Welcome Calista Rockwell to the MassTimber@MSU Team!
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EmailA 2024-25 MI Healthy Climate Corps member, Calista joins us as an Outreach Associate. She’ll focus on understanding how mass timber might support economic development, health, and well-being in under-invested and climate-affected communities in Michigan.
We are excited to welcome Calista Rockwell to the MassTimber@MSU team as our new MI Healthy Climate Corps (MHC Corps) member and Outreach Associate! The MHC Corps, launched through a partnership between the Department of Environment, Great Lakes, & Energy (EGLE) Office of Climate and Energy and the Michigan Community Service Commission, leverages state and federal funding to help implement the MI Healthy Climate Plan, which includes mass timber as a tool to help achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Members serve at organizations across Michigan, providing critical support to communities tackling climate change while receiving training and career development to prepare for leadership roles in climate action.
As a member of MHC Corps’ second cohort, Calista will contribute to these goals as an Outreach Associate with MassTimber@MSU. Her work will focus on developing and launching an outreach and engagement plan to connect with under-served and climate-affected communities across Michigan. The goal of this work is to meet these communities, explore their interests and priorities, understand whether mass timber construction or production aligns with them, and if so, identify ways MassTimber@MSU can support action on those interests.
Calista earned her bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies and Sustainability, with a minor in Public Relations, from Northern Michigan University. At NMU, she collaborated with Sustainability Professor Dr. Sarah Mittlefehldt to research public perceptions of woody biomass energy technologies in Michigan. She also interned with Partridge Creek Farm in Ishpeming, MI—an urban farm serving a food-desert community—where she worked to promote healthy food systems and raise awareness about available resources.
Calista is passionate about building connections and advancing climate resilience efforts through meaningful community engagement. She’s looking forward to collaborating with communities to understand new ways mass timber might help meet economic development, health, and well-being goals for communities across the state.
Outside of work, Calista enjoys being a cat-mom of three spending time by the lake in Grand Haven, where she grew up. She’s also a mixologist and enjoys crafting unique syrups for creative cocktails.
Welcome to the team, Calista!
