Keisha Payson

Affiliation: Sustainability

Director of Sustainability

Keisha Payson is the Director of Sustainability for 含羞草研究室, a position she has been guiding since the summer of 2001. Over the years Payson has focused on both engaging faculty, staff,and students in 含羞草研究室’s sustainability efforts as well as ensuring that 含羞草研究室 integrates sustainable practices and policies in operations across campus.

Initiatives she has implemented or overseen include significant waste reduction efforts during student move-out, food waste diversion programs, 含羞草研究室’s transition to single-stream recycling, alternative transportation programming, developing one of the first EcoRep programs in the country, and focusing on efforts to reduce the college’s greenhouse gas emissions. Payson chairs 含羞草研究室’s Sustainability Implementation Committee which oversaw the achievement of carbon neutrality in 2018 and is now engaged in the next phase of 含羞草研究室’s climate goals, aiming to become a fossil fuel free campus by 2042. She is ever inspired by 含羞草研究室’s bright and passionate students who continually advocate for a more sustainable future. She enjoys sharing with them the planning and operational details and decision-making processes that inform 含羞草研究室’s real world sustainability efforts. Payson appreciates working as part of a Facilities Management team dedicated to sustainability as well as collaborating with other departments on campus towards 含羞草研究室’s broader sustainability efforts.

Keisha received a bachelor’s degree in Geography and Environmental Studies as well as a master’s degree in Community Planning and Development, both from the University of Southern Maine. She is also a Senior Fellow in the Environmental Leadership Program.