Valentín Cárdenas Alcocer
Junior, Anahuac Mayab University, PGC 2022 Finalist
Linnea Lyons
Turning Green Intern
Emeline Myung
Junior, UC Berkeley, PGC 2019 Finalist
Will Funk
Project Manager, Turning Green
Gabriela Nahm
Senior, Davidson College, Turning Green Fellow
ISAAC AGUILAR
Project Coordinator at UCLA Ordway Lab, PGC 2017 Finalist
Kat Nguyen
Sophomore, UC Berkeley, PGC 2020 Finalist
Natalia Murales
Senior, Universidad Anahuac Mayab
Yael Ochoa
Senior, Pine Crest High School, PGC 2022 Finalist
Vincent Kreft
Senior, Bloomington High School North, PGC 2021 Finalist
TRACEY WINGATE
PGC 2015 Finalist
New York, New York
Ashley Xu
University of Texas Austin, Austin, Texas
Emily Yellen
Turning Green Intern
Olivia Zhang
Freshman, University of Florida, Turning Green Intern

Valentín Cárdenas Alcocer

Junior, Anahuac Mayab University, PGC 2022 Finalist

Valentín Cárdenas Alcocer is a University student from Mexico studying at Anahuac Mayab University in Mérida, Yucatán. Determined to provide solutions to environmental problems, Valentín studies Environmental Engineering at his university. His vision is to create solutions based on nature, looking at how to take advantage of the resources that each individual can provide. And he is faithfully committed to promoting the best practices and solutions that can be applied. In 2022, Valentín became a Project Green Challenge finalist where he worked on a project to create a sustainability lab at his university centered around Indigenous ecological knowledge.

Linnea Lyons

Turning Green Intern

Linnea is a recent graduate from Belmont University where she studied Biology, Ecology, and Biodiversity and minored in Environmental Science. She has previously held positions as a naturalist and environmental educator at a nature center and as a citizen science data and GIS researcher. She also served on Team Belmont Eco Club, who became the champion of Turning Green’s 2022 Project Green Challenge by designing and implementing an environmental justice curriculum into Belmont’s Frist College of Medicine. In her spare time, Linnea is the co-author of a fantasy/fiction book series and a musician. She is overjoyed to work with Turning Green and to use her passions in environmental work, education, and creative writing to inspire others to become stewards to our Earth.

Emeline Myung

Junior, UC Berkeley, PGC 2019 Finalist

Emeline is a third year student at UC Berkeley, studying Society and the Environment and Gender and Women Studies. She deeply believes that we are all part of nature, and therefore endeavors for the liberation of the environment, animals, and humans and is committed to learning from the invaluable lessons of flora, fauna and ecosystems. Her journey of activism was kickstarted as a Project Green Challenge 2019 finalist, and she continues to foster her inspiration with Turning Green, now excitedly returning for her fourth year as an ambassador.

Will Funk

Project Manager, Turning Green

Will is a Project Manager at Turning Green and works primarily on the Conscious Campus side of Turning Green with a focus on program leadership, fundraising and conducting grant research for the organization. He graduated from Colorado College in 2022 where he studied History, Environmental Issues, and Spanish. He became a lead intern with Turning Green during his first summer out of college, where he helped write and edit Project Green Challenge’s overviews and challenges. Will entered Turning Green’s Fellowship program in September of 2022 and continued to help run Project Green Challenge as well as the PGC Campus Representatives program. He currently volunteers with the Environmental Peacebuilding Association in his free time.

Gabriela Nahm

Senior, Davidson College, Turning Green Fellow

Gabriela is a senior environmental studies major at Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina. Her semester abroad in Argentina cultivated her interest in sustainable and equitable food systems. She is a passionate, curious, and empathetic individual who cares deeply about building stronger relationships with her communities, the planet, and herself. She is the president of the Davidson College Sunrise Movement Hub and a dedicated volunteer at the local community garden. As she prepares to graduate next spring, she is excited at the limitless opportunities to explore her passions and build her capacities as a leader and an activist. She is eternally grateful for her two-year journey with Turning Green that has truly transformed her into the person she is today. Wherever she can, she loves reading, connecting with people in coffee shops, and discovering new pockets of the world.

ISAAC AGUILAR

Project Coordinator at UCLA Ordway Lab, PGC 2017 Finalist

Isaac Aguilar (he/they) joined the Turning Green community as a 2017 Project Green Challenge finalist where they nurtured a passion for sustainability and conservation. Isaac studied Biology and Natural Resource Management at UC Berkeley where they completed a senior thesis project monitoring biodiversity in Jalisco, México. After graduating in 2022, Isaac moved back home to San Diego to work on an invasive species management project on the California Channel Islands. Recently, Isaac joined the UCLA Ordway lab as a project coordinator for a terrestrial ecology scoping campaign in the tropics. Isaac has a demonstrated commitment to collaborative and engaging research, education, and science communication that they aspire to apply towards higher education and contribute towards conserving global biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Kat Nguyen

Sophomore, UC Berkeley, PGC 2020 Finalist

Kat is studying Data Science and GIS. She became involved with Turning Green in 2020 as a PGC Finalist, where she completed a climate action project focused on cafeteria sustainability, hydroponics, composting, gardening, and a circular economy. Since then, she has continued her involvement with Turning Green as a Summer Intern, Campus Rep, PGC Challenge reader, and is excited to be an Ambassador for the second year. During her free time, she enjoys doing yoga, creating Spotify playlists, and going on long hikes.

Natalia Murales

Senior, Universidad Anahuac Mayab

Natalia is a passionate and dedicated Environmental Engineering student at Anahuac Mayab University, driven by her profound love for nature. Growing up surrounded by lush greenery, Natalia developed a deep appreciation for the environment and its intricate workings. Her unwavering commitment to preserving and protecting the natural world fuels her studies and pursuits. Natalia’s educational journey combines her technical skills with a profound sense of responsibility towards sustainable practices. With her unwavering dedication and profound knowledge of environmental issues, Natalia aspires to make a positive impact on the planet, working towards a greener and more sustainable future for all.

Yael Ochoa

Senior, Pine Crest High School, PGC 2022 Finalist

Yael is a senior in high school and was a PGC finalist last year. PGC opened her eyes to things like the importance of buying local, supporting fair trade companies, and combatting unnecessary food waste. Because of PGC, Yael now understands the essential role that activism plays in fostering a well-rounded education. Since participating in PGC, Yael has continued to explore topics like recycling in her own community with hopes of implementing meaningful change.

Vincent Kreft

Senior, Bloomington High School North, PGC 2021 Finalist

Vincent is a freshman at UC Berkeley, majoring in chemistry. He is a science-passionate, hard-working, collaborative student intrigued by the chemical processes of the body. He is also an environmental enthusiast who understands that planetary health and human health are interrelated, and his long-term goal is to conduct medical research that answers questions at that intersection. He currently enjoys living in Berkeley’s Global Environmental Theme House, volunteering as an EMT through the Berkeley Medical Reserve Corps, and contributing to the Berkeley American Chemical Society. Vincent was the second-place winner of Project Green Challenge 2021.

TRACEY WINGATE

PGC 2015 Finalist New York, New York

Tracey graduated from Skidmore College in 2018 with a BA in Environmental Studies and a minor in Intergroup Relations. At Skidmore, she developed a passion for sustainable agriculture and believes strongly that everyone deserves access to healthy food. After studying food systems in Cuba, Alaska, and New York, Tracey completed an AmeriCorps service term with a food access organization in North Central Massachusetts. Currently, she is working at the Package Free Shop and interning at Slow Food USA in New York City.

Ashley Xu

University of Texas Austin, Austin, Texas

Ashley is a college Sophomore at UT Austin in Texas. She is majoring in Architecture/Architectural Engineering and is very passionate about sustainability and affordable housing. She is really interested in environmental justice and changing the lifestyle of low-income families. She hopes to one day start her own company. Ashley was a PGC Finalist in 2022. 

 

Emily Yellen

Turning Green Intern

Emily is a recent graduate of Towson University where she studied Political Science and Sociology as a member of the Honors College. Her hands-on experiential service learning and thought-provoking research developed her literacy in international relations, civic cooperation, social institutions and behaviors, and equitable education. Her minor in Sociology inspires her to mobilize social change using strategic tools among like-minded, localized populations. She is thrilled to apply this perspective in her work with Turning Green while engaging with climate-passionate students within their own communities by providing knowledge of sustainability and collective action. Being from Long Island, New York, Emily loves spending time at the beach during any season. In her free time she enjoys crocheting gifts for her friends, and is proud to be creative-minded, eclectic, and kind.

Olivia Zhang

Freshman, University of Florida, Turning Green Intern

Olivia grew up in South Florida where she found her passion for climate justice and civic engagement. She hopes to apply her studies in geography, data science, and environmental justice & policy to support community-centered initiatives through research and storytelling. As an artist, Olivia embraces creativity in everything she does, from designing posters to making maps and visualizations from data. She is excited to learn and grow as an intern with Turning Green!