Lisa Rand, Administrator, SMD Faculty Professionalism Council in the Dean’s Office, began her career at the University in 2010 on River Campus working in Advancement, joined the Medical Center in 2014 as a staff member in the Department of Neurosurgery, and became part of the Dean’s office in 2017. Prior to joining the University, Lisa worked as an executive assistant, legislative aide, and health policy analyst. She holds a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Connecticut.
Lisa serves as the Medical Center contact for the University’s participation in the Nike Reuse-a-Shoe Program which feeds Nike Grind. Lisa became involved when she had sneakers to donate and learned there was no collection box at the Medical Center. She volunteered to put a box in her office and her contact information on the flyer, as well as deliver the sneakers to the storage facility on campus, in coordination with the sustainability coordinator, Amy Kadrie. During the pandemic, she volunteered to collect the sneakers at the boxes at Corporate Woods. She states, “There should be boxes all over both campuses. Everyone has old sneakers that are too used to donate and they belong in a collection box.”
In her personal life, Lisa is committed to living a life with fewer things and therefore, less waste. “When I want something new, I ask myself: Do I really need it? Could I get it used? Where will this item be in 100 years?” she explains. She uses apps like Next Door and Facebook Marketplace to donate, buy, and sell gently used items. She composts food waste for use in her flower beds and pots. Lisa also utilizes Monroe County’s EcoPark to properly dispose of a variety of items and has a Terracycle All in One Zero Waste Box. She also buys the majority of her clothing and shoes on ThredUp and Poshmark. She prides herself on creating the least amount of trash possible. “I also try to support companies whose environmental values match mine and that have proven track records with reducing waste, using locally sourced ingredients, and where possible, I try to buy products made in the USA.” She recently bought a compostable phone case made entirely from plants!
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