Sustainability Officer: Four Finalists

By the time the public met the city's Chief Sustainability Officer candidates on Thursday, four finalists were left standing: Lucia Athens, Dennis Murphey, Beth Pratt, and Matt Watson. All four were impressive at the well-attended meet-and-greets. Semi-finalist Brandi Clark took herself out of the running, citing a desire to focus on her family.

City Manager Marc Ott and Assistant City Manager Sue Edwards conducted final interviews on Friday, and Ott had indicated he'd make a pick that same day – so the offer is probably out. The name of the CSO should be announced within two weeks, after the negotiation and hiring process is complete.

The Finalists:

Lucia Athens, Senior Sustainable Futures Strategist for architecture, planning and interior design firm CollinsWoerman, Seattle. (She got her master's degree at UT, helped develop the City of Austin Green Builder Program, led the City of Seattle's green building program for ten years, and recently authored the book Building an Emerald City.)

Matt Watson, Energy Policy Specialist, Environmental Defense Fund, Washington, D.C. (He was aide to Mayor Will Wynn, with major responsibilities for the Austin Climate Protection Plan, and other environmental/sustainability initiatives.)

Dennis Murphey, Chief Environmental Officer, City of Kansas City, Mo.

Beth Pratt, Director of Environmental Affairs, Xanterra Parks & Resorts at Yellowstone, Yellowstone National Park, Wyo.