“We’ve created something that has never been done
before, this is definitely sustainability 2.0, and we are
really stretching things.”
What is your role at The Sustainability Consortium (TSC) and how did you get involved?
I handle the administrative functions including finance, HR, contracting, and facilities. I’ve been involved in TSC since we began and immediately prior to that I was doing other sustainability projects with the University of Arkansas.
Has working with TSC been what you imagined it would be, or has it been a different experience?
We’ve created something that has never been done before, this is definitely sustainability 2.0, and we are really stretching things. I have been involved in conservation for many years, and TSC is bringing the approach that a lot of folks know is necessary. We are also bringing it in a unique way, we’re developing useful material, engaging all the stakeholders, and we have figured out how to apply science and improve the environmental and social performance of consumer products.
We have a great culture, and TSC is a great place to work — this is an exciting time to be with The Consortium.
What has been your biggest accomplishment at TSC and what do you think The Consortium’s biggest accomplishment has been?
I see the biggest accomplishment of TSC as having developed and deployed a methodology applicable to all consumer products that is transparent and scalable and that uses science to find hotspots and identify improvement opportunities.
The reason I’m excited about this is that even though I don’t directly contribute to that work, though I used to in some other roles I have held, I get to do the things that make that work possible. I’m really fortunate that the role I have offers a lot of visibility into the different pieces that go together to make the work of TSC happen. I get to see the big picture and occasionally I get to see what’s happening on the ground. Just today during lunch, I was talking to one of our grad students about the Key Performance Indicators (KPI) he’s working on. I got to find out about cool new sustainability indicators that are being written right now, today, that hardly anybody in the world knows about — I just happened to be eating lunch with the right person. I get visibility into a lot of different aspects of our work and that is a lot of fun.
How did you get interested in sustainability?
I’ve been interested in sustainability since before it was called that. My personal passion revolves around conservation issues, management, and opportunities. Shortly before we started The Consortium I was involved in the formation of a regional watershed partnership, a local nonprofit here in Arkansas, called the Illinois River Watershed Partnership. It was a great learning opportunity, and has helped with work I do with The Consortium because it’s utilizes a similar multi-stakeholder approach. It was a great way to learn you really can make progress and do good things by engaging in this multi-stakeholder long term conversation. This model works on smaller levels and it can work on a global level, like with TSC.
What kind of leisure activities do you enjoy outside of work?
I’m really serious about my garden, that’s my leisure activity. I have five raised beds, and a lot of the food we eat in the summer comes from it. I also have a son that’s almost 11 and we do a lot like bike riding, things like that.