Konrad Schlarbaum

Konrad Schlarbaum is the Director of Sustainability at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS). He joined UCCS in 2022 as the third Director of Sustainability at UCCS. Kimberly Reeves and Founder Linda Kogan preceded him.

Konrad achieved a Master of Professional Science in Environmental Studies and Sustainability online from Unity Environmental University. His capstone project focused on recommending improvements to the Pikes Peak Region 2030 Sustainability Plan.

Konrad earned a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and Sustainability and a Bachelor of Science in Recreation, Tourism, and Hospitality from the University of Northern Colorado (UNC). While at UNC, he co-founded and served as the inaugural president of the student fee-funded and managed Student Leadership for Environmental Action Fund (LEAF) with two part-time student positions and a $250,000 annual budget for sustainability projects. Konrad published research in an undergraduate journal, won a grant for art display equipment for a local school, studied sustainable agriculture in Nicaragua, interned at Great Sand Dunes National Park, and worked for five departments across the university. 

He earned a Permaculture Design Certificate from Pikes Peak Permaculture and a Leadership for Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Associate Certificate from the U.S. Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI).

Previously, Konrad served as the second Sustainability Coordinator at Pikes Peak State College (PPSC), formerly Pikes Peak Community College, for over eight years. He championed a new student fee and negotiated a contract, including a new bus route, with Mountain Metro Transit to provide public transit service to all students across four campuses. Konrad secured over $100,000 in funding to improve, consolidate, and standardize waste collection, including an innovative program encouraging students to dispose of their waste in the hallways instead of classrooms. He partnered with faculty to develop and offer an associate of science in environmental science, an associate of art in environmental studies, and numerous co-curricular activities.

At Pikes Peak Community College, Konrad planned over 30 sustainability-themed events in one year that engaged over 2,000 commuter students. He successfully ran two Student Government election campaigns, resulting in permanent student fee funding for the Office of Sustainability. The Office won two regional sustainability awards, and Konrad won the community service and diversity, equity, and inclusion staff of the year awards.

He previously served as Chair of the Board of Green Cities Coalition, Founder and Lead Organizer of Pikes Peak Leaders in Sustainability, and planning committee member of Fountain Creek Watershed’s Creek Week Cleanup. Konrad was also a sustainability consultant for the City of Manitou Springs, providing sustainability and resiliency training, developing a tree trimming ordinance, and integrating sustainability into a significant update to their municipal code.

Konrad lives with his wife, Rebecca, and two children, Lukas (7) and Kaleb (4). He enjoys recreating in the Great Outdoors, visiting family and friends, and participating in community events.