Connect with Sustainability
Staff
Ilsa Flanagan
Ilsa Flanagan has been immersed in the field of sustainability for many years. She is the University of Chicago’s founding Director for the Office of Sustainability hired in 2008 after a national search that engaged students, faculty and staff. She is charged with developing a campus-wide plan for making the University more sustainable.
Before joining the University, Ilsa was the first sustainability director at LaSalle Bank/ABN AMRO. There she led the company’s efforts to develop a North American Sustainable Development initiative aligned with its global program. Earlier in her career Ilsa was primarily involved in social issues such as affordable housing, welfare reform and poverty. As head of public policy at United Way of America in Washington, DC she developed the organization’s national public policy agenda and directed government relations activities for the largest non-governmental funder of human services.
Ilsa’s passion is in starting up new programs, so in that sense she very much has an entrepreneurial ethos but with the heart of an anthropologist. She focuses on understanding the culture, location, and history of an organization before designing its sustainability program. She believes that sustainability is best understood in context.
Ilsa holds a law degree from The American University in Washington, DC and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Moravian College.
Colleen Lanier Christensen
Colleen Lanier Christensen joined the University of Chicago as the Sustainability Program Coordinator in September of 2009. She assists the office in integrating sustainability principles and practices into the operational functions of the University. Colleen develops and coordinates initiatives in the areas of waste and recycling, climate, food and dining, as well as procurement. Through the Office’s work, she has the opportunity to collaborate with students, faculty, and staff in promoting sustainability and bringing new initiatives to campus.
Prior to her current position, Colleen was a student at the University of Chicago. She graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a minor in South Asian Languages and Civilizations. While a student, Colleen was an early member of the Sustainability Council, where she developed and facilitated a “Greening Your Office” workshop for staff and faculty. Colleen was also actively involved in the student group Green Campus Initiative.
Colleen has interests across the sustainability field and is passionate about health, believing that a more sustainable world will also lead to healthier people.
Katie Anson
Katie Anson joined the University of Chicago in the summer of 2008 and transitioned to the Office of Sustainability as a Program Coordinator in July of 2010. While Katie was environmentally conscious prior to her work in the Office of Sustainability, this position has afforded her the opportunity to become more directly involved in program development and implementation. She enjoys collaborating with students, faculty, and staff and is passionate about helping others and furthering the mission of the office.
In addition to managing programs such as recycles, the University's bike share program, Katie oversees the areas of alternative transportation, energy, sustainable buildings, and green space.
Katie is a Licensed Professional Counselor and holds a Counseling Psychology degree from Boston College and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Sociology from Ohio University.
Ignacio Tagtachian
Ignacio Tagtachian graduated from the University of Chicago in 2011 with a bachelor of science in environmental sciences and joined the Office as a Sustainability Fellow. His academic interests include sustainability, environmental engineering, and environmental economics. As an intern in the Office of Sustainability, he worked to calculate the greenhouse gas emissions of the University. He currently works on expanding the inventory, as well as other energy-related projects.
In the past, he worked for the Miami Museum of Science and conducted research on the health of many marine ecosystems by analyzing the density of sponge populations. His hobbies include going for walks (regardless of how cold it is), attempting to cook, exploring parts unknown, and learning about plants.
