Contact the Masters Admissions Team

Ray Andreoli

Associate Director of Financial Aid

I grew up in North Branford CT and went to Albertus Magnus College in New Haven CT (right up the hill on Prospect Street) for my undergraduate studies. As the financial aid representative for our team, I work hard to assist students and provide a better understanding of the resources and options available to fund their education. I understand that attending graduate school is a key decision in your academic journey; therefore, I strive to respond to individual circumstances with care. Outside of YSE, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends. My daughter, Stella, keeps my wife and I VERY busy but we very much enjoy watching her grow, learn, and discover new things every day. I am a HUGE sports fan (Rangers, Giants, Yankees and Knicks) but will watch any game that is on. I play men’s league hockey multiple times a week and always enjoy getting on the golf course when possible. Having lived in New Haven County my entire life, I am happy to debate/suggest the finest apizza New Haven has to offer.

Wendi Hicks

Director of Enrollment Management

Greetings! I am so excited to be a part of the YSE community and the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid team. As an African American woman growing up in rural South Georgia—the agricultural Sunbelt—the importance of environmental health and awareness, and the countless effects that people, policies, and many other factors have upon it, have always been a passion for me. I also possess a true passion for higher education and the academic empowerment of students across all backgrounds and am currently working on my dissertation for a Doctorate in Public Administration, with a dual concentration in Higher Education Leadership and Public Policy. While our team is dedicated to recruiting individuals with multi-faceted perspectives and experiences to aid in the cultivation of a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community, we still have a lot of work to do continue creating and increasing an inclusive environment. I am committed to that work. In my free time, I enjoy dancing, eating pizza, and walking with my close friends and their dogs!

Lori Lombardo

Assistant Director of Admissions, Events & Recruitment

As a graduate of Lafayette College with a Bachelor's in Environmental Studies, I have been eager to unite my passion for the environment with my ove for higher education; I am honored to further the mission I so value of YSE through this role. In a time of increasing environmental challenges, this was an opportunity I could not let pass me by. Outside of the professional world, I love spending time with my rescue pup, Bronson (an 11 month old mutt), my family and my friends. I am an amateur photographer (film especially!) and a lover of good coffee! I live to travel and am always day dreaming about where I will explore next…I am on a mission to visit each of the 62 National Parks and all 50 states! For me, exploring new places and being immersed in new and different cultures is invigorating.

Quetcy Rivas Maldonado

Masters Program Coordinator

Hola from New Haven!! The environmental challenge the world faces was one of the reasons why I came to YSE. Not the least important of which are the perils bearing down on Puerto Rico with the brief stints of relief between earthquakes and hurricanes that rocked the island in the not so distant past. One of my hopes is that students of YSE set their sights toward my beautiful isle of Puerto Rico and undertake the initiatives to reconstruct the affected areas and develop long term solutions. What does a Puerto Rican do to relax after replying to an inundated inbox? I am a DIY enthusiast which reinforces my efforts to reuse and recycle. I am helped by my loving family, of whom my only child is getting an M.F.A in writing and our energetic German Shepherd (Luna-nicknamed Lunatic) graciously volunteers to reduce the items that end up in the trash. To destress from a long workday, I turn to a good mystery whether on screen or in the comfort of a bedside book.

Kelly Morrissey

Assistant Director of Admissions, Communications & Marketing

After graduating from Southern Connecticut State University and working at a higher education institution that served primarily a low-income, first-generation student population for over six years, I am thankful to have the opportunity to be a member of the YSE community. Having not come from an environmental background I knew I would be up for a challenge however have been inspired by both the personal and educational growth I have experienced thus far. When I’m not connecting with prospective students and collaborating with our Admissions & Financial Aid team, I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, reading, and being as close to the ocean as possible. Some of my favorite places I’ve traveled to include Japan, Scotland, Costa Rica, and Joshua Tree National Park in CA (ultimate stargazing)! I thoroughly enjoy conversing with new people—each one of us has a journey and I find it fascinating to learn about how our decisions in life have led us to where we are.

Bipul Mayank

Admissions Ambassador

Bipul is a second-year Master of Environmental Management (MEM) candidate at the Yale School of the Environment (YSE), specializing in Business and Environment. Bipul is interested in working on sustainable financing in India and other emerging markets. He is a recipient of Andrew Sabin Fellowship and a part of EDF’s Climate Corps Fellows. Bipul worked on city-business climate alliance with World Business Council for Sustainable Development and C40 cities group this summer. Prior to coming to Yale, he completed his Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Dhanbad, where he focused on Environmental Impacts of coal mining in Eastern India.

Liz Plascencia

Admissions Ambassador

Aloha! My name is Liz Plascencia (she/her/hers) and I am originally from Los Angeles, California. As a Queer, Latinx, First-Generation Mexican American - I am extremely interested in the intersectionality of environmental issues while considering the nexus between climate solutions, racial equity, and justice. I am a Master of Environmental Management candidate with a specialization in Urban and Water Resource Science and Management at the Yale School of Environment (YSE). Before coming to YSE, I was working on coastal stewardship and climate mitigation/adaptation in the South Pacific (i.e. Hawaiian archipelago, Tonga, and Fiji). Most of my professional work has focused on coastal management, hosting large-scale beach clean-ups, community and local stakeholder engagement, and plastic pollution education and outreach. In my free time, I enjoy surfing, freediving, hiking, camping, longboarding, and rock climbing!