Jen Kleindienst, Sustainability Director

284 High Street, Room 104
Middletown, CT 06457
jkleindienst@wesleyan.edu
860-685-3242

Meet the Sustainability Office

Launched in 2012, the Wesleyan Sustainability Office demonstrates the University's commitment to promoting holistic sustainability.  Meet past Office employees on the alumni page.

Sustainability Office Students January 2024

Sustainability Director

  • Jen Kleindienst

    Sustainability Director

    284 High Street Room 104

    860-685-3242

    jkleindienst@wesleyan.edu

    Jen Kleindienst (she/her) began as Wesleyan's first Sustainability Coordinator in 2012 and became Sustainability Director in 2015. Jen is passionate about building a more sustainable world and loves putting ideas into action with Wesleyan and Middletown communities. She oversees Wesleyan’s sustainability strategic planning, which focuses on achieving carbon neutrality, preparing students to become environmental and social leaders, and integrating holistic sustainability into everything that Wesleyan does.  Jen leads a team of 30 students and collaborates with campus and community to turn challenging goals into reality and make change. Before coming to Wesleyan, Jen worked in the sustainability offices at Tufts University, St. Michael's College, and MIT. Jen holds an M.S. in Environmental Studies from Antioch University New England and a B.A. from Hamilton College.

    Learn more about Jen at her Gordon Career Center page.

Environmental Fellows Coordinators

Two Environmental Fellows (EF) Coordinators lead fellow students in this minimum three-semester program.  They manage rising EF apprentices in their first semester and manage EFs and their projects in the second and third semesters.

  • Lydia Brutvan '25

  • Lily Robbins '26

Environmental Fellows

Environmental Fellows (EFs) are a group of students who provide students with the tools, education, and encouragement necessary to develop sustainable living practices, as well to encourage a sense of environmental consciousness and social responsibility. Working as an EF is a great opportunity to gain leadership skills and take part in building a more sustainable, equitable, and inclusive campus community. 

  • Arlette Aguilera '25

  • Catherine Auerbach '26

  • Nell Brayton '27

  • Macie Carlos '27

  • Asper Cisse '28

  • Akram Elkouraichi '27

  • Margery Fang '26

  • Matthew Gilbert '25

  • Ginevra Gilmore '27

  • Brynn Heller '27

  • Rory Joslin '28

  • Sasha Lovell '28

  • Bianca Morales '28

  • Lyah Muktavaram '26

  • Aishlinn Parrinello '27

  • Sage Saada Saar '26

  • Elias Schock '28

  • Lucy Schwalbe '26

  • Thalia Witkovsky '27

Waste Not/WesThrift Coordinators

The Waste Not/WesThrift Coordinator, run the Waste Not collection each May and tag sale each fall and the WesThrift free store throughout the academic year.

  • B Frankenstein '25

    Waste Not/WesThrift Coordinator

  • Alexa Anderson '28

    Waste Not/WesThrift Coordinator

  • Daniel Coxson '27

    Waste Not Coordinator

  • Providence Mugisha '28

    Waste Not Coordinator

  • Jazmin Alvarez '26 (abroad Spring 2025)

Compost Interns

Compost Interns manage Wesleyan's residential composting program and food waste reduction programs in dining halls and residences.

  • Olivia Benton '25

  • Julia Chadwick '28

  • Ethan Lee '26

  • Matar Rocker '26

  • Devin Sturtevant '25

  • Rachel Walker '27

  • Iris Zhan '27

Sustainable Middletown Interns

The Sustainable Middletown Interns coordinate with City of Middletown employees and volunteers to identify and implement projects to support Middletown's sustainability efforts.

  • Laine Gorman '25

  • Tamira Le '26

  • Shekinah Mba '26 (abroad Spring 2025)

Sew What Coordinators

The WesThrift free thrift store is run entirely by students, offering shopping hours each week, as well as free tailoring and tailoring workshops. 

  • Coleman Hamilton '27

  • Shayna Klaidman '27

  • Eden Porter '27

Sustainability Strategic Plan Ambassadors

Student Sustainability Strategic Plan (SSP) Ambassadors work on education, outreach, and support efforts relating to a particular aspect of the SSP. 

  • Michael Minars '25

    Focus area: sustainable careers

  • Isaac Moss '25

    Focus area: invasive plant management

  • Gad Nkurunziza '27

    Focus area: sustainable careers

  • Alex Potts '27

    Focus area: publicity

  • Elanora Smith '27

    Focus area: invasive plant management

  • Ava Symons '26

    Focus area: transportation

Sustainability Office Coordinators

The Office Coordinators work on a variety of projects including those related to strategic planning, marketing, and general office assistance.

  • B Frankenstein '25

  • Natalie Sweet '25

Data Analyst

The Data Analyst is an Environmental Fellows who collects and analyzes Office data for accountability and marketing and develops graphics and other ways of sharing data publicly.

  • Angela Han '26