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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 … Read more

Email address for Melanie Sanchez msanchez@sog.unc.edu
Phone number for Melanie Sanchez 910-599-3743

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 … Read more

Email address for Henri Sanders hfsanders@uncg.edu

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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 … Read more

Email address for Gabriela Santana gsantana@live.unc.edu

Manasa Tandri

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Manasa is a junior at UNC majoring in Biostatistics with minors in Data Science and Chemistry. At the EFC, she works as an Undergraduate Research Assistant, working on the water and wastewater rates dashboards. In … Read more

Email address for Manasa Tandri mtandri@unc.edu

image of Austin Thompson

Austin Thompson-Spain

Associate Director

Austin Thompson-Spain joined the EFC at UNC in 2018 as a Project Director. In this role, she conducts applied research and provides technical assistance and training for environmental service providers. Austin holds a BS in … Read more

Email address for Austin Thompson-Spain thompson@sog.unc.edu

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. … Read more

Email address for Hope Thomson hope.thomson@sog.unc.edu
Phone number for Hope Thomson 919-962-8273

Mary Tiger

Mary Tiger

Chief Operating Officer

Mary Tiger was the Chief Operating Officer at the EFC until August, 2015. Mary worked to make sure that the Environmental Finance Center was sustainably financed and managed, led strategic and operational initiatives and coordinated … Read more


Alessandra Caceres Torres

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Alessandra Caceres Torres is an undergraduate student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, double majoring in Political Science and Public Policy and minoring in Spanish for the Legal Professions. In the future, … Read more

Email address for Alessandra Caceres Torres alessandracaceres@unc.edu

David Tucker

David Tucker

Project Director

David Tucker was a Project Director at the EFC until March 2017. He worked with local, regional, and state governments, not for profit organizations, and private companies on innovative environmental finance projects related to energy … Read more


Delia Wegner

Graduate Research Assistant

Delia Wegner graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in May 2021 with a major in Environmental Studies and a minor in Urban Studies and Planning. She is now pursuing a Masters in Information Science degree at UNC … Read more

Email address for Delia Wegner dmwegner@live.unc.edu