Celebrating Lauren Keiser: A Sustainable Event Champion
We’re thrilled to celebrate one of our own, Lauren Keiser, who has been named Green Gator of the Month by the Office of Sustainability! Lauren’s dedication to creating sustainable events reflects her commitment to reducing environmental impact, making her a true role model within the Conference Department at the Office of Professional and Workforce Development (OPWD) and the broader UF community.
The Office of Sustainability recently celebrated Lauren’s outstanding dedication to eco-friendly event planning. From sourcing local produce and opting for reusable materials to eliminating plastic water bottles, Lauren’s meticulous approach ensures every event she oversees is as sustainable as possible.
After earning her Sustainable Event Professional Certificate (SEPC) earlier this year, she’s gained even more expertise in hosting green events—and has already successfully green-certified three through UF’s Office of Sustainability!
We’re especially proud to highlight the specific Green-level certified events that Lauren has spearheaded here at OPWD. These events were designed with sustainability at the forefront, achieving UF’s highest certification level:
- Center for Coastal Solutions Optimizing Solutions for Resilient Coasts Summit (2023)
- Safety Education Day (2024)
- Cross Connection Control Conference (2025)
“I’m honored to be recognized as a leader in sustainability here at UF,” said Lauren. “My interest in a low-waste lifestyle has always been strong, but I wasn’t sure how to incorporate it professionally. I’m grateful to the entire OPWD team for their support while working on my SEPC! While it may seem daunting, sustainable efforts are possible with a little effort.”
Lauren’s hard work continues to inspire our office to think more critically about how we can reduce our own environmental footprint. Her sustainable strategies align perfectly with the UF Office of Sustainability’s Sustainable Event Guide, showcasing the importance of early planning, local sourcing, and thoughtful decision-making.
“Lauren is very passionate about sustainability and how this can play a role in project management and event design for conference clients,” said Katie Risher, CMP, Assistant Director, Conference Department. “Lauren is very thoughtful, strategic, and creative in how she can incorporate sustainability into her events and help clients and attendees see the value in how this type of event design helps enhance the event experience. We are very proud of Lauren in all of her efforts to take sustainability and put that at the forefront of strategic planning and decision making, no matter the hurdles that may happen along the way related to product availability, cost, or tight planning deadlines. We look forward to seeing Lauren’s success along the way and cheering her on! We can all learn from Lauren on sustainability initiatives and how this makes a difference not only in events, but every day actions and intentions.”
Congratulations again, Lauren! We look forward to seeing your continued impact on both OPWD and the larger UF community. Check out the full blog on the UF Office of Sustainability’s website for more details on Lauren’s journey and her incredible achievements in sustainability.