Sustainability Council Membership
Leo Brito (Community Representative) Zero Waste Houston
Dr. Houston Brown (Faculty) has a PhD in chemistry from Michigan State University, with a BS in Chemistry from UCLA. We worked in industry for over 30 years. For the last 13 years, he has taught Chemistry at UHD. He feels that sustainability will be embraced by all when the world realizes that carbon was meant to sustain life, not contribute to its demise.
Dr. Anita Chadha (Faculty) is an associate professor of political science in the department of social science. Her passion for sustainability center on our memorial park conservancy here in Houston. The conservancy have meticulously curated a native prairie that includes 2,500 acres includes 900 acres of Texas tallgrass coastal prairie to create an endangered ecosystem in Houston.
Mark Cunningham (Staff, facilities management)
Dr. Omprakash Gupta (Faculity MDCB) is a professor of management. His expertise is in Operations Management. He has been teaching at UHD since 2008.
Dr. Mahmud Hassan (Faculty) is an Assistant Professor teaching engineering and safety management courses in the Computer Science and Engineering Technology (CSET) Department. By profession I am a mechanical and structural engineer. He is passionate about Energy Conservation and Recycling.
Pamela Hurley (Faculty MDCB)
Dr. Katharine Jager (Faculty) is Professor of English at UHD. Her service-learning ENG 1302 core course, "The Ethics of Eating," has paired UHD student volunteers with permaculture community gardens. In spring 2022, her students helped build a rainwater harvesting system for the Avenue Place Community Garden and Orchard.
Dr. Tonya Jeffery (Faculty) is an Assistant Professor of Science Education, Equity, and Social Justice in the Department of Urban Education. As a humane educator, my mission is to: (a) Raise awareness and educate individuals and communities about environmental justice, animal protections, human rights, and racial justice, particularly in communities that are underserved or marginalized; (b) Promote environmental stewardship and sustainability; and (c) Empower people to become active changemakers, so they have agency in local and global issues.
Dr. Lisa Morano (Faculty) is a Professor of Biology and Microbiology and the Director of the UHD Center for Urban Agriculture and Sustainability. She teaches biology and sustainability courses. She is passionate about creating experiential learning opportunities for students so that they may gain the knowledge and skills needed to create more sustainable environments.
Adriana Penabad (Staff, Sustainability Coordinator) is an elected Co-Chair for AY2025 - 26. She is the Center for Urban Agriculture and Sustainability's Sustainability Coordinator, manages student programs, supports students participating in sustainability projects, and fosters collaborative partnerships to engage the campus and community in programs and practices. Adriana is a PennState graduate student studying Renewable Energy. She is passionate about gardening and recycling on campus.
Natacha Poggio (Faculty) Associate Professor of Design, Arts & Communication, CHSS, UHD Prof. Poggio is a Fulbright Scholar, award-winning design educator, TEDx speaker, and social impact advocate. Poggio focuses on designing planet-centered solutions to health, sustainability, and social justice issues.
Dr. Timothy Redl (Faculty, CST) ) is a Professor of Mathematics and Chair of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at UHD, and has served on the faculty at UHD since 2005. He is a self-proclaimed “recycling fanatic” who is very disappointed that there is no recycling pickup at his home out in Rosharon, where he currently resides with his wife and two children.
Steven M. Selzer is currently serving as the Program Director of the City of Houston’s Green Building Resource Center with the responsibility to educate the public about green building both virtually on www.codegreenhouston.org, and at the 3000 sf center in the Houston Permitting Center. He is passionate about conveying sustainable thinking to the public.
Dr. Michelle Silvers (Faculty CHSS) is an Assistant Professor of Special Education in the Department of Urban Education. Her research explores how Universal Design for Learning can be integrated into environmental learning programs to promote accessibility for all learners. Through collaborative partnerships at both local and international levels, Dr. Silvers has developed community gardens and sustainability initiatives that connect education with broader environmental issues, expanding access to hands-on learning and environmental stewardship.
Monica Villarreal (Staff, 3SL Department) is the elected Co-Chair for AY2025-26. She is the Coordinator, Web and Publications for Student Success and Student Life. She's a mother, interdisciplinary artist, organizer, and Danze Azteca dancer. She is the founder of multiple grassroots local organizations Creative Women Unite, Danza Azteca Macuilxochitl, and Xochipilli Collective.
Dr. Yun Wan is a faculty member in Management Information Systems whose current research focuses on generative AI and its organizational implications. His work explores how emerging technologies can drive innovation and improve decision-making, with a particular interest in sustainability from a technological perspective. Dr. Wan’s research on post-disaster recovery following Hurricane Harvey highlights how information systems can support community resilience and sustainable response efforts. Publication: Post-Disaster Recovery Analysis of Hurricane Harvey (2020) – IEEE Xplore.
Eric Zett is the Manager of Environmental Health & Safety, where he oversees environmental health and occupational safety programs and initiatives. He plays a key role in sustainable practices by leading the University's hazardous waste operations ensuring compliance with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.