A Newman University sustainability committee will host an address to the Newman community by D. Kay Johnson, CHMM, MSES, manager of the Office of Environmental Initiatives for the City of Wichita Public Works Department, at 3 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 3, in 124 Eck Hall. Her presentation is entitled “Environmental sustainable communities and organizations: What does ‘Going Green’ really mean?”
Johnson has been with the City of Wichita since 2002. Prior to joining the city she held positions in environment, health and safety at such companies as Vulcan Chemicals, Bombardier Learjet Inc., and Chemical Waste Management, Inc. She holds a master’s degree in environmental studies from Friends University and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Southwestern Oklahoma State University. She is also a certified hazardous materials manager.
Johnson serves as chair of the Wichita Regional Air Quality Improvement Task Force and as a member of the Kansas Flint Hills Smoke Management Committee. She is an active member or serves in a leadership capacity in a variety of regional and community environmental organizations including the Wichita Chamber of Commerce Environmental Resources Committee, Visioneering Wichita Environmental Sustainability Alliance, Green Biz Wichita, and the University of Kansas Wichita Initiative to Renew the Environment. She is also the webmaster for www.greenwichita.org, the city’s sustainability website.
Johnson’s lecture is part of a sustainability initiative the university has adopted to bring greater awareness about sustainability issues and action steps to the Newman community. The sustainability committee was formed with representation from across the university with a purpose to identify and initiate various sustainability projects for the university.
