Seattle’s Office of Sustainability and Environment (OSE) is thrilled to announce that five of our colleagues recently transitioned into new roles within our office! Keep reading to learn more about our teammates!
Climate Justice Team
Sara Cubillos, Interim Climate Justice Director
Sara Cubillos is now serving as our Interim Climate Justice Director. Sara oversees the Green New Deal for Seattle, an initiative investing in and providing direct support to overburdened communities that bear the brunt of the climate crisis. Sara re-joined OSE after spending 4 years focused on embedding equity in drainage and wastewater infrastructure planning at Seattle Public Utilities (SPU). She led the visioning phase of Shape Our Water, a long-range infrastructure plan for Seattle’s water resilience. Prior to SPU, she was the Equity & Environment Program Coordinator at OSE and supported the creation of the Equity & Environment Agenda. Her work at the City has focused on co-creating with communities who have been historically underrepresented, especially in environmental investments. Outside of work, you can catch Sara, her wife, Carolyn, and their dog, Jax, on long city walks going to all the local coffee shops and parks.
Jazzmin Fragiacomo, Interim Climate and Environmental Justice Associate
After interning with OSE, Jazzmin Fragiacomo is now our Interim Climate and Environmental Justice Associate. She is a recent graduate from the University of Washington and holds a Masters of Marine and Environmental Affairs. Her research and course work focused on environmental policy, community engagement practices, environmental justice, and marine renewable energy. Jazzmin is excited to jump into this new role continuing to support and contribute to the incredible work of OSE’s Climate Justice team while developing a deeper understanding of environmental justice policy and program implementation. Outside of work, Jazzmin enjoys baking anything and everything she can veganize, exploring Washington’s seemingly unlimited hiking trails, climbing and trail running, and reading a good fantasy novel while cuddling with her cat.
Elise Rasmussen, Interim Climate Justice Advisor
Elise Rasmussen is now serving as an Interim Climate Justice Advisor with OSE. She came to OSE from the Washington State Department of Health where she was an Equity and Social Justice Manager focused on environmental justice, as well as a Climate Justice Coordinator in the State’s Climate and Health Program. Previously, Elise was the manager for the WA State Environmental Justice Task Force and worked with communities across the state to write the Healthy Environment for All Act, a law that keeps state government accountable to communities most overburdened by pollution. Elise is passionate about working toward and re-imagining a world where all living beings have the opportunity to thrive in healthy environments, especially in a changing climate. Outside of work, you can find Elise in the mountains year-round, competing in ultimate frisbee, or in the kitchen trying out a new recipe with vegetables from her garden.
Buildings Team
Nicole Ballinger, Building Emissions Performance Standard (BEPS) Program Manager
Nicole Ballinger is now managing our growing Building Emissions Performance Standard (BEPS) team. Under Seattle’s BEPS law, most large buildings need to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 or earlier. In her last role, she managed Seattle’s Building Tune-Up Accelerator Program, and led program outreach and data strategies for Seattle’s Energy Benchmarking & Reporting ordinance. Before moving to the Pacific Northwest, she was a marketing project manager at Efficiency Vermont focused on large commercial and industrial building sectors. She has a Master of Science in natural resource planning from the University of Vermont and a degree in anthropology from Skidmore College. Nicole’s an avid bike commuter and has loved witnessing the transformation of Seattle’s waterfront into a cyclist and pedestrian-friendly jewel.
Sandra Mallory, Interim Buildings and Energy Director
Sandra Mallory now leads OSE’s buildings team to create programs and policies that will transition buildings in Seattle to an equitable net-zero carbon future. She managed the process to develop BEPS, and she oversees the City’s electrification strategy to decarbonize municipal buildings. Her previous initiatives include the creation of the energy efficiency program for City-owned buildings and development of the Seattle Building Tune-Ups mandate. She also designed and secured funding for the City’s Tune-Up Accelerator Program, an initiative to assist owners of small- to medium-sized buildings comply with the mandate. Before joining the City in 2007, Sandra practiced architecture, with a focus on greening affordable housing, and taught sustainable design in an interdisciplinary sustainability program. On weekends and vacations, Sandra can typically be found enjoying the outdoors – backpacking, skiing, kayaking, biking – either here in the beautiful Northwest or farther afield.
Follow OSE on our new LinkedIn page to be the first to hear about job opportunities and staffing updates at OSE! Learn more about other OSE staff transitions in a recent blog from the Mayor’s Office.