Office of Sustainability Staff

Katelyn Galyen is the Sustainability Program Coordinator and alumni of Messiah's Sustainability Studies program. Her passion for sustainability comes from her thrifty New England roots and Christian faith. She has spent much of her time in a garden and gets excited about facilitating spaces where people can access, learn about, and connect with the outdoors. Katelyn is excited to be a part of a team with enthusiastic students in their efforts to protect the earth and make a healthier future for Messiah's campus.

Maggie Stauder is a senior Sustainability Studies major with a concentration in Conservation and Agriculture and a minor in Business Administration. As the Engagement Coordinator for the Office of Sustainability, she organizes events such as Sustain-A-Fest in the fall, a chapel series, and other student outreach activities and events. Outside of the Office, she also works in the Murray Library, cares for the Biology Department greenhouse, and is the president of Messiah Earthkeepers. Maggie loves reptiles and amphibians and has a small collection that includes frogs, lizards, and turtles. You’ll catch her at any local reptile expo! She hopes to work in wildlife conservation after college and strives to be an overall good steward of creation.

Emily Phillips is a junior Environmental Science major. As the Waste Coordinator for the Office of Sustainability, she organizes events to reduce waste on campus, works with Messiah’s compost, recycling, and trash systems, and coordinates Sustainable Move-Out in the spring. Outside of the Office, you can find her around campus spending time with friends or enjoying a relaxed meal at Lottie. Emily enjoys reading fantasy and science fiction novels, having deep conversations, backpacking, and wading through native flower meadows.

Sharleyne Medina is a junior Public Relations major with a minor in Marketing. As the Communications Coordinator, she is responsible for ensuring that all events and activities from the Sustainability Office are shared across social media platforms, newsletters, and daily email updates, making sustainability engaging and accessible to students. She also serves as the Social Media Coordinator for PRSSA, where she combines creativity and strategy to connect members with professional opportunities. Passionate about storytelling and media design, she enjoys reading and creating digital content. 

Grace Bath is a senior with a double major in Sustainability Studies and Politics & International Relations. She works as the Biodiversity Coordinator in the Sustainability Office, taking care of the trees and tree planting on campus, in addition to maintaining the apiary in the lower garden. Additionally, she is committed to making Messiah’s campus as sustainable as possible through her work on the school’s AASHE STARS and Tree Campus Higher Education certifications. She loves being in nature, specifically through running, and enjoys running through Messiah’s beautiful campus as a member of the school’s cross-country and track teams.

Nehemiah Aviles is a Mathematics major with a Spanish minor. As the Garden Coordinator, his main role is to maintain the garden during the school year and prepare for planting in the spring. This includes weeding, mulching, watering, planning, etc. He also enjoys building the gardening community through volunteer opportunities open to students. On the side, he enjoys racquet sports, bouldering, swimming, and general fitness activities. He loves spending time outside and hopes to have a small garden of his own in the future.

Patrick Litzinger is a sophomore majoring in Environmental Science. As the Energy Coordinator, he helps make campus more sustainable by promoting bicycle use. His hobbies include cycling, pickleball, and hiking. His favorite part of his role is being able to help the campus become more sustainable by promoting the use of bicycles.

Jared Canepari is a junior studying Sustainability with a concentration in Sustainable Agriculture and a minor in Cybersecurity. As Food Coordinator, he runs the Food Recovery Network program on campus and serves as the liaison between the garden and the food pantry. In his free time, you can find him fixing electronics, walking in the Back 40, or driving all the campus vehicles.