Alumna Profile: Christine Sansevero

Environmentalist
As a child, Christine Sansevero ’95 (ENG) dreamed of becoming an astronaut. While studying civil and environmental engineering at UConn, however, she realized, “there’s a great deal of work to do right here on our own planet.”

Since graduating from UConn, Sansevero has held a variety of positions at the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), earning eight medals for her efforts to improve air quality throughout the United States.

In her current role as senior enforcement coordinator for the EPA’s Air Technical Unit in New England, Sansevero oversees air quality inspectors who conduct field inspections to evaluate industry’s compliance with state and federal air pollution regulations.

“Our environment, health and prosperity are inextricably linked,” says Sansevero.

“I feel truly fortunate to work on issues of such profound importance. I believe that enforcing regulations is one of the most critical components of environmental protection. Even the most well-intentioned regulations and policies cannot succeed without effective and fair enforcement.”

For more than 13 years, Sansevero has worked on air quality issues from a variety of perspectives at the national and regional levels. She also served as a Congressional Fellow to New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, advising the senator on energy and environmental issues.

“A lot of engineers are happy to do technical work but never step up to the public policy arena,” says Michael Accorsi, professor and head of UConn’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. “Christine wanted to make a difference, and I think she’s really achieving that.”

Reprinted with permission from UConn magazine (“Forty Under Forty”), Volume 9, Number 3 – Fall/Winter 2008