Aadya Joshi is a junior at Stanford University from Mumbai, India. Through her cleaning and greening of a dump yard at her local police station, Aadya actively acquired knowledge on the importance of native plants, recognizing their ability to “bring nature home”. Empowered by her research and experience, she founded The Right Green, a passionate non-profit organization that conducts workshops for youth and aims to build a comprehensive database of plant-insect feeding relationships for the Indian subcontinent to spread awareness and spur action towards planting natives and bringing our butterflies, insects and birds back to their cities.
Archives: People
Colin O’Brien
Colin is a deputy managing attorney at the San Francisco location of the California EarthJustice regional office where he has worked since 2015, an indisputably impressive nonprofit environmental law organization that has successfully secured major environmental wins through the power of law and partnership. Prior to this, Colin led an impressive law career focused on earth advocacy in New York and Alaska, the latter where he was recognized as “Conservationist of the Year” in 2013 by the Northern Alaska Environmental Center for his work to protect air quality in the Arctic and in Fairbanks Alaska, and where he skillfully litigated to secure protection for the endangered Steller sea lions and the rich ocean ecosystem North Pacific. More recently, his work has been focused on protecting communities from harmful oil and gas developments. Colin received a bachelor’s degree in political science summa cum laude from The Ohio State University and is also a graduate of Yale Law School (J.D.) and the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies (Master of Environmental Management).
Natalia Murales
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.
Valentín Cárdenas Alcocer
Valentín is a passionate nature enthusiast with a love for gardens, home cooking, and food. He is dedicated to developing projects centered on nature-based solutions, entrepreneurship, and social innovation. Valentín believes in the power of collaboration and research to create a better future, envisioning projects that positively impact communities. Since starting university, he has embraced new learning opportunities and developed innovative project ideas. During high school, he launched an artisanal sauce brand, Salsas K’uut, which continues to provide him with learning and growth opportunities. Valentín was a PGC Finalist in 2022.
Emily Yellen
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
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!
Ashley Xu
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.
Yael Ochoa
Yael is a freshman at Rice University in Houston, Texas. With a longstanding interest in environmental activism, she deepened her passion as a Project Green Challenge finalist in 2022. A dedicated baker, Yael follows FLOSN (Fresh, Local, Organic, Seasonal, Non-GMO) guidelines to create high-quality, environmentally friendly desserts. She finds joy in walking to connect with her surroundings and often sits in parks to appreciate nature. Her interests include supporting fair trade companies, minimizing food waste, and buying locally.
Linnea Lyons
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.
Aniket Aich
Aniket is a sustainability enthusiast with a background in food and education. Aniket started out working as a field researcher working with farmers on different agriculture projects. He has worked as a high school teacher teaching Math and Science in an underserved community in New Delhi. After briefly working as a program manager for Pratham, one of the largest NGOs in India, Aniket decided to get his master’s in development economics along with a graduate certificate in food systems. Aniket co-facilitated the Plant Futures Challenge Lab on Food Systems at the Haas School of Business, exploring the intersection of education and food systems. As a consultant, Aniket has worked with organic farms to develop sustainability metrics and programming strategies. In his free time, he loves to cook elaborate dinners.
