Liza Waters has been named Interim Associate Director of the Office of Sustainability (OS), effective Aug. 2. Waters, who previously served as the office’s Project Manager, steps into this leadership role to guide the team and maintain momentum toward campus’ sustainability goals and FP&M’s strategic priority to be a leader in sustainability.
As Interim Associate Director, Waters oversees OS’ daily operations and staff while advancing campuswide environmental sustainability strategy. In this role, she leads efforts to reduce waste, increase renewable energy use, and lower carbon emissions across campus. She also supports hands-on student learning, builds cross-campus partnerships and helps guide joint initiatives with academic and research partners, including the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies.
“Liza is a proven collaborator who knows how to bring teams together,” said FP&M Associate Vice Chancellor Cindy Torstveit. “Having managed key project work in the office has given her unique insight, which paired with her background in policy and economics, makes her uniquely equipped to lead.”
Waters holds a master’s in Applied Economics from UW-Madison and a bachelor’s in Public Policy from Duke University. She joined the Office of Sustainability as a Project Manager in September 2023, where she managed key grant initiatives and campus sustainability projects before stepping into the Interim Associate Director role. Her prior professional background spans communications, consulting, and grants management.
“Sustainability at UW-Madison is all about working together as a campus community to solve big problems, and I’m honored to help lead that effort as Interim Associate Director,” Waters said. “We have ambitious goals and a remarkably dedicated team. I’m excited to keep working alongside our staff, students and campus partners to tackle these challenges together.”
The announcement follows the departure of OS Director Missy Nergard, who left UW–Madison in August to pursue new professional opportunities outside the university. The search for a new OS leader will begin this fall. FP&M Deputy Associate Vice Chancellor Margaret Tennessen will temporarily oversee the Lakeshore Nature Preserve.
“I want to thank Missy for her eight years of service to UW-Madison,” Torstveit said. “She led many major milestones, including earning STARS Gold, integrating the Lakeshore Nature Preserve into the office, and helping launch Earth Fest. These accomplishments helped inform and engage our community, building a foundation to enable us to transition to a renewed focus on attaining the remaining goals.”
Torstveit emphasized that the university’s environmental commitment remains as strong as ever.
“The Office of Sustainability’s work remains critical, and our team and resources will continue to be fully supported,” Torstveit said. “We are proud of the progress that has been made and are excited to continue to elevate the organization and remain a leader in sustainability.”