Staff

Tavey Capps, Executive Director of Climate and Sustainability, co-leads Duke’s Climate Commitment strategic planning and implementation with emphasis on operational sustainability, campus engagement and identifying opportunities to connect these efforts to Duke’s research and teaching. She serves as a thought partner with Duke’s Board of Trustees and senior administration to prioritize and achieve campus sustainability goals. She also collaborates with the City and County of Durham, Triangle universities, local corporate partners and peer institutions to determine specific and achievable ways to work together in accomplishing climate goals that extend beyond campus boundaries. Tavey holds a BA in Environmental Policy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has over two decades of experience in higher education sustainability. Prior to joining Duke’s sustainability program in 2006, she led sustainability and waste reduction efforts at NC State University and UNC-Greensboro.

As Sustainability Director, Lindsay provides leadership and support to the Sustainable Duke team. She provides strategic support for the programs and projects of the office in the focus areas of applied learning, operations and engagement. Lindsay helps facilitate and inform strategic planning processes that help Duke meet sustainability and carbon reduction goals. She also seeks to cultivate relationships and partnerships that further sustainability initiatives at Duke and oversees the development and tracking of sustainability metrics and progress. Lindsay has a B.S. in Environmental Studies from the University of North Carolina at Asheville. She has worked in higher education sustainability since 2003, and has served in sustainability director roles at both NC State University and Wake Forest University.

Jason is the Assistant Director of Engagement and Communications for Sustainable Duke. In this role, he creates and facilitates opportunities for departments and organizations across campus to contribute to Duke’s climate and sustainability commitments and programming and oversees the communications strategy for Sustainable Duke, including public reporting. He also collaboratively develops campus-wide engagement strategies and programming with departments like Athletics, Student Affairs, and research labs. Jason graduated from Manchester University with a Bachelor's degree in accounting and economics and also graduated from Duke University with a Master’s degree in Environmental Management and a Master’s degree in Forestry. In 2014, he began work with Sustainable Duke’s carbon offsets initiative and became the assistant director of Sustainable Duke in 2017.

Emily joined Sustainable Duke in 2023 as the Assistant Director of Sustainability and Climate Applied Learning (SCAL). She manages an applied and experiential learning program which generates momentum for sustainability and climate education at the intersections of academics, service, research, and campus operations. She assists Duke students, faculty and staff in exploring the depths of campus as a living laboratory and cultivates learning collaborations that address real-world sustainability and climate challenges on campus and in Duke’s neighboring communities. Emily connects stakeholders through relationship building to support curricular and co-curricular learning opportunities. Her prior professional experiences are rooted in environmental education; she holds a B.S. in Forest Resources and a Master of Natural Resources from the University of Georgia.

Matt manages the university’s greenhouse gas accounting system to inform GHG reduction strategies. He works with partners across campus to collect data to help Sustainable Duke communicate about the university’s GHG emissions and meet campus emission reduction goals, with a focus on energy and fuel emissions. Matt also oversees the university’s carbon offsetting efforts, including Duke’s offset evaluation and procurement processes. He joined Sustainable Duke in August 2017 as the manager of the Duke Carbon Offsets Initiative, shortly after graduating from the Duke Sanford School of Public Policy with a Masters of Public Policy degree.

As the Sustainability Operations Manager, Emma develops strategic plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from University activities, improve sustainability indicators, and enhance data reporting. She supports campus partners in developing and implementing climate and sustainability initiatives that fall within operational focus areas, including waste, commuting and carbon offsets. Lastly, Emma facilitates Sustainable Duke’s incorporation of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion principles across all aspects of its work. Emma has a B.S. from Davidson College and a Masters in Environmental Management from Duke University. Prior to joining the Sustainable Duke team in 2019, Emma worked in environmental advocacy and regional land conservation.

As Sustainable Duke’s Engagement Coordinator, Sophia works to support campus sustainability efforts in three main veins: program management, outreach, and communications implementation. First, through leading the office’s Green Devil intern program and their various projects, managing SD’s Green Certification programs, and supporting the organization of programming around Campus Sustainability Month and Earth Month. Second, by serving as the primary point of contact for student organizations and departments seeking outreach and engagement opportunities. Finally, by executing the office’s communications strategy, including managing the newsletter and social media outlets. Sophia joined the Sustainable Duke team in August of 2022, following her graduation from Wake Forest University, where she majored in Environment and Sustainability studies and double minored in Politics and International Affairs and Anthropology.