Title: Sustainability Program Coordinator
Employer: Carle Health
Savannah Donovan is the Sustainability Program Coordinator at Carle Health since 2025. They work at the system level to reduce waste and decrease energy and water consumption at Carle Health’s eight hospitals across Illinois. They have a BS in Integrative Biology from UIUC (2006) and an MS in Environmental Education & Interpretation from UW-Stevens Point (2014).
Savannah started their professional career in 2009 working to coordinate and lead environmental public programs at the Champaign County Forest Preserve District. That’s when they discovered their passion for environmental education! In 2013 they began working as the Environmental Public Program Coordinator at the Urbana Park District (UPD) and eventually became the Environmental Program Manager in 2021 which included management of the Anita Purves Nature Center and a greater focus on administrative work and special event planning.
During their time at the Urbana Park District, they served on the executive board of the Environmental Education Association of Illinois (EEAI), co-founded and led the Champaign County Climate Coalition (C4), chaired the UPD’s internal Green Team committee, and co-authored the UPD's CARES (Climate Action, Resilience, Education & Sustainability) Plan—all of which would support the next stage of their career.
In 2025, Savannah felt it was time to shift in a new direction! They wanted a position that didn’t require management of staff and a facility and would be more focused on making a direct impact on the environment. To their surprise, Savannah found that role in health care, an industry that generates approximately 8.5% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. Education is still an important component to their work, with a greater focus on communications, internal culture-building, and change management.
Before the start of their professional career, Savannah served meals on an Alaskan train, worked as a field tech and lab tech, and volunteered in a wildlife medical clinic.
You can learn more about Savannah’s previous role as the Environmental Public Program Coordinator at Anita Purves Nature Center (2013-2021): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GltzAL2GQ3o
One tip that Savannah has for anyone interested in getting a jump start on your career: as a student, you can get involved with professional organizations. For example, the EEAI has student-level memberships, you can serve as a volunteer or even on the board, and they have scholarships to attend conferences. Visit www.eeai.net for more information or to join.
Savannah is incredibly knowledgeable about and experienced in environmental education and environmental sustainability. They are a great person to talk with if you’re interested in learning how to succeed in these competitive fields. Contact Christina Swanson at alumnimentor@sib.illinois.edu if you would like to connect with Savannah.