PIN Points
Tom Woelper outlines NEIA’s approach to sustainability and names a climate and sustainability advisor to guide the development of these initiatives.
The work is centered on three grounding principles, namely circular, regenerative, and catalytic.
Olga Faktorovich Allen, a Guardian of a rising 7th grader, will join NEIA’s team as a Climate and Sustainability Advisor.
Head of School Tom Woelper outlined NEIA’s approach to sustainability and named a climate and sustainability advisor to guide the development of these initiatives. The approach aligns with NEIA’s focus on working collaboratively with our community to lead change in a meaningful and inclusive manner.
“As we embark on the second year of our groundbreaking school, I reflect on the urgency of the moment we are witnessing and the potential of our community to make a real difference. Climate change is the existential challenge of our time,” said Tom Woelper, Head of School. “It exacerbates existing vulnerabilities and threatens to undo most of the social and economic progress achieved over the last 50 years. Although signs of the changing climate are all around us (disastrous floods, prolonged extreme temperatures, raging fires, unprecedented drought), science tells us there is still time to act – and every action matters.”
As a community of innovators and entrepreneurs, NEIA is bound by the conviction that radical empathy can transform the most entrenched systems. The school community is committed to bold climate action, worthy of the urgency of this moment and our very own brand of change makers.
True to the school’s ethos, NEIA will embark on a co-creation journey to integrate climate action and sustainability that is centered on three grounding principles:
- Circular – design out waste and pollution
- Regenerative – restore systems to achieve net-positive impacts for ecology, health, and society
- Catalytic – spark wider change
NEIA will apply these principles across the school’s operations, curriculum, and culture to bring about measurable progress and meaningful co-creation towards a net-positive future.
To help accelerate our progress on this journey, Olga Faktorovich Allen, a Guardian of a rising 7th grader, will join our team as a Climate and Sustainability Advisor. Olga is a Senior Director of Climate Integration at Abt Associates, a global research-to-practice consulting firm working at the intersection of disciplines and sectors such as health, climate, agriculture, housing, and economic security – to advance sustainable development and the human condition around the world.
NEIA will continue to share updates on sustainability efforts and action plans as the real work comes into focus these next few months.
Tom Woelper, Head of School
Tom has had a distinguished 31-year career in independent education, most recently serving as the Head of School of Far Hills Country Day School in Far Hills, New Jersey. Prior to his tenure at Far Hills, Tom served as the Assistant Head of School and Dean of Academic Life and taught history during his 14 years at The Hotchkiss School.