The program specialist in Project Delivery and Change Management is always looking for ways to integrate sustainability in both her professional and personal life.
The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Office of Sustainability would like to recognize Meredith DiIoia as a Sustainability Champion! DiIoia serves as a program specialist in Project Delivery and Change Management, a role that she began in June 2025. She was previously a sustainability specialist in the Office of Sustainability beginning in October 2023.
During her time with the Office of Sustainability, DiIoia worked around campus to engage students, staff, and faculty through projects like the MSTF Community Garden and Walking Wednesdays. Some of DiIoia’s favorite work was event planning for Earth Month and Campus Sustainability Month, including Meet the Founder collaborations with The Grid, Campus Cleanups, and (Y)Our Power, Our Planet: An Earth Day Conversation on Environmental Action.
“The Office of Sustainability was an encouraging and collaborative environment to be a part of, and I am grateful and proud of all the things we accomplished while I was there,” says DiIoia. “I am also proud of the incredible work that the (now team of two!) continue to accomplish by building an inclusive culture of sustainability at UMB and in the city of Baltimore.”
In her current role as a program specialist in Project Delivery and Change Management, DiIoia helps to manage three projects that impact work throughout Facilities and Operations. The projects include technical improvements that aid departments including Environmental Services; Design & Construction; Construction and Facilities Strategic Acquisitions; and Real Estate, Planning, and Space Management. Her role specializes in communication, administrative, and change management work. Even in her new role, she continues to bring the Office of Sustainability into conversations where aspects of her current work can benefit from a sustainability lens.
Prior to coming to UMB, DiIoia was a master’s student in Scotland studying sustainability. While pursuing her graduate studies, she conducted research on community resilience during extreme weather events in Aberdeenshire. For her undergraduate sustainability capstone project at the University of Virginia (UVA), DiIoia created a sustainability plan for Morven Farm, a UVA-owned farm that has now become a sustainability lab. Additionally, she was a member of the Environmental Justice Collective at UVA and a grant writing intern for the nonprofit Appalachian Sustainable Development.
Outside of work, DiIoia tries to integrate sustainability in many aspects of her life while emphasizing the importance of having compassion for oneself.
“We live in an extremely unsustainable world that can make it difficult to always find sustainable solutions,” she says. “My life and circumstances allow me to easily live sustainably in some ways, while making other aspects of sustainability difficult. I don't own a car, so I take public transportation or walk most places. I shop locally at farmers’ markets for my produce, meal plan to reduce my food waste, and am a vegetarian. I volunteer at the National Aquarium with the Sea Turtle Husbandry and will soon begin serving as a commissioner on the Baltimore Commission on Sustainability.”
When asked about one thing that students, staff, and faculty at UMB can do to contribute to campus sustainability efforts, DiIoia suggests staying informed about all the great work the Office of Sustainability is doing and sharing with friends and co-workers. One can sign up for the newsletter, Instagram, and Facebook, and join the Sustainability Community Team.
“Two things that I want to highlight are Walking Wednesdays and SustainabiliTea, events that the Office of Sustainability hosts on a recurring basis. Finding and building community in all aspects of life is important. Walking Wednesdays and SustainabiliTea create opportunities for people passionate about sustainability or simply interested in learning more to engage with like-minded people and build community at UMB!”
Do you have a UMB Sustainability Champion you would like to nominate to be featured? Please fill out this form. Self-nominations are welcome.
Subscribe here to the UMB Sustainability Newsletter and follow the UMB Sustainability social media channels (Facebook, X, and Instagram).