News | MISD 2024-25 Cohort

SBE Welcomes Our 2024-25 Graduate Students

(Listed alphabetically by surname)

Jenny Basantes

Hometown | Fort Myers, FL & Arlington Heights, IL
Education | Bachelor in Applied Science in Management and Organizational Leadership Sustainability and Green Management (St. Petersburg College, FL); TEFL Certification (FGCU Fort Myers, FL); AS in Architecture, Construction, and Design (FSW Fort Myers, FL); AA (FSW Fort Myers, FL)

Jenny Basantes, GRI, CRS, ABR, CIPS, AHWD, GREEN, ePro, SRES, RSPS, has been a Dual state licensed Real Estate Managing Broker for 28 years.

The letters behind Jenny’s name signify Experience, Education, and Ethical values. These certifications, accreditations, and designations are not only achieved, but Jenny is also an accredited Instructor and teaches those courses to schools and realtors in the United States and Internationally, and teaches English as a foreign language.

Jenny is a well-rounded individual with over 25 years of experience in Business Administration, Supervisor, Trainer, and Office Management in major Fortune 500 companies in Chicago and Florida. Her experience is wide as a top Kelly Services Staffing and Human Resources manager, as well as in the Hotel and Catering industry.

Interests
Sustainability and Green Building with LEED Education, Learning, Teaching, and Training others. The beach. Singing, Dancing, Bowling, and Movies.

Experience

Real Estate licensed since 1996, Licensed in 3 states, Illinois, Florida, and Maryland (2000-2002)
Licensed CE Instructor- Illinois Association of Realtors since 2010
Instructor for the National Association of Realtors and REBAC, 2010
Teaching designations courses to Realtors in the IL, FL, and MI, State boards, DBPR.
In 2004, Jenny became a CNSA/NNA-Certified Notary Signing Agent for 10 years traveling to different counties in Chicago, Illinois, and its surrounding suburbs completing real estate Notary closings and Refinances for major U.S. banks, mortgage companies, and title companies.
Proficient in MS Office products and many other software,

Jourdan Friedlander

Hometown | Tampa, FL
Education | Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (University of Florida)

Jourdan is a double gator who graduated with a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture, earning Magna Cum Laude honors from the University of Florida in August of 2024. Jourdan desires a career in the field of sustainable landscape architecture.

Interests
While Jourdan is passionate about beautifying and cleansing the natural environment, she also loves sports, music, and art. Jourdan competed in organized basketball and officiating, is skilled at playing the violin, and constructs her own art projects.

Experience
Jourdan’s experiences and interests lie within public art and landscape architecture, having previously interned with Miller Legg & Associates as a landscape architecture intern. Jourdan is currently a landscape designer for Miller Legg & Associates. Jourdan is a member of the American Society of Landscape Architects as well as the UF student led chapter, the UF student led chapter of the National Association of Minority Landscape Architects, and Lambda Sigma Alpha, a scholastic honor society that recognizes academic achievement among students in the field of landscape architecture.

Oluwasegun Joel James

Hometown | Lagos, Nigeria
Education | Master of Science in Urban and Regional Planning (University of Florida, Anticipated 2025); Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Urban and Regional Planning (University of Lagos)

Oluwasegun a result-oriented, resourceful, and determined individual with experience in Urban Planning, currently pursuing both an MSc. in Urban and Regional Planning and an MSc. in Integrated Sustainable Development at the University of Florida. His academic journey is shaped by a passion for environmental design, sustainable development, and the intersection of sustainable construction and energy efficiency within the built environment.

His research interests are diverse, spanning Environmental planning, Housing, Social Justice, GIS and Mapping. Oluwasegun is also deeply interested in the study of sustainable construction practices and building energy modeling, examining ways to improve energy efficiency in urban spaces.

His current work as a research assistance with the Shimberg center for Housing Studies includes creating flood hazard exposure and vulnerability mapping in Florida which further aligns with his commitment to sustainability and risk management in urban planning. As a GIS Analyst and Environmentalist, Oluwasegun leverages his technical skills and knowledge in GIS mapping, urban planning, and environmental management to tackle complex challenges and contribute to the development of sustainable, resilient communities.

Oluwasegun is eager to apply my expertise in both urban planning and integrated sustainable development to drive positive change, with a focus on creating environmentally conscious, energy-efficient, and livable spaces.

Interests
Sustainable urban development, GIS mapping, building energy modeling, flood hazard analysis, sustainable construction

Experience
Graduate Research Assistant at Shimberg Center for Housing Studies, Project Officer at Gable Consults, Intern at Cityscape Planning Services

Thelma Morgan

Hometown | Saltpond, Ghana
Education | Bachelor of Science and Master’s in Architecture
(Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology)

Thelma is a detail-oriented Ghanaian Architect with both a Bachelor of Science and a Master’s degree in Architecture from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, Ghana.

With around seven years of experience in building design and construction, Thelma is currently advancing her expertise through a Master’s in Integrated Sustainable Development at the University of Florida, aiming to establish a career in design and sustainability consulting.

Interests
Thelma is passionate about advancing the built environment through sustainable design, construction, and green building certifications, while also finding joy in creative activities such as crafting, model building, cooking, and baking.

Experience
With extensive experience across different design stages, Thelma has honed strong management skills in both project administration and design. She has worked as a consultant on various projects for the Ghanaian government, including universities, office complexes, and hospitals.

Additionally, she has collaborated with construction professionals from Michigan and a Texas-based company to design affordable, sustainable homes in Accra.

Romina Mucollari

Hometown | St. Augustine, FL
Education | Bachelor of Science in Sustainability & the Built Environment (University of Florida)

Romina graduated the University of Florida with her bachelors degree in the Spring of 2024 and is continuing her education at UF with the Master of Integrated Sustainable Development Program. Her goal is to further her knowledge and expertise in sustainability and pursue a career that drives meaningful, positive change for communities and the environment.

Interests
Romina’s academic interests include affordable housing, LEED certification, energy efficiency and energy modeling.

Experience
Romina is a newly certified Energy Coach with the Community Weatherization Coalition (CWC). The CWC is dedicated to supporting energy-burdened communities, ensuring they receive the resources and guidance necessary to achieve greater energy and water efficiency and savings. In this role, she volunteers to help local residents reduce their utility costs by making simple yet effective changes to their routines and home features. Romina is also gaining valuable professional experience as a Project Intern with RunBrook, a sustainability consultant company specializing in green building certifications and energy ratings. As part of this role, she assists with the green building certification process and handles various administrative tasks, contributing to the development of sustainable, high-performance buildings.

Alexandria O’Donovan

Hometown | TBD
Education | Bachelor of Science in Sustainability & the Built Environment (University of Florida)

Interests
Interested in sustainable and resilient cities that educate and engage the public. Alexandria believes in increasing the performance of the built environment to be healthier for the economy and society without sacrificing the natural environment.

Experience
Familiar with collecting and analyzing data, researching sustainable practices and strategies, recommending sustainable actions in local communities, working with ESRI products including GIS, and the LEED certification process.

Experienced in communications roles, including social media management, graphic design, content creation, blog writing and editing, recruitment initiatives, and planning and coordinating events.

Darwin Thomas

Hometown | Gainesville, FL
Education | Bachelor of Science in Sustainability & the Built Environment (University of Florida)

Darwin graduated from the University of Florida Sustainability and the Built Environment program in Spring 2021, with a specialization in Geodesign. She is interested in climate change resiliency research and planning, particularly in regard to sea level rise. Her Spring 2021 capstone project, “Can Sponge City Infrastructure be Applied in Florida as a Climate Adaptation?” explored the potential of designing cities to be more permeable to adapt to sea level rise in Florida. She works at the GeoPlan Center, assisting with resiliency work, updating the Florida Geographic Data Library, website maintenance, and Signal4Analytics.

Interests
Video game design, Baking

Experience
GIS Analyst at the UF GeoPlan Center (over 6 years) assisting with researching resiliency in Florida, maintaining the Florida Geographic Data Library, developing websites, and providing support for Signal4Analytics