Meet the New Student Board

Kseniya Shelkovskaya

President

Contact: President@sumasa.org

Expected Graduation: May 2014

Academic focus / interest: Cities and Infrastructure; Mobility; Renewable Energy
Born and raised in Belarus, Kseniya moved to New York with her family at the age of 15. After getting her Bachelor degree in Economics from Barnard College, Columbia University, she spent a year in Germany on a Congress Bundestag Youth Exchange Fellowship. After coming back, Kseniya worked in marketing, but the sustainability calling was too strong, so she is back on campus to learn the ins and outs of sustainable business.

Hobbies and outside interest (Inquisitive and explorative by nature, Kseniya has been bitten by the travel bug and channels her curiosity into cultural discoveries, having visited 50+ countries. She has recently discovered (leisurely) biking, and has put in quite a few miles into German roads over the summer. She also loves to Zumba and learn phrases in foreign languages.

Mark Wolf

VP of Finance

Contact: Finance@sumasa.org

Expected Graduation: May 2014

Academic focus / interest: building a set of skills that will enable me to start a third career in the field of sustainability management. I am particularly interested in developing and implementing adaptation and mitigation strategies to improve the long term sustainability of New York City, New York State, the US and the world.

Native New Yorker, married, enjoy engaging with people, ski, swim, roller-skate, walk, read, movie buff, attend Off-Broadway, and always can offer three ideas to help someone figure out how to solve an issue. I am also certified as an Executive Coach. With years of senior leadership responsibility in market research, I have conducted thousands of surveys and hundreds of focus group interviews on a wide variety of topics. I have been on Boards of non-Profits and participated in many community groups over the years. Finally, I really enjoy finding humor in almost any situation. I have previously worked as a market researcher and before that a social worker in a variety of settings – City Government, Advertising, Wireless Communications, Automotive Performance Chemicals, Insurance and Financial Services.

Martin Garcia Urtiaga Cortina

Academic Affairs

Contact: academic-affairs@sumasa.org

Expected Graduation: May 2014

Academic focus / interest: Energy Industry, energy efficiency, renewable energies, green building, urbanism and ecotourism.

I was born and raised in Mexico City, I moved to the United States three years ago. My student background consist of an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Electrical Engineering, a certificate program in Sustainable Design and Construction, several workshops at the Solar Living Institute and at a sustainable cooperative Las Cañadas, and I’m a LEED AP BD+C. My professional background is diverse and ranges from webpage development, internet sales, art promotion and green building. In my journey for sustainability it’s worth highlighting that I was responsible for the management of Starbucks LEED certification program for all new company-owned stores in Latin America for two years and that I participated in the construction of an Earthship on the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico.

Hobbies and outside interest: I like adventures, all sorts of sports, learning and a good challenge. If I could change careers, I would either be a magician or a treasure hunter. I enjoy life!

Chang Liu

CO-VP of Communications

Contact: Comm@sumasa.org

Expected Graduation – December 2013

Academic focus / interest Energy Efficiency/Renewables – Buildings

Short background info – I was born in China, moved here when I was little. I lived on the cape for 7 years. I went to a boarding school for high school outside of Boston and then Lehigh University for my undergrad. I studied renewable energy engineering and environmental science with a minor in business. After graduating, I started my Master’s at Columbia for Sustainability Management. At first I was not sure what kind of sustainability I want to get into, and this program helped me find my interest in energy efficiency in the buildings.

Hobbies and outside interest – I played the violin since I was 10 and also started trying to learn the guitar. I love karaoke! I enjoy eating a variety of foods and willing to try new kinds of food but my favorite type is Asian food. I have to eat rice at least 3 times a week. I also love avocado, grapefruit, cherries, smoothies and frozen yogurt. I would love to travel in the future and visit a variety of places especially Europe.

Che Flowers

CO-VP of Communications

Contact: comm@sumasa.org

Expected Graduation: May 2015

Academic focus / interest: Sustainable operations, environmental metrics and analysis, and digital products.

I’ve been a New York City resident of 6 years. Prior to living in NYC I taught English in Thailand and South Africa. I’m originally from New Jersey but was born in Brooklyn. My academic background includes a dual bachelor in Political Science and Philosophy from Rutgers University. My work experience includes administrative and operations work for a large international conservation form. And I’m currently an eBook developer for a publishing firm.

My hobbies include yoga and meditation. As a budding audiophile, I have an extensive house music collection. When I’m not in school, I’m also an avid fiction reader.

Leslie A. Faulkner

Vice President of Community Outreach

Contact: community_outreach@sumasa.org

Expected Graduation: May 2014

Academic focus / interest: Resource Conservation, Waste Reduction

Short background info: Leslie A. Faulkner has lived in New York City for the past 8 years, where she has worked in a variety of industries. Before beginning her MSSM degree, Mrs. Faulkner studied Biology and Spanish at CUNY. Prior to NYC, she lived in Austin, Texas where she received her BA in Ancient History and Classical Civilization from The University of Texas. Through her academic studies and growing up in rural east Texas, Leslie possesses firsthand understanding of the need for resource conservation and waste reduction across the local to global scale.

Hobbies and outside interest: Travel, exploring, cycling, snorkeling, running, film, music, photography, and the great outdoors.