The CEJS Team

Yolanda joined Seattle University in 2015 where she serves as Associate Director of sustainability. In this role, she collaborates with faculty, staff, students, and external stakeholders to plan, assess, and improve SU’s climate action and sustainability performance. She is the recipient of the 2018 Seattle University Lee Thurber Outstanding Staff Award. Since 2022, Yolanda serves as co-chair of Seattle University's Laudato Si Action Platform (LSAP).

Professor Hayes (Chair, Department of Public Affairs and Nonprofit Leadership; Director, Environmental Studies program) is the 2024-2025 Provost Fellow for the Center for Environmental Justice and Sustainability. In this role, she will work in partnership with faculty and staff from across the University to think about ways to expand SU’s sustainability and environmental justice teaching, scholarship, and service, both on campus and via community partnerships in our region and beyond.

Frances is a third year Civil Engineering major with an environmental specialization, and a Humanitarian Engineering minor. She is from Minneapolis, MN, and one of her favorite outdoor places is the Boundary Waters in MN. This year, as part of her role at CEJS , Frances will serve as the Sustainability Delegate for SGSU. She is looking forward to doing some more hiking in the PNW this year.

Kyrie is a third-year Environmental Studies major, specializing in Urban Sustainability, with a minor in Environmental Science. This year, she will be working at CEJS as the Research and Program Assistant, aiding with current and future sustainability projects. She's from Maui, Hawai'i, where she enjoys playing with her dogs, cooking, and exploring nature.

Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, nature has always been her sanctuary—whether backpacking the Cascades, snowboarding Mt. Hood, or paddling Oregon’s rivers. These experiences shaped her identity and sparked a deep responsibility to protect the wild places that raised her. What began as a “leave no trace” ethic became a lifelong commitment. Now, as an Environmental Studies and Biology student, environmental justice and sustainability guides all she does.