas, but I’ve lived in Rome, Italy the past three years. I’m majoring in Biochemistry with a minor in Environmental Policy and Planning and Italian! I am so delighted to be working at the Office of Sustainability, and specifically the Energy Team. This internship is an incredible opportunity to work among passionate environmentalists and strive for energy efficiency and carbon neutrality at Virginia Tech. Growing up with a love for science, public service, and the environment, majoring in biochemistry is part of my plan to combat climate change from a scientific level while learning about policy to focus on laws that can make a difference. My other passions include softball, reading, hiking, traveling and spending time with friends! I’ve traveled and lived in five out of the seven continents and Antarctica is next on my list!

Katie Smith

Hi! My name is Katie Smith and I am a junior studying Environmental Policy and Planning with plans to graduate in spring of 2024. I developed a passion for the environment growing up visiting the beautiful beaches in my home state of New Jersey and seeing the impact climate change had on the fragile ecosystems there. In my free time, I love hiking, reading, listening to music, or drinking a cup of coffee. I’m excited to work to make a difference to decrease food waste, increase the availability of more sustainable food options, and continue to educate members of the Virginia Tech community about the impact that food can have on the planet.

Tristan Frantz

Hi! My name is Tristan. I’m a senior from Richmond, Virginia. I am majoring in industrial and systems engineering and minoring in green engineering. I am proud to be a member of the energy team during the 2023-2024 academic year. I am interested in sustainable energy resources such as community solar projects and their potential to improve energy equity and reduce emissions. I love going outdoors, working out, playing guitar, and playing with my mom’s pets. This year, I’m excited to improve building energy efficiency and develop renewable resources on campus to help make Virginia Tech carbon neutral.

Water Team
Meghan Childress
Team Leader

Hey! My name is Meghan Childress, and I am a senior majoring in Environmental Science. As a returning member of the Office of Sustainability internship, I am looking forward to continuing working on the projects that we started last year, especially our campus water stewardship plan. I am excited to work with other students who share a passion for sustainability and our environment. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my friends, reading, cooking, and going on walks. I can’t wait to see what is in store this year for the Water Team and to see all that we will accomplish together!

Leilani Hyatt
Communications Representative

Hey! My name is Leilani Hyatt, and I'm a junior majoring in Environmental Science and minoring in Geosciences. I currently live in Northern Virginia, but I was born in Tucson, Arizona and grew up all over (I've moved ten times!). Ever since my elementary school installed a green roof, I have been passionate about sustainability and living a green lifestyle. I'm excited to work with the Water Team and spread awareness on the importance of minding our water usage and footprints. I am the Vice President of the Horticulture Club at Virginia Tech and a SPES Peer Mentor. I also love photography, and have images published in the Fairfax County Times and the NEA magazine! In my free time, you can probably find me in a yoga class at McComas, baking cookies, or on a hiking trail.

Hannah Worthy

Hi friends! My name is Hannah and I am a part of the Water Team returning for a second year.  I am a third year student majoring in Environmental Conservation and Society, with minors in Forestry and Biodiversity Conservation.  Although I’ve learned much academically— this internship has taught me so much regarding campus awareness in sustainability and targeting water usage issues on campus.  I’ve found so many little ways to be conserving of water.  I love to spend my time in the woods identifying trees and hiking.  Also, I am always thrilled to support small and sustainable businesses.  I hope to one day to utilize my education and internship experience to work in forestry, environmental education, sustainability coordination, or as a conservation officer.

Avery Krivis

Hey everyone! My name is Avery Krivis, and I am a junior from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. I am majoring in Chemical Engineering, with a minor in Green Engineering! I am super excited to be working with the Office of Sustainability and the Water Team for the 2023-2024 school year! I am so grateful for the opportunity to work with other students who share my passion for sustainability. Growing up, I had always been environmentally conscious, and I can’t wait to put this mindset into action around campus! Other than sustainability, my other passions include playing Club Water Polo at VT, reading, hiking, coaching my summer swim team, traveling, jamming to any genre of music, and hanging out with friends.

Jordan Lavey

Hey! My name is Jordan Lavey, I am a sophomore from Lynnfield, Massachusetts. My major is Geoscience with a focus in Environment & Engineering. I am minoring in Geographic Information Science. I absolutely love hiking and going to the beach. I really like to sew and repurpose clothes, I also love gardening and I'm growing vegetables back home! Working as part of the water team has been an amazing opportunity to see the real world impacts of sustainability, and seeing our projects help our campus has been so rewarding! I can't wait to see what else we can do to help make our campus more sustainable and help protect our planet!

Waste Team
Madison Norman
Team Leader

Hello! My name is Madison Norman and I am a senior majoring in Environmental Conservation and Society with minors in Pathways to Sustainability and Forestry in the Class of 2024. As a returning participant of this internship, I am excited to continue and improve the Plastic Bag Collection program and work with this year’s Waste Team! I am passionate about promoting environmental awareness and changing the unsustainable everyday habits that have been integrated into our society. After graduation, I am interested in working in the Plant Health Care field and studying for an ISA Arborist Certification. As well as being a student involved in sustainable initiatives on campus, I am also a member of the sorority Pi Beta Phi and a student of the Honors College. In my free time I enjoy spending time outdoors through hiking, gardening, reading, or painting. I cannot wait to get involved and make a positive difference on campus and in the community!

Julianne Cerato
Communications Representative

Hello there! My name is Julianne Cerato and I am a senior from Long Island, New York! My major is in Environmental Conservation and Society and I also have a minor in Sustainability. I am extremely passionate about animal rights and welfare, ecotourism, and sustainable consumerism. Additionally, I am a member of Lambda Iota Mu service and conservation fraternity and I also serve as the president of Xi Sigma Pi Forestry Honors Society. My goals as an intern with the Office of Sustainability and serving on the waste management team are to better educate college students on the impact that our single-use choices - such as fast fashion or excessive disposable plastic usage - have on not only the planet, but on people as well. I am also so excited to host the sustainable spring fashion show again this year!

Tamir Zharmagambetov

Hello! My name is Tamir Zharmagambetov, and I am a Sophomore from Almaty, Kazakhstan. I am currently pursuing a major in Controls, Robotics, and Autonomy (Computer Engineering) while also minoring in PPE (Philosophy, Politics, and Economics). Coming from a country where pollution poses a significant problem, I am deeply passionate about mitigating the impact on our environment, particularly our oceans and air. I am genuinely intrigued by the potential of combining robotics with sustainable solutions.
It is truly an honor for me to be a part of the Waste Team at the Office of Sustainability here at Virginia Tech. I am thrilled to collaborate with individuals who share a profound appreciation for the value of our planet. Outside of my academic pursuits, I am a dedicated professional triathlete, devoting a significant amount of my time to training in the pool, on the bike, or out running. Additionally, I derive great joy from playing the piano and immersing myself in books.
In recent years, I have also developed a keen interest in CAD design and utilizing my hand-built 3D printer to create various fascinating objects. I eagerly anticipate the opportunity to meet and collaborate with each and every one of you.

Sylvie Gobs

Hello! I'm Sylvie Gobs, and I'm a sophomore majoring in Chemical Engineering and minoring in Green Engineering and Chemistry. I spent my childhood playing in the woods and always being outside, which gave me a fondness for nature and a passion to protect the environment. I'm so excited to help make Virginia Tech a more sustainable campus and reduce the amount of waste we produce. I hope to help inform the students at Virginia Tech how to live more sustainable lives, so that we can make a difference as a group. After college, I plan on sequestering carbon out of the air or working on renewable resources. In my free time I love going hiking, working out, playing video games, hanging out with friends, and doing new things. I'm so excited to begin my journey with the Office of Sustainability!

Amelia Giurintano

Hi! My name is Amelia Giurintano and I am a junior majoring in Environmental Policy and Planning. I am very excited to work with Virginia Tech’s Sustainability Office as a part of the Waste Team to make Virginia Tech a more sustainable campus. I am really interested in environmental justice and sustainable fashion as future career pathways. I love the beach, spending time  outside in a hammock, and staying involved at Virginia Tech through my service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega.

Food Team
Emily Murray
Team Leader

Hello! I am Emily Murray and I’m a fifth year majoring in both Chemical Engineering and Chemistry with a minor in Green Engineering! I serve as the Outreach Minister for Wesley at Virginia Tech as well as the Business Team Sub-Lead for ChemE Cube at Virginia Tech. Through my experiences during internships; co-ops; my design team, I became passionate about corporate sustainability. Through volunteering at 209 MarketPlace and co-coordinating a community garden at my church, food insecurity became a special cause for me. This internship was the perfect opportunity to mesh my two passions! If you have any ideas on helping to make food at Virginia Tech more sustainable, I would love to hear them!

Susan Sale
Communications Representative

Hi, I’m Susan! I’m a senior studying Industrial Design with a minor in Green Engineering. Being an intern for the Office of Sustainability for the past couple years has allowed me to see design and sustainability overlap in the projects I’ve worked on.  In the future, I hope I can design products and services to be more sustainable. I love working with the Food Team because I’m especially interested in improving food security, decreasing food waste, and promoting sustainable agriculture. In my free time, I like spending time outside, cooking, and sewing.

Lauren Phan

Hello! My name is Lauren Phan and this is my second year at Virginia Tech. I plan to graduate in 2025 with a major in environmental policy and planning and a minor in landscape architecture. After my studies, I want to pursue urban planning where I can combine my interests in the environment, land use, and sustainable design. I am looking forward to being a part of the food team to encourage sustainable eating while simultaneously spreading environmental awareness. As someone with many food allergies, I am passionate about exploring the world of plant-based foods and hope that I can encourage more of these alternatives on campus. You can often find me sewing, listening to music, traveling, or painting!

Addie Gaudet

Hi! My name is Addie Gaudet and I am a junior majoring in Environmental Conservation and Society with minors in Pathways to Sustainability and Viticulture. I am very passionate about both raising awareness and making a true difference in the community. As part of the Food team, I am excited to get to work with the Virginia Tech community to educate people on how to make food choices more sustainable. In my free time, I am a member of Gamma Phi Beta, I love spending time outside, and am in the process of obtaining my pilot’s license. I am excited to continue the work that the previous interns did and to keep making a difference.

Elayna Ealy

Hi! My name is Elayna Ealy, I am a junior studying Environmental Conservation and society with minors in Sustainability and Ecological Cities! I am passionate about influencing sustainable practices as well as building a stronger human-environmental connection. This internship is an incredible opportunity for me to develop more leadership skills and interact with the Virginia Tech community to spread awareness of sustainable food sources, food waste, sustainable agriculture, food security, and much more. In my free time I enjoy walking/being outside, traveling, and listening to music. I am excited to be working with the food team this year to continue to make a difference on campus and within the Blacksburg community!