Mentors and Mentorship
Mentorship makes the ELI experience unique and impactful, and helps students learn real-world skills. Each student or student group is matched with an expert mentor, based on the project subject, student needs, and compatibility. ELI mentors come from a wide range of backgrounds and expertise and make a 6-month commitment (December-May) to support an ELI student or team by providing project-related advice, as well as general guidance regarding leadership and professional development. Mentors and mentees meet to discuss project goals and progress, identify useful resources, brainstorm next steps, and work together to overcome challenges. Mentors and mentees agree to a frequency of meetings or communication, based on availability and needs; however, bi-weekly meetings or check-ins are recommended.
We begin matching student projects with mentors at the end of the fall quarter (at the middle to end of November). Students and mentors meet on a regular basis throughout winter and spring quarters when students are actively bringing their project ideas through to fruition. The mentorship period begins in December/January and continues until the end of the spring quarter (end of May) when students present their environmental leadership projects at the ELI Capstone Presentations.
"My favorite part of my ELI experience was getting to work with my mentor. She gave me valuable knowledge on how to successfully conduct litter clean-ups and helped me find a job after I graduated.”
--Hannah Karlsrud
“ELI has been the best decision I made at UCSB. There is so much that you learn from the program that couldn't be learned from any other class on campus. I have nothing but nice things to say about the ELI program and the incredible experience that I have had.”
--Noah Weiss
Current and Past Mentors
Mentors play a pivotal role in the success of the ELI program. We appreciate the following current and past mentors for their time and commitment to ELI and our ELI students. Listed below are our current and past mentors, their affiliation at the time of their involvement with ELI, and the years they have served as mentors.
Allen Gunn, Aspiration (2019-2020)
Alison Waliszewski, The 5 Gyres Institute (2023-2024)
Ana Rosa Rizo-Centino, Central Coast Climate Justice Network (2023-2024)
Andy Quinn, Burly Bison (2019-2020)
Anne-Marie Parkinson, Santa Barbara County Fire Safe Council (2023-2024)
Barbara Haya, University of California, Berkeley (2019-2020)
Brandon Kaysen, City of Ventura (2020-2021)
Brett Chamberlin, The Story of Stuff Project (2019-2020)
Ceara Sweetser, Empathy Data (2020-2021)
Celia Alario, Celia Alario Coaching (2020-2021)
Christina Kerndal, Ritual Jewelry (2019-2020)
Clayton Garland, Eco Conscious Aquaponics (2019-2020; 2021-2022)
Corey Hughes, pifCalifornia (2021-2022)
Cristina Sandoval, UCSB Coal Oil Point Reserve (2023-2024)
Danielle Harlow, University of California, Santa Barbara (2021-2022; 2022-2023; 2023-2024)
Dawnielle Tellez, REI (2019-2020)
Dean LaCoe, Good Grief Network (2022-2023; 2023-2024)
Devon Azzam, University of California, Santa Barbara (2021-2022)
Emma Malina, Rooted Santa Barbara (2020-2021; 2021-2022)
Erin Dibos, OJB Landscape Architecture (2022-2023)
Frances Gilliland, Gilliland Environmental Consulting (2021-2022; 2022-2023)
Halley Froehlich, University of California, Santa Barbara (2021-2022)
Heather Deutsch, MOVE Santa Barbara County (2023-2024)
Heather Hudson, Heal the Ocean (2019-2020)
Heather Lahr, University of California, Santa Barbara (2023-2024)
Holly Lohuis, Ocean Futures Society (2023-2024)
Jamie Jackson, Empathy Data (2020-2021)
Jema Heaton, Goleta Water District (2023-2024)
Jen Martin, University of California, Santa Barbara (2019-2020; 2020-2021)
Jennifer Sandoval, Earth Angels (2022-2023)
Jewel Persad, University of California, Santa Barbara (2022-2023)
Jill Cloutier, Explore Ecology/Art from Scrap (2019-2020)
Jim Knowlton, Blue Ocean Productions (2023-2024)
Jonathon Barton, 3D Alt (2021-2022)
Julia Devor, Community Environmental Council (2020-2021)
Karin Lohwasser, University of California, Santa Barbara (2021-2022)
Katee Gustavson, University of California, Santa Barbara (2022-2023)
Kathi King, Community Environmental Council (2019-2020; 2021-2022; 2023-2024)
Katie Eagen, Empathy Data (2020-2021)
Katie Maynard, University of California, Santa Barbara (2019-2020; 2020-2021)
Katja Seltmann, University of California, Santa Barbara (2020-2021)
Katya Armistead, University of California, Santa Barbara (2020-2021)
Kaylee Laub, University of California, Santa Barbara (2023-2024)
Keith Carlson, Thermal Technology, LLC (2023-2024)
Ken Owen, Channel Islands Restoration (2019-2020)
Kiah Jordan, Impact Family Office (2022-2023)
Kimberly Seigel, Perkins&Will (2022-2023)
Kristen LaBonte, University of California, Santa Barbara (2021-2022; 2023-2024)
Laura Vlk, Self-employed (2023-2024)
Laury Oaks, University of California, Santa Barbara (2020-2021)
Linda Adler-Kassner, University of California, Santa Barbara (2023-2024)
Lisa Osborn, University of California, Santa Barbara (2020-2021)
Lisa Stratton, University of California, Santa Barbara (2023-2024)
Liz Carlisle, University of California, Santa Barbara (2022-2023)
Marla Greer, University of California, Santa Barbara (2021-2022; 2022-2023)
Michael Hanrahan, Earth Media Lab (2022-2023)
Miles Ashlock, University of California, Santa Barbara (2019-2020)
Molly Troup, Santa Barbara Channelkeeper (2022-2023)
Monique O’Conner, City of Santa Barbara (2022-2023)
Morgan Visalli, University of California, Santa Barbara (2019-2020)
Nicole Molinari, Los Padres National Forest (2020-2021)
Nicole Roehrig, Explore Ecology/Art from Scrap (2023-2024)
Nola Jackson, Empathy Data (2020-2021)
Penny Owens, Santa Barbara Channelkeeper (2020-2021)
Rachel Palmer, Explore Ecology/Art from Scrap (2019-2020)
Rachel Sarnoff, Lincoln Sarnoff Consulting (2019-2020; 2020-2021; 2021-2022; 2022-2023)
Rene Eyerly, City of Santa Barbara (2020-2021)
Ricky Echanique, Mikuna Foods (2022-2023)
Robert Fitch, University of California, Santa Barbara (2020-2021)
Sangwon Suh, University of California, Santa Barbara (2019-2020)
Sarah Siedschlag, University of California, Santa Barbara (2021-2022; 2023-2024)
Siena Hooper, Community Environmental Council (2021-2022)
Stacey Lydon, California Marine Sanctuary Foundation (2023-2024)
Stacy Rebich Hespanha, Flourish Local (2023-2024)
Sue Eisaguirre, Nature Track (2022-2023)
Tevin Hamilton, Yale School of the Environment (2021-2022)
Theo LeQuesne, Center for Biological Diversity (2021-2022)
Tiffany Ngo, Waitt Institute (2022-2023)
Wendy Ibsen, University of California, Santa Barbara (2020-2021)
