People

Maegan Rhoades
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Maegan Rhoades is an undergraduate senior student at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She is currently pursuing a BA in Geographical Information Systems (GIS). In her free time, Maegan enjoys spending time outdoors … Continued

Erin Riggs
Executive Director
Erin Riggs is the Executive Director of the EFC and conducts applied research surrounding legal, policy, and accounting framework that influences environmental finance issues around the country. She graduated from the University of Florida’s Levin … Continued

Tom Roberts
Senior Business Analyst
Tom Roberts is the Senior Business Analyst for the EFC at UNC. Tom has an Associate in Applied Sciences in Civil Engineering Technology from Delaware Technical and Community College and a Bachelor of Science in … Continued

Paul Ruback
Project Analyst
Paul Ruback joined the EFC staff in November 2022. Paul graduated from UC Berkeley in May 2021 with a degree in Conservation and Resource Studies. As a student, he worked as an undergraduate researcher. When … Continued

Imani Russell
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Imani Russell is an undergraduate student studying Sociology and Communications, with a minor in Creative Writing. Imani will graduate in 2023 and hopes to pursue a career in media research with a focus on TV and … Continued

Melanie Sanchez
Project Director
Melanie rejoined the EFC in February of 2023. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.S. in statistics & analytics and a minor in geology. She has a unique … Continued
Henri Sanders
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Henri Sanders is an undergraduate student at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, majoring in Geography with a minor in Philosophy. At Chapel Hill, Henri works as an undergraduate research assistant with the EFC … Continued

Gabriela Santana
Graduate Research Assistant
Gabriela Santana is an undergraduate Environmental Science student with a minor in Geography graduating in December 2021. She is hoping to pursue a Master’s in Information Science at UNC through the Dual-Degree Environmental Informatics program … Continued

Austin Thompson
PhD Research Assistant
Austin Thompson joined the EFC at UNC in 2018 as a Project Director. In this role, she conducted applied research and provides technical assistance and training for environmental service providers. Thompson holds a BS in … Continued

Hope Thomson
Project Director
Hope Thomson joined the EFC as a project director in April 2022. She focuses on providing technical assistance to utilities, as well as researching barriers and solutions to increasing water service connections in underserved areas. … Continued