Office of Sustainability Staff
Green Team 2021-2022
Avi Henn, Manager of Sustainability
Avi was born and raised in Israel where he was deeply influenced by environmental damage his hometown experienced from heavy industrialization and poor planning. He became interested in sustainability, climate mitigation, and wildland preservation and traveled to the United States in 2001 to obtain his higher education. His most recent degree was with NAU at the Climate Science and Solutions (CSS) program. Avi has over 20 years of experience and has been involved with sustainability at NAU and in Flagstaff for over ten years. He is excited to help NAU become a leader in all aspects of sustainability and to advance our institution’s carbon neutrality.
Taryn Bell, Conservation Manager
Taryn is a 4+1 candidate at NAU pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science with an emphasis in policy and a Master of Science in Climate Science and Solutions. Growing up in Phoenix, one of the least sustainable cities in the World, provided them with an attentiveness to both the local and global environment from an early age. Taryn’s strong belief in direct action drives their passion for working with the Office of Sustainability to improve sustainability efforts in the Flagstaff community. In their free time they can be found reading or experimenting in the kitchen.
Iris Wu, Environmental Caucus Manager
Iris is a graduate student in the Climate Science and Solutions
, M.S. program here at NAU. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of California, Santa Barbara, receiving a B.S. in Physical Geography. During her time at UCSB, she gathered a wealth of knowledge in atmospheric science, oceanography, and climate systems, prompting her to apply for the CSS program. Iris enjoys running, biking, cloud-watching, petting her dog, and wearing her dino shirts in her free time.
Conservation Aide, Sophia Swainson
Sophia is a third-year journalism major with a double minor in environmental communication and communication studies. She discovered her passions for environmental and social sustainability after becoming a member of Flagstaff’s community and having her world expanded by perspectives she’d never been exposed to before. Her love for Mother Earth and the people in her community motivates her to strive to normalize sustainable practices through volunteer work and activism both on-campus and off-campus. When she’s not in class or working to institutionalize sustainable projects at NAU for the Office of Sustainability, you can find her hammocking, gardening, or hiking.
Sydney Wilson, Green Labs Coordinator
Sydney is a junior Environmental Engineering major at NAU. Her interest in sustainability began in high school when her family moved to South Korea. She witnessed the impact poor environmental regulations have on a community when the actions of people are left unchecked. Sydney is passionate about public outreach and education on the importance of sustainability in our everyday lives. In her free time, Sydney likes to watch a good sitcom, hike, swim, or complete a D.I.Y project.
Sydney Rittershaus, SSLUG Garden Coordinator
Sydney is an undergraduate student studying Geographic Science and Community Planning. She is passionate about environmental sustainability, regenerative agriculture, and food sovereignty. Through her work in the SSLUG Garden, Sydney is able to provide a space where students and faculty alike grow organic food together to learn about the principles and approaches of sustainable food production. She is an active volunteer throughout the Flagstaff community and enjoys exploring the outdoors.