General Services Division of Sustainability Staff Biographies

Freddie Adom oversees the energy monitoring activities for all Department of General Services' buildings. His goal is to ensure the long-term viability of Department of General Services' facilities by monitoring and regulating the Department of General Services building energy consumption. He gathers and maintains a database of utility usage, rates, costs, and GHG emissions for all utilities for Department of General Services' buildings. This information is used to develop energy benchmarks for DGS facilities, in addition to creating graphs that detail energy consumption. He is also responsible for designing and implementing energy reduction plans that are cost-effective and practical, while keeping Department of General Services buildings green. He received his BS in Mechanical Engineering from Vanderbilt University, along with a master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tennessee - Knoxville, with a concentration in Systems and Controls.

Erin Mello is the Sustainable Projects Manager for General Services' Division of Sustainability. She oversees the implementation of Metro’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) and supports various sustainability projects including Metro’s municipal and community Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventories. Her previous experience includes 10+ years in product and technology development for commercial energy management and building controls. She also worked as a corporate GHG consultant at a startup acquired by Deloitte in 2010.

Erin graduated summa cum laude from Tulane University with a degree in Environmental Engineering and holds an MBA with a focus in Environmental Management & Policy from George Washington University. She is a Nashville native and proud mom of two rescue cats and a daughter in Metro Public Schools.

Rachel Morris is an Energy Project Manager for General Services' Division of Sustainability. Her experience includes various energy consulting work with both public power utilities and governing authorities. She has worked in energy efficiency and renewable energy project management with American Electric Power, Tennessee Valley Authority, and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority.

She manages Metro’s Energy Savings Revolving Fund as well as other energy projects that focus on areas of utility benchmarking, tracking Greenhouse Gas emissions, and conducting analysis and research on metro facilities to increase energy efficiency.

She received her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Sustainability from The Evergreen State College. She enjoys volunteering with organizations that focus on wildlife conservation, sustainable tourism, and environmental education and outreach.

Mirabelle Pierre-Louis is an Intern for the General Services' Division of Sustainability. She is currently a junior at Vanderbilt, majoring in Political Science and History and minoring in Data Science. She is curious about the role policy and data can play in improving and implementing sustainable practices. Mirabelle hopes to gain experience applying these principles in the Metro Government. She has aspirations of attending law school and pursuing a career in public sectors consulting.

Elizabeth Stienstraw is the Landscape and Stormwater Infrastructure Manger for General Services’ Division of Sustainability.

She previously worked with an Engineering Consulting company and was responsible for all environmental compliance for a manufacturing facility. She was also responsible for onsite health and safety compliance by all persons working or visiting the facility. Most recently she implemented a new pollution prevention program to ensure post-construction Stormwater Control Measures function as designed and reduce pollutant loading into our delicate waterways.

She received her BS in Geography and Geology from the University of South Alabama.

Kevin Sykes is the Sustainable Practices Manager for General Services' Division of Sustainability. He manages the Socket and MetroConnect programs, leads the educational outreach efforts of the division, and implements sustainability initiatives within Metro government and beyond.

Before joining the General Services Department, Kevin worked with Metro Parks as an environmental educator for over 11 years. Prior to that, he founded and operated a Nashville-based organic farm business. He graduated magna cum laude from Appalachian State University with honors in Sustainable Development.

In his spare time, Kevin enjoys playing old-time banjo, competitive badminton, kayaking, and crossword puzzles.

Jennifer Westerholm is the Assistant Director for General Services' Division of Sustainability. Her experience includes federal government work for the Department of Energy as an energy efficiency analyst and at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a climate change research fellow. Jennifer has worked with nonprofit organizations focused on justice, health, and the environment in Nashville and beyond, both as staff member and board member. Most recently, she was the executive director of Urban Green Lab. She served on the Board of Directors of Greenways for Nashville from 2014-2023. Jennifer is a Nashville native and alumna of Metro Public Schools who graduated magna cum laude from Dartmouth College with honors in history. She holds a Master of Public Health in environmental health with honors from Emory University.