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 Employees January 2023

Sustainability Director

  • Jen Kleindienst

    Sustainability Director

    284 High Street Room 104

    860-685-3242

    jkleindienst@wesleyan.edu

    Jen Kleindienst 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 works to coordinate sustainability efforts between students, faculty, staff, and administrators, and create new programs to foster sustainable thinking and acting. 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.

Eco Facilitators Coordinators

Two Eco Facilitators (EF) Coordinators lead each EF cohort, comanaging this three-semester program.  They lead a student forum (Inspiring Sustainable Behaviors and Systemic Change) in their first semester and manage EFs and their projects in the second and third semesters.

EF Coordinators 2023-24

  • B Frankenstein '25

    WesThrift Coordinator

  • Matthew Gilbert '25

    WesThrift Coordinator

Eco Facilitators

Eco Facilitators (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.  In this three-semester program, EFs first enroll in a semester-long student forum (Inspiring Sustainable Behaviors and Systemic Change). The following school year, EFs are paid to apply their ideas and to manage physical tasks in their assigned dorm. Working as an Eco Facilitator is a great opportunity to gain leadership skills and take part in building a more sustainable, equitable, and inclusive campus community.  To learn more, email ecofacilitators@wesleyan.edu. 

Eco Facilitators 2023-24

  • Catherine Auerbach '26

  • Aviva Branoff '26

  • Lydia Brutvan '25

  • Dani Eforo '25

  • Margery Fang '26

  • Angela Han '26

  • Maxwell Maveus '26

  • Lyah Muktavaram '26

  • Matt O'Toole '25

  • Lily Robbins '26

  • Matar Rocker '26

  • Lucy Schwalbe '26

  • Sadie Woodruff '26

Data Analyst

  • Mao Kato '24

    WesThrift Employee

Sustainability Coordinators

The Sustainability Coordinators, along with the Waste Not Coordinator, run the Waste Not collection each May and tag sale each fall.  The SCs also collaborate with program houses, woodframes, and campus-wide, managing individual and collective projects that promote sustainability.

  • Aurora Guecia '25

    Abroad Fall 2023

  • Felicity Guevara '24

  • Lily Krug '24

Waste Not Coordinator

The Waste Not Coordinator, along with the Sustainability Coordinators, runs the Waste Not collection each May and tag sale each fall.  

  • Jazmin Alvarez '26

Compost Interns

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

  • Bella Barocas '24

  • Devin Sturtevant '25

  • Dane Thompson '24

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.

  • Tamira Le '26

  • Serena Levingston '24

WesThrift Tailor

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

  • Julia Noriega '24

Sustainability Strategic Plan Ambassadors

Student Sustainability Strategic Plan (SSP) Ambassadors work on SSP education and publicity and/or work with a team of faculty, staff, and students to implement a specific objective. 

  • Dylan Campos '24

  • Maggie Monaghan '24

  • Isaac Moss '25

  • Hannah Podol '25

Sustainability Office Assistants

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

  • Debbra Goh '24

  • Devin Sturtevant '25

    Summer Assistant

  • Annie Volker '24

Data Analysts

Data Analysts Collect and analyze Office data for accountability and marketing and develop graphics and other ways of sharing data publicly.

  • Ishani Dave '24

  • Mao Kato '24