Meet the Team

Andy Hattala

• Andy Hattala is an advocate and volunteer who holds multiple certifications and accreditations in the field of sustainability and mentorship. His recent work involved program development, strategic planning, and community engagement which led to significant sustainability initiatives and policy changes at UCLA

Andy also serves on the leadership teams of the L.A. and San Fernando Valley chapters of The Climate Reality Project. He is working to adopt more sustainable behaviors and live an increasingly zero waste lifestyle. The mantra by which he lives is, "Don’t leave the world a little better, leave it *significantly* better than when first encountered." Andy is a proud alum of UCLA, where he served as an RA as an undergraduate student.

Alexandra

As a third-year student majoring in Environmental Systems (Earth Sciences), Alexandra is dedicated to progressing and promoting climate science, climate justice, and environmental education on campus and beyond. Alexandra believes that, as a university, UC San Diego has the ability (and responsibility) to spark sustainable change all over the world. In their free time, Alexandra enjoys curating hyper-specific Spotify playlists, collecting emotional support books, and taking way too many pictures of the ocean. They are super excited to begin their journey as an EcoNaut and hope to show students and staff that sustainability is a movement for all!

Alissa

When Alissa came to the US a few years ago, she noticed that there is still room for improvement when it comes to sustainability. She believes that living an eco-lifestyle ism’t difficult. Even just by incorporating small environmentally-friendly habits into our daily lives, we are one step closer to a more sustainable future. Alissa hopes to foster and raise awareness of greener practices on campus through her involvement in the EcoNauts team. In her spare time, Alissa likes to hike, read, and browse Reddit.

Arpi

Arpi is a second year student majoring in political science and data analytics, with a minor in climate change studies. This is her first year as an EcoNaut, and she is super excited to help spread education about sustainability to fellow students. Environmental topics that interest her most are sustainable food systems and public transportation. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, going to the beach, and exploring cool areas in San Diego.

Ava

Coming from San Bernadino County, Ava is in her second year as an Environmental Systems: Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution major. As an EcoNaut, Ava hopes to take great strides in making UCSD a model for other college campuses and cities to follow when creating a community that fosters the well-being of people and safeguards the environment. Aside from advocating for sustainability, Ava enjoys photography, visiting art museums, and watching films at the theater.

Kianna

Kianna is a second-year student majoring in Environmental Policy. As an EcoNaut, she is excited to find pathways to make integrating sustainability into our community and routines easier. She is determined to help make subtle, but impactful new changes for the university in the hope of increasing its status as a leader in sustainability. Kianna’s favorite topics to learn more about are sustainable food options, ocean ecosystems, and the fashion industry. In her free time, she can be seen exploring new SD spots, thrifting, or cooking.

Ria

Ria is in her third-year majoring in Chemical Engineering and minoring in Chemistry. Her passion for environmental causes and sustainable lifestyles led her to join the EcoNauts this year. Through this role, she hopes to help make UCSD a more sustainable campus with the opportunity for students to lead more eco-friendly lifestyles. In her spare time, Ria enjoys reading, crocheting, playing tennis, and cooking.

Soraya

Soraya is a second year Environmental Systems: Ecology, Biology, and Evolution major, coming from Austin, Texas. She was interested in joining the EcoNauts because she wanted to further educate herself on sustainability, as well as educate and increase awareness of environmental well-being to the campus community of UCSD and beyond. This is her second year as an EcoNaut, and she is excited to employ her passion for the environment into making a change on campus. In her spare time, she enjoys being in the water, whether that be in the ocean or on a lake back home, cooking, baking shows, and exploring new places with friends and family.