By Reese Lile (‘28), sustainability staff writer
On Wednesday, March 18, students, faculty, and staff gathered in the Reynolda Hall for the 13th annual Champions of Change Awards ceremony. A record number of 17 awardees were honored for their outstanding contributions to Wake Forest sustainability across seven categories: Embodying the Mission, Activating the Vision, Cultural Catalyst, Emerging Leader, Spark of Change, Everyday Champion, and Enduring Change.
The awards program was co-presented by Dedee DeLongpre Johnston, Vice President for Institutional Sustainability/CSO, and Kim McAllister, Wake Forest’s Vice Provost for Research, Scholarly, Inquiry and Creative Activity. Interim Provost Nell Jessup Newton joined in the presentation of the award plaques.
DeLongpre Johnston began the program by situating the state of sustainability today.
“When we began this awards program in 2014, institutional sustainability was often defined by bold pledges and future promises,” she said. “In the years since, it’s grown beyond the aspirational into a deeply embedded organizational imperative. Sustainability is no longer an add-on; it’s woven into the fabric of our institutions. It’s reflected in the ways we operate, and, most importantly, how we fulfill our educational mission.”
Champions of Change nominations are evaluated based on measurable impact in an area of transformation on Wake Forest’s campuses and measurable impact among constituents across campus or the community served.
This year’s 17 winners worked to advance campus sustainability in various contexts—empowering others to develop actionable targets, delivering place-based experiential learning, and sparking change within student-led efforts on campus.
Two students, Emily Green (‘27) and Olivia Anglin (‘29), were awarded the “Spark of Change” award for their efforts to grow simple ideas into something that has the potential to increase sustainability outcomes across campus culture.
“I think it’s really cool to be nominated and recognized and know that you made a difference,” said Green, who was awarded for her work in establishing a Student Government sustainability subcommittee. “Sometimes sustainability changes happen on such a small level that you don’t always feel the impact until it’s noticed.”
Anglin, a first-year student, was awarded for bringing a plant-forward focus to a longstanding campus tradition: Chris Paul Day. Knowing CP3 is a prominent plant-based nutrition advocate, she secured snack donations from his own plant-based snack food brand to accompany student-led outreach about the role plant-forward diets play in mitigating climate change. The event celebrated how peak athletic performance doesn’t have to be in conflict with climate change solutions.
“Sometimes the spark is so small, but you can feel the effort that you are putting in,” Anglin said. “I think it was great to talk to more people and spread awareness about plant-based eating. I wanted to show [students] that it doesn’t have to be a salad, and that plant-forward dining can be sustainable and beautiful and active.”
Congratulations to all of this year’s awardees.
2026 Champions of Change Award Categories & Winners
Embodying the Mission: Empowers others to lead the sustainability transformation at Wake Forest and in the world.
Wendy Halsey, Associate Vice President for Facilities Operations, Facilities, Real Estate, & Planning
Empowering colleagues in all areas under her purview – waste reduction, energy efficiency, landscaping, and more – to develop best practices and to integrate actionable sustainability targets into their job functions.
Activating the Vision: Integrates sustainability into the academic experience by using the campus as a model for place-based learning
Dr. Ovidiu Csillik, Assistant Professor in Remote Sensing, Environment & Sustainability Studies Program
Collaborating on the creation of a digital map of our campus trees by using LiDAR (Light direction and ranging) technology to scan the campus tree canopy and incorporating field species identification into his First Year Seminar “Technology for Nature Conservation.”
Dr. Sebastián Terneus, Assistant Teaching Professor of Writing, Writing Program
Outstanding work to incorporate sustainability topics into his Writing 111 and Writing 325 courses through experiential learning, working with the Office of Sustainability to introduce students to multiple sustainability learning spaces, and engaging students through creative, hands-on projects inspired by these visits.
Cultural Catalyst: Inspires cultural and behavior change for sustainability progress
Lori Tyson-Jamison, Assistant Director of Wellbeing for Mental Health, Office of Wellbeing
Partnering in the development and re-launch of the Eat With Purpose campaign – education and skill-building to help students build nutrition-focused meals that prioritize personal and environmental wellbeing.
Marian Trattner, Assistant Director of Wellbeing for Health Promotion, Office of Wellbeing
Building ongoing partnerships for environmental wellbeing and incorporating sustainability principles into a wide array of curricular and co-curricular opportunities and events, including the Thrive Collective Impact Coalition, the academic course CNS 253: Peer Education, campus-wide events like Arrive & Thrive, and the pre-orientation program, WakeWell.
Ahlanna Nikole Jackson (‘27)
Connecting environmental and systems thinking with civil, human, and international rights and working to make sustainability accessible for all students through her involvement in Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., the Women’s Center, Student Union, Black Student Alliance, the Office of Sustainability, and beyond.
Spark of Change: Turned a simple idea into something that has the potential to increase sustainability outcomes across campus culture
Emily Green (‘27)
Spearheading the creation of a permanent sustainability subcommittee in Student Government, and using that platform to reduce waste by incentivizing student organizations to invest in reusable items using SBAC funding
Olivia Anglin (‘29)
Demonstrating how peak athletic performance doesn’t have to be in conflict with climate solutions by bringing a plant-forward focus to the WFU Tradition Council’s annual Chris Paul Day celebration
Emerging Leader: Demonstrates exceptional promise and commitment to sustainability at Wake Forest
Crystal Dixon, Associate Professor of the Practice, Environment and Sustainability Studies Program
Connecting her background in public health with environmental issues in her classes, including developing a new course: Environmental Challenges: A Public Health Crisis, among serving in various leadership roles in environment and sustainability organizations both on campus and in the greater community
Everyday Champion: Advances campus sustainability commitments at Wake Forest as part of their everyday work
Lizzy Grandstaff, Lead Horticulturalist, Facilities, Real Estate & Planning Landscaping Services
Advocating for and incorporating perennials and native species in planting beds under her care, providing year-long beauty and enhancing resilience of campus landscapes through soil health.
Meredith Parker, Academic Coordinator, Department of Counseling
Developing plant-forward menus and prioritizing the collection of organic composable materials at every meal for the online Masters of Counseling student residencies, and advocating for fewer single-use materials at Department of Counseling events.
Amy Dixon, Assistant Horticulturalist, Reynolda Gardens
Advancing biodiversity and ecological function on the Reynolda Gardens grounds through responsible land management, habitat preservation, improvement, and stewarding outdoor spaces for learning through her daily efforts. Examples include leading the installation of a native pollinator garden featuring over 500 native species and establishing a certified Monarch Waystation.
Enduring Change: Former champions whose commitments contribute to enduring change in campus sustainability areas for transformation
Brian Smith, Lab Manager, Wake Downtown Campus
Continued advocacy for Green Labs best practices, most recently through advocacy for consistent collection infrastructure for recyclable gloves and pipettes. Originally awarded in 2024 for his commitment to reducing the footprint of lab spaces through operational and behavioral change.
Alan Winker, Facilities, Real Estate, & Planning, Manager of Waste Services
Continued leadership for waste reduction on campus and providing continuity through data collection and tracking. Originally awarded in 2015 for radical waste diversion after establishing the University’s Surplus Property Program in 2011.
Paul Whitener, Associate Director of Digital Fabrication and Maker Education, WakerSpace
Continued promotion of waste reduction principles and practices through creative reuse, repurposing and upcycling almost every kind of material imaginable at WakerSpace. Originally awarded in 2023 for staff leadership.
Quin Wolters, Sustainability Coordinator & Jonathan Burns, Director of Culinary Development for Harvest Table Culinary Group
Updating the campus dining weekly invoice auditing system to perform spend analyses and identify new opportunities to introduce third-party verified products across the supply chain, and empowering chefs at all levels to monitor and track their purchases. Awarded separately, in 2024 and 2025, for leadership and contributions to sustainability in dining.