“A career in sustainability involves wearing a lot of hats,” according to Carla Fresquez, engagement program manager in UC Davis Sustainability, “including progressing UC Davis and the larger University of California sustainability goals surrounding decarbonization and climate resiliency.”

In her role, Fresquez performs  vital work coordinating the Climate Action Fellows, The Green Initiative Fund, or TGIF, and Green Workplace programs and collaborating to widely communicate about the campus’s sustainability efforts and initiatives.

Collaboration defines a lot of work UC Davis Sustainability does according to Fresquez.

“Tackling sustainability issues is complex and challenging and requires partnerships, from operations to academics doing research, to students who have strong priorities and a sense of urgency.” Fresquez said.

These important collaborations also expand beyond the campus with regional partnerships becoming more necessary in addressing the climate crisis Fresquez explained.

Fresquez uses years of experience in her role developing engagement and education opportunities. As a graduate student, Fresquez participated in a program where she worked with high school students creating curriculum that incorporates STEM research.

“That’s what got me interested in a career in education, but I was looking for something beyond the traditional professor or teacher role,” Fresquez said.

Based on this interest, Fresquez worked developing and implementing local and global high-impact education opportunities for undergraduate students at California State University, Monterey Bay. This included ecology research trips to Costa Rica, exploring rainforests, living outdoors, and in the process, developing research acumen and gaining experience for grad school.

Providing students with meaningful opportunities, experiences and knowledge and in return, being surrounded by their refreshing perspectives and passion on climate issues is one of Carla’s favorite parts of her work.

“One thing I've liked about all the positions that I've held is the opportunity to help students understand how to navigate and understand the systems they're living and working in,” Fresquez said. “I like helping students develop navigational capital and skills that they need to get what they want out of their time here at UC Davis and in whatever institutions and settings they find themselves in throughout their personal lives and professional careers.”

In addition to allowing her to continue doing impactful work with students, Fresquez’s position in Sustainability also allows her to work directly on issues of justice that are meaningful to her.

“The environmental justice/social justice element has always been interwoven in my professional career and in this position it’s more explicit in a way that’s very satisfying,” Fresquez said.

Outside of work, Fresquez enjoys time outdoors and  tending to her vegetable garden, which includes “following around [her] two-year-old and making sure she doesn’t eat too many bugs.”