The City of Greensboro has hired Dr. Shameka “Shree” Dorestant as its first Chief Sustainability Officer. In this role, Dorestant will be responsible for helping the City become a more environmentally-focused agency and helping the greater Greensboro community become more environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable.
“The future of our beautiful city is vitally dependent on more sustainable practices that recognize the value of our environment,” said Deputy City Manager Chris Wilson. “This is an exciting step that solidifies our commitment. Dr. Dorestant will help us move in this direction and collaborate with a community filled with passionate staff and residents who share a common goal of environmental stewardship.”
Dorestant, who will begin work on June 1, comes to Greensboro after working for the New York City Department of Environmental Protection since 2015. There she aided in the development and implementation of a Stormwater Management Program required by the City’s first-ever comprehensive MS4 Permit, which includes robust requirements to reduce pollution in stormwater runoff. Prior to joining New York City, she worked for the City of Greensboro’s Water Resources Department as a regulatory compliance specialist from 2007 to 2015. Here, Dorestant managed special projects such as community center runoff renovations and assisted with many Stormwater Management Program efforts such as the Municipal Pollution Prevention/Good Housekeeping Program, which included educational support for City departments annually. Dorestant began her career as a biological science technician with the National Peanut Research Laboratory in Dawson, GA, from 2004 to 2007. Along the way, the Alabama native has served as an online adjunct professor for courses such as environmental health, policy/government, natural resources and climate change at both Grand Canyon University and Southern New Hampshire University.
Dorestant earned a Doctor of Management in Environmental and Social Sustainability at Colorado Technical University. She also earned a Master of Public Administration degree in Water Resource Management and Policy and a Bachelor of Science in Biology, both from Albany State University.
