Leadership Team

Shai Basys, Co-Chair

Climate Impact Investor, Founder - LinkedIn

About: Shai is originally from Chicago, IL but spent the last decade advocating for climate, energy, and human rights policies around the world as a U.S. diplomat. She returned to Chicago in Fall 2023 to start at Booth, and has professional experiences as a sustainability strategy consultant for commercial fashion retail clients like Steve Madden and U.S. federal government clients to develop IRA tax incentives, early stage climate tech investor at Cisco, and building climate-financial data products. Shai is currently in stealth mode building a new venture.

BCSC members should reach out for: advice on sustainability consulting, climate tech startups, VCs, and impact investors, navigating federal climate policies, Chicago climate and energy events, the best places in the Midwest to help children learn how to be more climate resilient and adaptable.

Fun Fact: I like to reframe common idioms to reflect more sustainable language. Instead of saying, "Kill two birds with one stone," you can say “Feed two birds with one scone”... I have a long list of these lol. 🐦

Dhawal Chheda, Co-Chair

Deputy Program Manager, Stantec - LinkedIn

About: Dhawal grew up in Mumbai, India, and holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Cincinnati. Now based in Chicago, he moved here in Fall 2023 to pursue an MBA at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Dhawal is a licensed professional engineer with eight years of consulting experience in the environmental services industry, currently serving as a Task Manager at Stantec Consulting Services Inc. His work spans diverse projects focused on water contamination, climate vulnerability assessments, and other environmental challenges.

BCSC members should reach out for: Like so many others, sustainability is a space which is relatively new to Dhawal, and he is driven to continuously expand his knowledge base in this field. BSCS members can reach out to him to discuss water resources, pollution remediation, aquifer management, climate vulnerabilities and adaptation, environmental/engineering consulting, environmental health and safety, or just to connect over some coffee!

Fun Fact: As much as I love nature and the environment, I am allergic to the sun! Don’t worry I am not a vampire, but my skin isn’t a big fan of the harsh summer sun🌞

Will Harley, Co-Chair

Project Leader, Milwaukee Tool

About: Will was born in eastern Tennessee, grew up mostly in the Greater Chicagoland Area, and has worked a variety of roles in manufacturing, automotive, and technology. He received a bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering, lived abroad in China for a couple of years, and is now glad to be back home. He now works as a product manager for Milwaukee Tool, focused on enabling the next generation of smart construction and IoT enabled devices.

BCSC members should reach out for: Event ideas, chats about electrification, or just to say hi!

Fun Fact: 🚲🚲🚲

Sanjana Kartik, Co-Chair

Senior Manager, RWE - LinkedIn

About: Sanjana Kartik is from EVERYWHERE. Born in India, raised in Toronto, and now living and working in Chicago, she likes to call herself a global citizen. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry and a Master’s in Energy Systems Engineering, with a focus in Solar Energy. Currently, Sanjana is a Senior Manager in the engineering department at RWE Clean Energy, specializing in engineering work in the utility-scale solar space. Sanjana has always been passionate about the renewables and sustainability sectors. She hopes to bring awareness to and provide networking opportunities from the renewable companies she has worked at.

BCSC members should reach out for: Connections in and questions about the renewable energy sector in the US.

Fun fact: Sanjana is a tropical gal! She loves being out in the sun and has always lived by a body of water. Something about being next to a large body of water has always provided her happiness and calmness.

Michelle Libby, Co-Chair

Associate Director of Finance & Operations, University of Chicago - LinkedIn

About: Born and raised in the Chicago suburbs, Michelle has worked in corporate HR at Amazon and Diageo, and currently works at the University of Chicago Graham School as the Dean of Students and Associate Director of Finance and Operations. Her role encompasses student support, HR management, and finance responsibilities for the School. Michelle hopes to use her Booth MBA to pivot to a career in sustainability and climate solutions, and is passionate about taking steps to live more sustainably at work and at home.

BCSC members should reach out for: Chats about community action, navigating career transition, and Booth courses focused on sustainability and responsible business.

Fun Fact: Outside Booth’s Sustainability Club, Michelle is also active as a board member for a sustainability organization called Greener Grove in her hometown, Downers Grove! Check out greenergrove.org to learn more.

Elvin Moy, Co-Chair

Senior Associate, Sargent & Lundy - LinkedIn

About: Elvin hails from Aurora, IL and has called Chicago his home for his whole life! Before Booth, Elvin studied his masters and bachelors in mechanical engineering at Illinois Tech. He now works full time as a senior mechanical engineer for Sargent & Lundy. His duties include mentoring new associates and working with clients for all their energy needs. He hopes to find a role in balancing the ever-increasing demand for energy and pressing need for raising sustainability issues to more stakeholders.

BCSC members should reach out for: Decarbonization initiatives across different industries and case competitions.

Fun Fact: Elvin loves museums. He’s volunteered as a science educator at the Museum of Science and Industry and Shedd Aquarium. Please keep him up to date with all things penguins.

Lu Zhang, Co-Chair

Business Development Manager, BASF - LinkedIn

About: Growing up in China, Lu attended Tongji University in Shanghai and Tsinghua University in Beijing. Lu earned a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Notre Dame, where she developed a strong foundation in the principles of chemical and biomolecular engineering. Following her doctoral studies, Lu completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Yale University. Her professional journey includes various R&D roles at leading companies such as Unilever and Cabot Corporation. For the past 10 years, Lu has been with BASF, the world's largest chemical company, working across four different operating divisions with increasing responsibilities. Lu worked on diverse research projects spanning personal care products, 3D printing technologies, and performance materials. Currently, Lu serves as a Business Development Manager for MDI at BASF. In this role, Lu leverages her extensive expertise to drive growth and innovation within the company.

BCSC members should reach out for: Career development, Career transition, Sustainability in chemical industry, Sustainability concepts and practice, such as biomass balance, circular economy, etc., Sustainability marketing, Booth Social Impact (Consultant), Admissions Ambassador & Admissions Committee, Private Equity Case Challenge (PECC), New Venture Challenge (NVC), Student Advisory Council (E/W), International Business Exchange Program (IBEP)

Fun Fact: I am passionate about sustainability and actively experiment with eco-friendly practices in my daily life. I follow a mostly plant-based diet and practice intermittent fasting, which not only helps me maintain a healthy weight but also reduces my carbon footprint.

Paul Salach, Alumni Representative

Product Leader, Owens Corning - LinkedIn

About: Paul grew up in Cincinnati and currently lives in Chicago. He holds a Bachelor’s in Applied Engineering Sciences with concentrations in Supply Chain and Packaging from Michigan State. In 2017 he joined Owens Corning's Supply Chain Leadership Program before pivoting into Corporate Strategy. As an internal consultant with OC, he led projects focused on Solar Roofing, Glass Bottle Recycling, and EU Decarbonization Policy. He currently works as the Product Leader of a fiberglass roving used in wind blades, ladder rails and electrical grid hardware within OC's Glass Reinforcements business. He also supports the company's global circularity and decarbonization strategy while managing their new Sustaina and Sustaina Loop circular content glass fiber product lines.

BCSC members should reach out for: Product Management, Strategy, NVC, industrial decarbonization, top classes to take at Booth or to just nerd out about the IRA and all the exciting work being done to combat the climate crisis.

Ashvin Veligandla, Alumni Representative

Lead Data Analyst, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago - LinkedIn

About: Hello! I am Ashvin Veligandla. I’m a father, husband and an immigrant from India. I work as a Lead Data Analyst at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. While my day job is related to Data Analytics and machine learning, I have a deep passion for corporate sustainability. I have advocated for simple to complex solutions using my leadership and technical skills to bring about sustainable and meaningful change at various organizations I have worked in the past and present. Since graduating from Booth in 2024, I am looking at various ways to contribute my skills to both the nonprofit and for-profit sector.

BCSC members should reach out for: Navigating school, work, and family, Classes to take to prepare for sustainability sector/jobs, SNVC and NVC competitions, Starting a sustainability focused resource group at work, Chicago Nonprofits focused on climate issues.

Previous BCSC Co-Chairs

2024-2025:

  • Paul Salach
  • Diana Sanborn
  • Nanki Sekhon

2023-2024:

  • Ashvin Veligandla

Marianne Bertand, Chicago Booth Faculty Sponsor

Chris P. Dialynas Distinguished Service Professor of Economics - Website

Marianne Bertrand is the Chris P. Dialynas Distinguished Service Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. She is a Research Fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research, the Center for Economic Policy Research, and the Institute for the Study of Labor.

Professor Bertrand is an applied micro-economist whose research covers the fields of labor economics, corporate finance, political economy and development economics. Her research in these areas has been published widely, including numerous research articles in the Quarterly Journal of Economics, the Journal of Political Economy, the American Economic Review, the Review of Economic Studies and the Journal of Finance.

Professor Bertrand is the Pritzker Director of the Inclusive Economy Lab at the University of Chicago Urban Labs. Professor Bertrand also served as co-editor of the American Economic Review.