Expert Office Hours

Over the past 15 years, I’ve worked with some of the most innovative and disruptive companies in Silicon Valley and beyond. To date, I’ve helped 3 clients achieve unicorn status; 12 secure profitable exits; and together raise over $3 billion in VC funding. I’ve worked agency-side, client-side, and as a fractional CMO for more than three dozen startups.

With 10+ years of experience in sustainable growth with corporate, grassroots organisations and startups, I have gone to market with (GTM) 25+ startups and helped dozens of entrepreneurs realise their visions by equipping them with behavioural science-based toolkits, data-informed strategies and impact storytelling. I like data, A LOT.

I lead teams responsible for the successful design, build, commissioning, and operation of first-of-a-kind grid-scale pilot systems. I grew multiple engineering teams during company transitions from ~5 to ~60 employees. Other experience: construction management, EPC FEED document review, PFD and P&ID drafting, HAZOP, direct operator experience, equipment troubleshooting, simulation and modeling, controls philosophy and process narrative drafting, product requirements definition and tracking, design reviews, and others.

With 20 years of professional experience in environmental science, I have served in diverse roles that have enriched my understanding and capability in this field. My journey has taken me from hands-on scientific work in the field to leading sustainability initiatives at the boardroom level. I have authored a best-selling book on sustainability, delivered TEDx talks, and contributed to significant discussions at entities like the US Congress and the United Nations. Currently, I serve on the Building Energy Performance Standards board in Montgomery County and the Sustainability Committee at the Explorers Club, among other start-ups as an fCSO where I continue to influence and drive sustainable practices across various sectors.

I am currently a Global Environmental Compliance Manager for a big Producer and before this i worked at a government approved scheme for circular economy here in Germany. For the past 5 years i have focused on circular economy legislative projects in the EU, NA, Africa, and Asia. This includes registrations, reporting, recycling/reuse/repair assessments, labelling, plastic tax, auditing, EPR fees, take-backs, and consumer communication for EPR purposes.
Currently i am building a venture in this space and looking forward to using my knowledge and skills to solve some of the challenges i have encountered in my career.

I have over a decade of global sustainability experience in business, NGOs, universities, and museums. As the Global Engagement Director at Youth4Nature, I engage with youth globally, coordinating partnerships and international events. In past roles in corporate sustainability, I worked on pioneering benchmarking projects, and produced sustainability reports for companies. Closer to home, I co-founded two local NGOs in Finland, and I am active at Symbiosis Tampere.

Back in Cleantech 1.0, I cofounded SunPower’s utility-scale project development business unit as that industry was just taking off. We built three of the largest solar installations in the US at the time. I have since led numerous product & development teams, focused on AI, built environment, and geospatial. About two years ago, I also started investing in climate tech seed-stage startups. I’ve been advising pre-seed startups since Cleantech 1.0.

I work with nonprofits of all sizes (international NGOs, think tanks, and community organizations) to help scale their impact and connect to new funding. I have led teams that have raised more than $45 million in combined funding for sustainable development initiatives across the globe. I have worked with organizations like Kiva, MyAgro, EarthGives, the Wilson Center, NYU Center on International Cooperation, the UT Energy Institute, and Parliamentarians for Global Action on topics including environmental and human rights advocacy, climate justice and resiliency, decarbonization, sustainable agriculture, and protection of the oceans. I have a master’s degree in Global Policy focused on Climate and International Development from the LBJ School of Public Policy at the University of Texas, Austin.

I work in the intersection between sustainability, technology, and business, including corporate sustainability and climate tech across the United States, Denmark, and Colombia. I’ve worked for Google (via Magnit), Esri, World Resources Institute, and Yale University, and am currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Environmental Management at Yale University. I’m happy to do resume reviews, mock interviews, and LinkedIn profile reviews.

My intro to the food system was as a teenager, when I spent a year working on farms across Latin America. As an undergrad, I founded two small companies, and then spent several years at a software startup in San Francisco, before quitting to found and lead product for a regenerative coffee company (killed by Covid). I spent the last several years at Apeel as a senior product manager, building biotech, hardware/AI, and software products to reduce food waste across the value chain.

I have marketing experience in solar energy systems, EV charging and powertrains, UPS, VPPs, batteries and other DERs, energy monitoring and PV design software, and energy control hardware. I have built up marketing and communications departments of leading solar energy companies, and grown with them from late-stage start up, through IPOs and multiple acquisitions to become multi-billion dollar companies.

I am a Clean Transportation Expert with seven years of experience in Fleet Electrification across rideshare products, fleet operations, and the public sector. Recently I served as a program manager at Lyft leading the Electrification of the rental fleet. Previously, I worked at Arup helping cities, organization, and startups around the world plan for clean transportation transition.

I’m currently an advisor to fusion investment fund Strong Atomics in addition to my day job. Previously, I gained extensive experience in electrification and clean tech at Zola Electric, Google Energy, and X, Google’s “moonshot factory.”

I have worked for 20 years designing and implementing strategies to reach and engage diverse stakeholders and communities across various verticals in climate and energy – solar, sustainable agriculture, urban planning, environmental justice, public health, public utilities, local campaigns, national philanthropy and more. With a wide breadth of experience across sectors, I’m able to offer meaningful insights and coaching to those transitioning sectors.

Prior to this role, I was a fellow at both ARPA-E and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and served in the U.S. Army.

After graduating in physics, I jumped into the local startup scene with a small Private Cloud company then later went on to work in startups in the Game Development industry and now contributes to a regenerative-focused AgTech startup.

While researching the barriers and supporting ecosystem of regenerative agriculture over the last couple of years I have had the opportunity to connect and learn from many farmers, startups, non-profits, and investors in the space.

My experience has varied widely over the years. I’ve worked in sustainable shopping at Amazon (where I helped launch The Climate Pledge), behavioral science at NREL, policy analysis at RAND Corporation, and wind tunnel management at the University of Washington Aeronautical Laboratory.

Thirteen years of energy program evaluation for utilities (including low-income, small business and community programs) + EJ and disadvantaged communities maps, criteria, and equity metrics – to ensure our climate $ reach the right people. I’ve managed large research projects for utilities and state agencies, and state stakeholder processes around energy and climate justice. I was the Technical Consultant for New York’s draft definition of disadvantaged communities, am involved in climate and energy equity in Maine, and Justice40 implementation research nationwide.

I’m working to accelerate decarbonization by investing my career in climate tech and empowering others to do the same. I’ve had the privilege to help dozens of mission-driven founders successfully launch and grow climate tech startups, including leading marketing for teams that raised over $17.6 million in combined funding. I’ve also helped hundreds of people start careers in sustainability with digital content.

I co-founded the Carbon Removal Center, a UK-based nonprofit organisation that advances sustainable carbon removal and have advised and worked with early-stage CDR startups (e.g. 44.01). I have a BSc and MSc in Engineering and an MBA from Berkeley Haas in Energy & Cleantech.

I also have experience in political tech and formerly worked in campaigns and on Capitol Hill. I was an early employee at Arcadia, based in DC.

Since 2016, I’ve become knowledgeable of the science, language, solutions, and approaches needed to address our climate emergency. As a climate designer, brand strategist, and educator, I’m able to take what I’ve learned and apply it to design. Over the past six years running The Determined and Climate Designers, I’ve led teams on a variety of projects amplifying the work of climate-focused initiatives.

I have extensive clean energy experience in both the private and public sectors, including time at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the Clean Energy Leadership Institute.

I am a program manager for research, education and extension Climate-smart Agriculture, Justice40, Nutrition Security and Equity US goals, with a special focus on cross-government coordination and AI for Climate-Smart Ag and Forestry.  I previously served as National Science Foundation Program Officer for multiple science areas and workforce development, with a focus on under-served states.

I am passionate about helping people take climate action in their personal lives, an avid biker, and a sustainable home renovation aficionado.