Program Staff

Staff, students, administrators and faculty throughout the university are actively working on sustainability research and implementation. Stanford’s Sustainability Program steers, connects, supports and streamlines that work with a dedicated three-person professional staff. Please contact them if you have questions or suggestions related to the campus-wide effort.

what we do

The Department of Sustainability and Energy Management (SEM) leads the initiative to advance sustainability in campus operations and oversees campus utilities and transportation services. This work includes developing strategic long-term goals for energy use, greenhouse gas emissions reduction, water use, waste reduction, green building and transportation, as well as developing and administering a communications and community relations program to support the initiative and an evaluation and reporting program to monitor its effectiveness.

SEM also provides long-range planning for campus utilities and transportation needs and carries out those plans through capital improvements to campus infrastructure; procurement of gas, electricity, water and sewerage services from external entities; and operation of campus utility and transportation systems on a day-to-day basis.

who we are

Joseph Stagner

Joseph Stagner

Executive Director,
Sustainability and Energy Management

jstagner@stanford.edu | (650) 721-1888

Joe leads the SEM department, which includes 86 staff members in Utilities, Parking and Transportation Services, and the Office of Sustainability. He chairs the Sustainability Working Group and leads the university’s long range sustainability infrastructure planning and implementation.

Fahmida Ahmed

Fahmida Ahmed

Manager, Sustainability Programs/Office of Sustainability

fahmida@stanford.edu | (650) 721-1518

Fahmida co-chairs the Sustainability Working Group, connects the Sustainability Working Teams, coordinates implementation of sustainability projects, supports Stanford’s long term climate and infrastructure planning, and manages the office’s communications and community relations programs.

Elsa Baez

Elsa Baez

Staff Assistant

elsab@bonair.stanford.edu | (650) 721-6530

Elsa supports overall SEM activities. She also coordinates Office of Sustainability’s events, the Cardinal Green newsletter, and website maintenance.

“Sustainability must become a core value in everything we do. As a community we are committed to developing our core campus in a sustainable fashion that preserves what we cherish, that demonstrates leadership in the university’s commitment to be a good environmental steward and that safeguards the ability for future generations to thrive at Stanford.”
— John L. Hennessy
President, Stanford University
Targeted policies and practices—as well as individual, everyday actions—are essential to realizing our vision of a sustainable Stanford.
The Sustainability Working Group advises the president and provost and prepares policy and program recommendations.
The Sustainability and Energy Management Department leads the initiative to advance sustainability in campus operations.