2026-27 Climate Action Fellows
Welcoming our new cohort of Climate Action Fellows for the 2026-2027 Academic Year! We have a total of 20 students this cohort, each off on exciting adventures this summer working for various organizations and/or independent projects around the world. We are struck by the diversity of engagements in our space, and know that such an interdisciplinary space will strengthen our climate action.
Here’s a brief introduction to each of our fellows, their work, and the question’s they are engaging with this summer.
Addie Lentzner (she/her) | Sociology and Black Studies ‘27 | Vermont Student Anti-Racism Network, Vermont
|
Addie Lentzner is a rising senior at Middlebury College, studying Sociology and Black Studies. She has been involved in change-making work since she was a young student in public schools in Southern Vermont. For example, in 10th grade, she led a campaign to keep people experiencing homelessness sheltered during COVID-19. In 11th grade, she founded a nonprofit run by students called the Vermont Student Anti-Racism Network (VSARN). All of this work has culminated in an interest in organizing for change, both in theory and practice, and particularly within school settings. As an undergraduate student, Addie’s academic inquiry surrounds how schools can serve as spaces of community based, real-world learning. As a continued organizer with VSARN, a former Teaching Assistant at the Governor’s Institute of Vermont Youth Action Institute, a Facilitator with Leading For Justice, and now a Climate Action Fellow, Addie combines different methods of community engagement and advocacy to make tangible change in policy and culture. Through these academic and advocacy projects, including through CAF, Addie’s focus remains on education reform, and how to build a school system framed in equity, student voice, and opportunity; helping Vermont’s students become engaged citizens who will defend our climate and society in increasingly dire and polarizing times. |
Allie Cooper (she/her) | Environmental Economics ‘27.5 | New York Power Authority, New York
|
Hi! I’m Allie, and I’m a rising Senior Feb studying Environmental Economics. I have spent my Junior year in Copenhagen, using this beautiful city as a case study to understand the peak of sustainable innovation and green transition, as it can exist in today’s world. I am passionate about environmental action and am particularly interested in circularity and sustainable consumption. I am hoping to spend this summer and the next school year getting involved more formally with sustainability and taking my impact to a larger scale. I’ll be interning with the NY Power Authority’s sustainability team and participating in their biodiversity initiatives. My longer-term goal is to work in corporate sustainability and am currently interested in project management and consumer product design/circularity. My academic and professional experience has taught me to communicate environmental issues and solutions to a variety of stakeholders, and I just love being presented challenges and getting to ideate creative solutions. Beyond sustainability, I also love playing tennis, drinking coffee, baking, and spending time with my friends and family. At Middlebury, I work with the Middlebury (town) Tennis Club as a private and clinic coach and spend a lot of time on the courts with the club team. In the rest of my free time, you can probably find me hosting dinners and game nights or being tricked into hiking by my friends. I am loving living in Copenhagen, but I am also excited to come back to VT and to apply what I have learned abroad back to my own community. |
Annie Art (she/her) | Environmental Architecture ‘27 | River walk development with Hoosic River Revival, North Adams, MA
| Hi! I’m Annie Art, I’m a junior from Williamstown, Massachusetts. I’m an Architecture and Environmental Studies joint major and am planning on minoring in Geography. Outside of class, I am a part of the Middlebury Pranksters Ultimate Frisbee team and Community Friends! I love to spend time outside hiking, discovering hidden swimming spots, running, and skiing. My love for nature has sparked an interest in the environmental programs here at Middlebury. I have been drawn to classes that involve spatial analysis and problem solving to address issues like land use policies, environmental equity, and climate resiliency. This summer, I will be putting these themes into action with Hoosic River Revival, a group trying to restore the connection between the Hoosic River and the city of North Adams. I’m excited to be working on a community focused project exploring the question of how the natural and human-made environments intersect. |
Bella Wissler (she/her) | Conservation Biology ‘27.5 | Internship at the Glacier Institute, Montana
| Hey I am Bella, and I am a Senior Feb Conservation Biology major. I find joy and purpose when I am outside, learning or educating, and sharing experiences of the outdoors with other people. My internship with the Glacier Institute will provide me with place-based learning of leadership skills, systems thinking and delivering lessons that increase local knowledge and inspire campers to engage sustainably with their natural environment. I am excited to take these skills into the academic year and design outdoor community building events for the greater Middlebury community. |
Caitlin Sheen (she/her) | Earth and Climate Sciences ‘26.5 | NSF NCAR (National Center for Atmospheric Research) in Boulder, CO
| Hello! My name is Caitlin and I am a rising super senior Feb majoring in Earth and Climate Science with a minor in Math here at Middlebury. I am originally from Oakland, California, where conversations of historic droughts, wildfires, and environmental inequality narrated many of my formative years. During my time here, I have been active with Middlebury Mountain Club, MiddFIRE, and was a Spring/Fall Knoll Intern. In my free time, I love to knit, make soup, hang out with my suitemate’s dog, and go for adventures! My interests all converge around our environment, and I am excited to bring together these threads in recreation, access, justice, and science. This upcoming summer, I will be interning at NSF NCAR (National Center for Atmospheric Research) in Boulder, CO. Under the guidance of my mentor, I will be working in the Community Earth System Model (CESM). This internship builds on my longstanding interest in climate modeling, which can inform us of how future climate states may look. I hope to continue this work and ultimately examine how model projections can support community adaptation for all. |
Cira Mejía (she/her) | International Relations ‘28.5 | Community storytelling with Koreatown Stotytelling Program, Los Angeles, California
| My name is Cira Arelth Mejia. I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, and have always described myself as a storyteller. Whether that be in the form of poetry, podcasting, or songwriting, stories have always served as the bridge between myself and the world. The first story that opened my eyes to the violence, corruption, and lack of clean, accessible resources for day-to-day life across the world was my father’s. His sacrifice to leave his home and family in Mexico to move to the United States allowed me the privilege of growing up in an environment that differed greatly from the one he knew. Summers in Guerrero, Mexico, taught me just how privileged I was to live in a country that could provide resources like clean drinking water, electricity and environmental conditions that are not guaranteed everywhere. This awareness led me to major in International Relations with a potential minor in Environmental Studies. I care deeply about environmental and social issues and have done work relating to addressing systemic issues in my community through podcasting. Utilizing stories for advocacy is something I continue to be passionate about and hope to bring to the table. |
Daniel Lyons (he/him) | Biology ‘29 | Community engaged science with Sequence Vermont and the Vermont Mycological Society
| I am a first-year Biology student passionate about nature. I lead MiddMyco, Middlebury’s mycology club, promoting fascination and love for fungi. I am a member of the Swafford Lab on campus working on the Sequence Vermont project, an effort to sequence the genomes of all fungi in the state of Vermont. I am passionate about sustainability: agroecology, ecosystem restoration, environmental education. I love plants—botanizing in the wild, foraging, gardening, and propagating unique native species at home. I study classical piano and am interested in studying composition in the future. |
Ella Powers (they/she) | Environmental Studies & Earth and Climate Sciences ‘27 | Interning with the National Black Environmental Justice Network, Connecticut
| I’m Ella (they/she) and I’m originally from Hamden, Connecticut but I have found such a lovely home in Vermont. I’m a rising senior joint majoring in Environmental Studies and Earth & Climate Sciences with special interests in paleoceanography and energy systems. When not in class, coding, or working in the lab, you can find me organizing a new event for the Sunday Night Environmental Group or meeting with stakeholders to discuss sustainability at Middlebury and in the greater Vermont community. In the past year, I have greatly enjoyed my time as a Climate Action Fellow working on the History of SN(E)G, organizing the What Works Now? conference, and spending a semester abroad in New Zealand. All of these roles and more have helped me develop the skills necessary to successfully organize around climate action and I’m so excited to continue as a second year Climate Action Fellow. My connection to climate action has run deep within me since I was a little first grader who wrote to their grandma I was upset I couldn’t pick up all the litter outside. Even though my environmental interests have changed many times throughout my life, my passion to protect both people and planet has never faltered. |
Gabrielle Anchondo (she/her) | Biology & Dance ‘27 | Summer dance intensive with Nuova Danza, Italy
| Hi! My name is Gabrielle Anchondo, and I was born and raised on the south side of Chicago. I’m passionate about all things plants and green life—my favorite flowers are lilies—and I also have a deep love for music, art exhibits, and especially dance. Dance has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember, and I’ve trained in a variety of styles including ballet, contemporary, hip-hop, and more. It continues to be a huge part of who I am today. I’m currently 21 years old and pursuing a double major in Biology and Dance. I love connecting with different people and value being in community with others, which is reflected in my experiences as a Knoll summer intern and a proud member of the Evolution Dance Crew. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with friends and going on fun “side quests,” trying new activities and seeing where the day takes us. At the heart of everything I do is a desire to connect, create, and continue learning both from others and within myself. |
June Su (he/him) | Political Science ‘27 | Interning with La Tribu FM, Buenos Aires, Argentina and research on the pedagogy of climate change in higher education in Middlebury, Vermont
| Hello, my name is June Su and I am a Political Science major and Studio Art minor, also studying Spanish and Chinese. The question I find myself asking over and over again in climate work is how and why political systems designate certain communities as destined for environmental destruction or exploitation. Throughout my work, whether that be as political science student writing my honors senior thesis, academic research assistant focusing on environmental politics, or as multimedia editor for the Middlebury Campus, I am constantly drawn to the coalition and organization required for political action. With my leftover brain cells, I’m working on my third studio art thesis and acrylic painting, curating playlists for my WRMC Radio show, and honing methods of traditional Chinese cooking for both my loved ones and in professional kitchen settings. |
Kana DeCoste (she/they) | Conservation Biology ‘27 | Interning with the Centro de Humedales Río Cruces in Valdivia, Chile and collaborative research with Outright Vermont and the Urban Stream Team in Middlebury, Vermont
Hello, I’m Kana, a rising senior majoring in conservation biology and also studying Spanish, Studio Art, and Food Studies. This summer, I will be finishing up research on an endemic species of burrowing shrimp, the camarones de vega del sur, at the Centro de Humedales Río Cruces in Valdivia, Chile. I will also be working in the urban stream research lab of Middlebury profesor Eric Moody and carrying out a collaborative research project with Outright VT. At large, my climate-related interests lie in the ways that food systems are deeply intertwined with the climate crisis, ecological conservation paired with involvement of local communities, environmental education, and how bridging historical gaps in access to the outdoors can foster connections to and care for nature. At Middlebury, I’ve found community in FIRE (Fostering Inclusive Recreational Experiences), the climbing wall, Dolci and Atwater Dining, the Knoll, and with groups of fellow artists and organizers for war-divestment on campus. I’m excited to continue my work in these spaces in the fall with the support of CAF. |
Kathaline Villavicencio (she/her) | Environmental Chemistry ‘28 | Microplastics research, Quintana Roo, Mexico
| Hi everyone! I am Kathaline, a rising junior from Cicero, Illinois. I enjoy painting and am always down for a new adventure. My enthusiasm for environmental advocacy started in high school: when pursuing an engineering major, I could not stop thinking about overconsumption and waste. When building urban spaces fast and cheap is prioritized, combined with segregation, environmental injustice sprouts. Slowly, infrastructure deteriorates and contaminants are consumed by communities who had no part in this plan. Remediation solutions are more costly than prevention, yet for the communities where this infrastructure sits, the choice of a healthy life is taken away from them. I am passionate about living standards and people’s right to joy. Through my work in research and engineering, I hope to be part of the practitioners who can evaluate a site and revolutionize remediation practices. I look forward to a year full of impact through researching microplastics in Mexico, doing community work in Cicero IL, and especially excited to work on geothermal and further decarbonization efforts at Middlebury. |
Katie Loomis-Adams (she/her) | Environmental Justice ‘26.5 | Canvassing with Vermont Public Interest Research Group
| Katie Loomis-Adams is exploring the intersections of environmental studies, social justice, and education as a rising super senior Feb. While she has many interest areas, she envisions working in place-based education in the future, weaving in threads of music, civic engagement, conservation, and social justice advocacy. This past year, she has been studying and volunteering in Patagonia, Chile doing ecological conservation research, environmental education, WWOOFing on a regenerative sheep farm, and interning with the community-based native plant project, Naturaleza Pública. This summer she will be working as a canvasser with the Vermont Public Interest Research Group. She looks forward to knocking on doors across the state of Vermont to connect, listen to, and engage with community members about environmental and public interest issues. A major question guiding her summer is: how might grassroots, face-to-face conversations empower Vermonters to be civically engaged and involved in shaping more just and sustainable policies? She is eager to return to the wonderful CAF community and is especially looking forward to learning from others in the cohort and hearing about everyone’s summer experiences! While her roots lie in State College, Pennsylvania, she has been enjoying exploring Vermont in recent years, largely through leading trips with the Middlebury Mountain Club. In her free time, she can be found playing fiddle and singing with her band, browsing local farmer’s markets, and plunging in swim holes throughout the seasons. |
Lena Chow (she/her) | Undeclared ‘29 | Stairway Foundation, Puerto Galera, Philippines
| Hi! My name is Lena Chow, I’m a rising sophomore from San Carlos, California and still exploring and deciding what I am going to major in. I’m passionate about the relationship between people and the environment, understanding how the environment shapes identity and livelihood, and how political and social systems influence that dynamic. My interest in climate action comes with my recognition that the climate crisis is integral to systems of oppression such as racism, economic inequality, and colonialism. Contribution and harm is distributed along existing lines of power and too often, climate solutions are designed in ways that replicate the same hierarchies; displacement disguised as conservation, development disguised as sustainability. This summer, I’ll be working with the Stairway Foundation in Puerto Galera, Philippines—an NGO dedicated to protecting and promoting children’s rights through intersectional programs of social-emotional support, education and environmental stewardship. I’ll be facilitating hands-on workshops, working on an organic farm and guiding outdoor excursions for local children and indigenous communities. I’m excited to join the Climate Action Fellowship to be in a creative, caring, collaborative community approaching climate action from a wide variety of experiences and perspectives. Whether I’m throwing at the pottery wheel, experimenting in the kitchen, playing card games and repeating the same two magic tricks, knitting and crafting, spending time outdoors, crouching by a tidepool, or having a long conversation around the dinner table, I try to move through the world with curiosity and care. |
Matty Stevenson (they/them) | Spanish ‘26.5 | Community gardening with Núcelos Nativos in Valdivia, Chile and interning with Learning Gardens Laboratory in Portland, Oregon
| At Middlebury College, I major in Spanish and have additionally focused in environmental studies, biology and creative writing. I am from Portland, Oregon. I began organizing in the climate justice and forest defense movements of the Pacific Northwest and carry the lessons and I learned with me to Vermont. At Middlebury, I have found community hosting volunteer garden hours at the Knoll, cooking for Weybridge community dinners, interpreting at the Open Door Clinic, attending Shabbat and supporting student organizing. Through the first half of July, I will be studying at the Universidad Austral de Chile and working with the Núcleos Nativos Project. Then, in July and August I plan to intern with Learning Gardens Laboratories in Portland. I am excited to join the Climate Action Fellowship to keep learning and building community towards a future rooted in reciprocity and self-determination. |
Mya Rosa Díaz (they/them) | Environmental Justice ‘27 | ACORN food hub and continuing research on sheep, wool and agriculture in VT
|
Hello! My name is Mya and I’m a senior from Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico. Growing up, I was constantly surrounded by beautiful natural landscapes, from mountains to rivers and beaches to rainforests. Feeling responsible for the care and conservation of our planet was basically a default, and that led me to participate often in clean-ups, community actions and organizations dedicated to climate action. Although I am now far away from home, the realities of my climate vulnerable tropical country still follow me. My studies as an Environmental Justice major have provided me the knowledge and skills to realize that Puerto Rico’s ecological struggles span much more than what sustainability alone can fix. Because of this, I’ve become incredibly interested in decolonial theory, migration, food policy, development, and climate pedagogy at Middlebury, always attempting to intertwine these themes with feelings of hope, joy, and resistance. My heart is where my home and people are. Therefore, everything I am and put my energy towards is always for the defense of my communities’ natural resources, the socioecological wellbeing of my archipelago, and the future generations of Puerto Ricans. |
Pradnya Pradhan (she/her) | Undeclared ‘29 | High altitude Monastery Data monitoring with Small Earth Nepal, Kathmandu, Nepal
| Hi! My name is Pradnya. I am from Kathmandu, Nepal. Growing up in a valley, then moving to the head of the Aravali range and moving once again to a village wedged between the Adriatic sea and the Karst plateau, I have felt as though I have been sheltered by the natural landscapes that surround me. I am interested in exploring how changing climate systems and evolving human settlements coalesce in mountain communities in Nepal. In the previous summers, I have worked to document the mountaineering seasons in Nepal and trace the effects tourism has had on the mountain landscape and its communities. There is a lot for me to learn from the many community-led climate initiatives here in Vermont; I look forward to feeling more grounded in the community and the greater space that I shall call home for the next four years. I find great joy in creating art, whether it be photography, watercolours or writing. I hope to bring together my art, passion, friends, both old and new, to create a space where we can share and learn from one another. |
Ruby Salisbury (she/her) | Environmental Writing ‘27 | Kellog Grant recipient doing thesis work in the Peruvian Amazon
| I’m a senior Environmental Writing major and Spanish minor from Richmond, Virginia, with a passion for storytelling, environmental education, and making climate stories more accessible and understood. Here on campus I’m co-president of Middlebury Geographic magazine, a communications intern with the SSL, on the Ultimate Frisbee team, and a backpacking guide with the Middlebury Mountain Club. I love writing and reading and thinking about how to combine that work with sustainability and climate action, which has led me to attend the Bread Loaf Environmental Writer’s Conference and work as an editorial intern with the New England Review. I recently returned from a Fall semester studying abroad in Valdivia, Chile, where in addition to traveling and hiking, I worked on communications for a native forest nonprofit, Bosquentrama, studied Environmental Anthropology and Chilean literature, and completed a research project focused on the impact of climate change on river communities. I’m passionate about finding ways we can learn from and connect with each other to find climate solutions, and I plan to continue to work and write in the fields of environmental education, journalism, and communications. |
Shayah Kosak (he/him) | Geography ‘27 | Independent research on post wildfire community and landscapes shifts in Southern Oregon
| My name is Shayah Kosak, and I am a junior majoring in Geography from Portland, Oregon. My passion lies in exploring how land use changes over time and in telling these stories of transformation. More specifically, I use photography, mapmaking, and other forms of geospatial storytelling to examine how human decisions reshape landscapes, how ecological systems respond, and how memory, identity, and place are continuously rewritten across time. |