ALUMNI

Dr. Bobuchi Ken-Opurum ('18) is making clean energy more affordable for families in Texas.

Chak Cherdsatirkul, one of the first graduates of Columbia University's Sustainability Management (SUMA) program, reflects on his journey since completing the program in 2011. He shares updates on his award-winning plans to establish a bird sanctuary in Chiang Mai, Thailand, as well as his other ventures, including the development of a sustainable tourism resort and an environmental book series for children. According to Chak, the SUMA program shaped his career aspirations and gave him the practical skills for realizing ambitious projects.

Marly Isler, a Columbia Sustainability Management alumna, shares her journey from managing sustainability at a law firm to leading ESG strategy at Johnson & Johnson. Reflecting on her time at Columbia, she discusses the program’s influence on her work, her commitment to environmental justice, and advice for aspiring sustainability leaders.

Aditi Desai is currently the Director of Partnerships at Voltpost, a company she helped to start with fellow SUMA alums Jeff Prosserman and Luke Mairo while still a student. Voltpost works to retrofit lamp posts into electric vehicle charging stations managed by a mobile application — a solution they hope will accelerate electric vehicle (EV) adoption by providing cities with scalable curbside charging for drivers.

Sustainability Management alumnus Mark D. Wolf is a career and executive coach, CEO of LavaFish Advisors (a sustainability consultancy), successful career changer and the Founder and Co-Chair of the International Society of Sustainability Professionals (ISSP) NYC chapter. He was recently awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award from ISSP Global, the largest global professional association for leaders across the sustainability sector, recognizing his leadership in building the premier chapter in New York City.