This fall, the WashU team working on climate change and sustainability has gotten stronger! Cassie Hage was promoted to the new role of Assistant Director of the Office of Sustainability, and two new team members were onboarded to advance climate action at WashU, in the St. Louis region, and in the Midwest.
Learn more about Cassie’s new role and meet Claire Santoro, Climate and Energy Data Analyst, and Marcia McIntyre, Conference Coordinator. Both of the new positions are funded through support from Bloomberg Philanthropies’ generous gift that will help advance regional cross-sector collaboration in mitigating the causes of climate change and moving to a 100% clean-energy economy. This important work is a partnership between the Office of Sustainability, the International Center for Energy, Environment, and Sustainability (InCEES), the WashU Climate Change Program, and Environmental Studies.
Cassie Hage named Assistant Director of the Office of Sustainability
Cassandra (Cassie) Hage has been at WashU since 2014 as the Sustainability Manager for the Office of Sustainability. In this role, she developed the partnership framework for the inter-departmental Energy, Environment, and Sustainability Internship Program; co-designed Engage STL, the three-day orientation program for incoming first-year students (in partnership with the Gephardt Institute and the Center for Diversity and Inclusion); significantly expanded the Green Office Program; and championed a wide-range of waste reduction, recycling and composting initiatives.
In her new role, Cassie will continue to build on the partnerships and programs established over the last four years; develop strategic programs and partnerships to advance sustainable operations and influence campus culture, and mentor staff and student leaders as they pursue initiatives that align with the university’s goals.
“Cassie Hage has provided tremendous leadership and vision for Washington University’s sustainability efforts over the past four years, and I am very excited that she will continue to expand her impact as the Assistant Director of the Office of Sustainability”, said Phil Valko, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Sustainability.
Claire Santoro, Climate & Energy Data Analyst
Claire is the Climate and Energy Data Analyst. In this unique role, she works closely with both WashU and the City of St. Louis to help accelerate energy and carbon reductions through the collection, analysis, and communication of data. Claire’s role focuses on assisting WashU and the City of St. Louis in the activities they are undertaking with the support of Bloomberg Philanthropies and the American Cities Climate Challenge.
Claire has a Master of Science in Natural Resources and Environment from the University of Michigan and undergraduate degrees in Environmental Studies and Economics from Brown University. Prior to joining the team at WashU, she worked as an environmental policy consultant in Boston, providing analytical support to state and federal government agencies to help guide their environmental policies and programs. Claire is also passionate about data visualization and aims to leverage the tools of science communication to drive climate action.
A St. Louis native, Claire spent a number of years living in Boston and most recently Paris, France, but is thrilled to now be able to help advance sustainability in her hometown. In her free time, Claire enjoys running, hiking, and trying to recreate the perfect French croissant. Claire lives in University City with her husband Colin.
“It’s an honor to be joining a team that has already made such progress in advancing sustainability across WashU campus and the City of St. Louis. The climate crisis is one of the most pressing issues of our time, and I am thrilled to be joining a diverse team dedicated to taking cooperative, ambitious action”, said Claire Santoro.
Marcia McIntyre, contracted as the Conference Coordinator
Marcia is the Conference Coordinator; she will be in this role through Fall, 2020. In this role, Marcia will be working with the Summit Steering Committee to coordinate all details and logistics for the 2020 Midwest Collegiate Climate Summit. For the Summit, Marcia will serve as the primary contact for internal campus partners, speakers, and registrants, as well as being the lead contact for the event venues and vendors. She will also be working with both internal and external parties to coordinate cross-sector climate-focused convening in the St. Louis region in the winter and summer of 2020.
Marcia has a Bachelor of Science in Business degree, with a major in Finance. She has been planning conferences and events for over 25 years. Most recently, Marcia worked with Washington University’s Office for Diversity to oversee all conference planning for the 6th Annual Transgender Spectrum Conference, held November 8-9, 2019, at the Brown School of Social Work. In addition, she has been the meeting planner for numerous medical, humanitarian, and educational organizations on conferences ranging in size from 50-28,000 attendees.
Marcia is originally from Chicago, and relocated to St. Louis 20 years ago, with her husband Tim, and their three sons, Kyle, Ben, and Charlie. She is still a Cubs fan! In her free time, Marcia enjoys hiking, yoga, and photography. She lives in the Central West End with her husband Tim, and their golden doodle, Sage.