Sustainability Staff
Cecil Scheib
Chief Sustainability Officer
cecil@nyu.edu
Cecil has been NYU's Chief Sustainability Officer since 2018. Cecil formerly served as Chief Program Officer at Urban Green Council and the Managing Director of the Building Resiliency Task Force for the City of New York. As Director of Energy and Sustainability at NYU from 2007 to 2012, Cecil was intimately involved in guiding NYU towards environmental excellence, leading efforts related to the co-gen plant, the Green Grants Program, 30% emissions reductions, greater solid waste diversion rates, weaving sustainability into our procurement, and drafting NYU's Climate Action Plan. Cecil founded the eco-village Dancing Rabbit; is a New York State licensed professional engineer; and is a Certified Energy Manager and LEED Accredited Professional. He serves on the Board of Directors of Urban Green Council. He earned a BS in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Stanford University.
Dianne Anderson
Director, Office of Sustainability
dianne.anderson@nyu.edu
Dianne is the Director of Sustainability. Her team runs a variety of programs that empower and guide the NYU community to enact and embrace sustainability practices and behaviors. Dianne joined NYU in 2007 and developed a coherent, campus-wide sustainability program. Prior to NYU Dianne worked in County-level government in California developing and implementing energy and waste management polices for new construction while retrofitting County buildings for energy efficiency. Dianne holds a Master of Public Administration from NYU Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies from San Jose State University. She is a LEED Green Associate and Certified Energy Auditor.
Jauna Vitale
Assistant Director, Office of Sustainability
jauna@nyu.edu
Jauna is the Assistant Director of Sustainability, supporting the team in achieving sustainability goals across NYU campuses. Before joining NYU, Jauna worked for the Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation on multiple projects including leading project management for the PACT NYCHA renovation portfolio and developing food equity programming. She also worked on recycling and organics outreach programming for the NYC Department of Sanitation and developing green building operations and waste management training out of LaGuardia Community College for the Research Foundation at CUNY. Jauna earned an MS in Environmental Technology following a BS in Interdisciplinary Studies from the New York Institute of Technology.
Qahtan Al-Jammali
Manager, Office of Sustainability
qahtan@nyu.edu
Qahtan came to NYU from the City’s government, where he piloted groundbreaking technologies in City facilities. Prior to that, he researched sea level rise at the United States Geological Survey in Woods Hole, and was an energy engineer at the CUNY Building Performance Lab. A decade ago, Qahtan interned in Munich, Germany, where he designed photovoltaic fields on decommissioned WWII air bases. Qahtan holds a B.Sc. in Energy Engineering, a M.Sc. in Earth Systems and Environmental Engineering, and is pursuing a second M.Sc. in Computer Science. Qahtan contributes to the team by managing numerous projects, including a study aiming to end fossil fuel burning in NYU’s power plant, as well as Energy studies, LEED reviews, and assisting NYUIT in reducing its carbon footprint. Qahtan is also responsible for greenhouse gas emissions inventory management, cool food accounting, and scope three emissions calculations.
Stephanie Margolis
Manager, Office of Sustainability
sjm432@nyu.edu
Stephanie is a Sustainability Manager, helping NYU achieve its carbon neutrality and sustainability goals. A city planner by trade, she has a wealth of knowledge and experience working within the energy efficiency field both nationally and in New York City. Prior to joining NYU, Stephanie worked with New York’s real estate industry to lower carbon emissions from buildings, cities throughout the US to craft sustainable urban redevelopment policies and strategies, and EPA’s ENERGY STAR program. She holds a Master of Urban Planning from the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Policy from Hamilton College.
Jane O'Mahony
Administrative Aide, Office of Sustainability
jane.omahony@nyu.edu
Jane O’Mahony is the Office Administrator, providing administrative support for all of the Office programs. She oversees the Office’s financial and HR related matters, in addition to contributing to any event planning and scheduling. Jane joined NYU in 2004 and previously worked with the Facilities & Construction Management and Energy Engineering teams. Her studies include Liberal Arts, Horticulture and Horticulture Therapy.
Joann Lee
Assistant Manager, Office of Sustainability
joannlee@nyu.edu
Joann supports the Office in organizing events, developing student engagement initiatives, and coordinating the Green Grants program. Born and raised in New York City, she is passionate about sustainable urban dwelling through education and design. Her previous work includes green roof research and construction with NYC Parks and outreach for the DSNY organics collection program. She holds a BFA in Photography and Imaging from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts and is pursuing a Master of Urban Planning degree from NYU Wagner.
Alisson Vera
Program Administrator, Office of Sustainability
av3381@nyu.edu
Alisson is a Program Administrator, supporting the Office in organizing and implementing programs and initiatives to support NYU’s sustainability and social justice goals. They're passionate about environmental justice, communications, and public outreach. Before joining NYU, Alisson worked with the National Park Service as a Communications Fellow in their Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance program and as an Interpretive Intern at Wind Cave National Park. She earned a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Stony Brook University.
Sarah Rizvi
Student Engagement Coordinator, Office of Sustainability
smr8926@nyu.edu
Sarah is one of the Student Engagement Coordinators and a GLS senior concentrating in Sustainability, Health, & the Environment. She supports the Office's event planning initiatives and is interested in using data analytics to tackle sustainability issues across NYU campuses. Prior to joining the team, she worked with a climate data scientist at the CSIC in Spain.
Maggie Huang
Student Engagement Coordinator, Office of Sustainability
mh5919@nyu.edu
Maggie is a Student Engagement Coordinator, where she supports the office by providing opportunities for students to get involved with NYU’s sustainability initiatives, clubs, and programs. Her upbringing in Brooklyn and prior internship experience at the NYC Council and NYC Department of Transportation have inspired her to pursue a career in urban planning and public service. Her main interests lie in environmental sustainability, land use, and waste education. She is currently a senior studying Sustainable Urban Environments at Tandon with a minor in Social and Public Policy at Wagner.
Ethan Davis
Student Engagement Coordinator, Office of Sustainability
ewd3419@nyu.edu
Ethan is a Student Engagement Coordinator and is responsible for coordinating opportunities for students to get involved in sustainability programs, events, and groups at NYU. He is a senior concentrating in Sustainability, Health, and the Environment through the Global Liberal Studies Program. He plans to incorporate his studies through a senior thesis centered around the implementation of sustainable agricultural practices within urban spaces.
Fiona Kao
Communications Coordinator, Office of Sustainability
wk2223@nyu.edu
Fiona is the Communications Coordinator. Currently pursuing a B.S. in Environmental Studies and Data Science, Fiona is passionate about human-centered design, urban farming, and embracing a sustainable lifestyle. She was previously a Student Ambassador for 2040 Now and a Business Strategy and Marketing Intern at WTH Food, a plant-based meat startup. Committed to social and environmental initiatives, Fiona also serves as a Changemaker Fellow at NYU and holds the position of Conference Branding and Marketing Chair for Undergraduate Stern Women in Business.