Kumar Jensen was appointed as Evanston’s sustainability coordinator Tuesday, city manager Wally Bobkiewicz announced in a news release.

Jensen will report directly to Bobkiewicz and will be responsible for the city’s environmental and sustainability initiatives. These responsibilities were previously managed by Catherine Hurley, according to the release.

As sustainability coordinator, Jensen will “manage strategic planning, program development and project implementation to address energy efficiency, water and waste reduction, renewable energy and climate change,” the release said.

According to the release, livability initiatives previously managed by the Office of Sustainability will now be coordinated by community development director Johanna Leonard.

Jensen began working with the city in 2014 as a fellow for the Office of Sustainability. During his time with the city, he has held positions on numerous task forces and committees.

Previously, Jensen worked at Earlham College in Indiana — from where he graduated with a Bachelors of Arts in Environmental Studies — as the sustainability program associate, focusing on outreach and engagement initiatives as well as campus-wide waste reduction, the release said.

“Kumar has distinguished himself in the past three years through his dedication to the environment and quality of life in Evanston,” Bobkiewicz said in the release. “This new role shifts the focus of the Office of Sustainability back to its original purposes of energy efficiency, water and waste reduction, renewable energy and climate change.”

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