UC San Francisco has named Kira Stoll, an experienced leader with a strong record in environmental stewardship in higher education, to the inaugural role as Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) and Executive Director of the Office of Sustainability at UCSF.
Stoll brings 25 years of experience working at UC Berkeley and UC Santa Cruz in sustainability and transportation management and a strong commitment to achieving the University of California’s decarbonization goals.
Advancing health worldwide begins here at home...”
“After an extensive search, we are delighted that Kira Stoll will lead UCSF’s ongoing efforts in sustainability and help us to reduce our environmental footprint,” said Erin Gore, senior vice chancellor of Finance and Administration. “Advancing health worldwide begins here at home to ensure we combat climate change, which is a serious public health problem.”
As CSO and Executive Director, Stoll will work closely with UCSF’s leadership, the Academic Senate Sustainability Committee, the Center for Climate Health and Equity, the UCSF Advisory Committee on Sustainability, the UCSF Health Sustainability Committee, and various teams. She will serve as a UCSF’s sustainability spokesperson internally and externally championing and prioritizing sustainability.
Reporting to Jon Giacomi, associate vice chancellor of Campus Life Services, Stoll will provide technical expertise and strategic planning leadership in the areas of new construction and renovations, renewable energy systems design, energy/water efficiency, and sustainable facilities management.
“With Kira’s know-how and passion for sustainability, we are confident that UCSF will continue to make significant strides in our commitment to environmental stewardship and social responsibility,” Giacomi said in announcing her appointment. “We look forward to Kira’s leadership and vision in advancing initiatives and our distinction in sustainability across the campus and beyond.”
‘Commitment to equitable outcomes’
Importantly, Stoll will work to improve UCSF’s resilience to climate change impacts and advocate for environmental justice. “Creating a more sustainable and resilient campus includes commitment to equitable outcomes for people,” said Stoll. “It’s great how engaged the community is and I’m ready to collaborate on inclusive processes that lead to comprehensive environmental improvements.”
I have a passion for making decarbonization projects happen...”
She looks forward to working at UCSF. “UC is an amazing institution and the opportunity to work on a health care campus is particularly exciting to me. I have a passion for making decarbonization projects happen that improve environmental health, and women’s health is close to my heart.”
Stoll will focus on reducing on-site energy carbon emissions cost effectively, increasing the use of clean energy, saving water, meeting zero waste policy targets, purchasing sustainable foods and products, reducing travel, commute, and waste-associated emissions, and developing greener labs and buildings.
She holds a master’s degree in social sciences, Adult Learning & Global Change from Linköping University in Sweden. She is a LEED Green Associate and certified planner from the American Planning Association. Stoll has chaired campuswide advisory committees and served on University of California councils and working groups and represented campus sustainability interests in national and international settings.