About Violetta Muselli
Violetta Muselli
GTS Mentor
“Some men see things as they are and ask why. Others dream things that never were and ask why not.”
–George Bernard Shaw
Experience:
Violetta became involved with the University of California, Santa Barbara Associated Students Environmental Affairs Board (EAB) her junior year serving as Publicity Chair. She was elected Co-chair of the entire organization in 2009. During her year as Chair, EAB doubled its membership, planned and raised funds to send 12 students to the United Nations Conference of the Parties in Copenhagen Denmark, raised over $10,000 for Haiti Relief through an environmental justice benefit, put on a major entirely student-run climate conference featuring high level speakers which won a national 2010 Best Event Award from the Center for American Progress, expanded an environmental education program to seven Santa Barbara schools, started a meatless Monday campaign at UCSB, and ran a Carrotmob resulting in thousands of dollars in energy efficiency improvements for the local supermarket among other things.
Skills:
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Development and implementation of action and information campaigns surrounding issues including sustainable foods, environmental justice, and sustainable business
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Planning and putting on major events both small and large (over 700 attendees)
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Organizing panels and securing speakers
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Team management
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Membership development and recruitment
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Weekly meeting ideas
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Securing funding from student government
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Organizing trips abroad
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Organizing protests or attention grabbing demonstrations
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Working with high level administration
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Increasing community involvement
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Improving daily organization protocol to increase efficiency, credibility, and professionalism
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Working with academic departments to offer credit for work done through a student organization
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Media contact, Press releases, getting your organization in the media
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Graphic design, publicity materials, marketing ideas
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Publicity ideas, tabling ideas
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Website development
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Starting a environmental education program in your area
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Starting a Meatless Monday campaign
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Running a Carrotmob (sustainable business)
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Getting a student run food cooperative on your campus
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Building student coalitions
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Integrating social justice issues with environmental issues
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Running workshops, leadership retreats
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Social activity ideas (to build community and keep your members involved!)
My ultimate goal is to bring together the efficiency of business, the authority of policy, and the passion of the environmental movement to achieve environmental and social sustainability. Working with a student organization in college gives you crucial skills for making an impact in the real world. In order to have healthy, sustainable, and resilient communities we need to reexamine and redesign the way our society operates. This starts with framing issues such as climate change, energy independence, and sustainable development in ways that make EVERYONE care. Stop preaching to the choir and get your least likely allies involved. A sustainable world should not be a partisan issue. Student organizations have the power to educate and inspire the future leaders of this world and I would love to help you!
Other Projects and Organizational Affiliations: