Sustainability Leaders Podcast

Mike Casey, CEO of Tigercomm is an expert in communicating climate change, or as he puts it, global climate disruption. Mike has deep expertise in communications, from his early days with Bill Clinton’s comms team to advising Tom Steyer in challenging the Keystone XL pipeline to his current work in helping renewable energy developers across the country clear the hurdles they often face in getting big projects through. Mike is thoughtful, clear-sighted an emphatic about our race to save the planet.

Bill Weihl has likely done more to drive down GHG emissions from the tech sector than any single person. He was the Green Energy Czar at Google, building the strategy and team that took the company to 100% renewable energy and to carbon neutrality for its primary operations. Bill also headed Facebook’s sustainability efforts and co-founded several tech industry-wide efforts including RE 100.

As chair of 38 North Solutions and co-host of the Energy Gang Podcast, Katherine Hamilton is expert in energy policy at the state, federal and international level, and has deep experience in technologies ranging from bioenergy to smart grid and from energy storage to demand-side management. Her fascinating career spans from work at utilities and NREL, to co-chairing the Global Future Council on Advanced Energy Technologies at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Elaine has been one of the architects Illinois’ current heading to be a 100% clean energy state by 2050. She served in the IL legislature for nearly 15 years, chairing several committees and ultimately co-authoring what became the Future Energy Jobs Act of 2016—a law that approaches renewable energy expansion from a green jobs perspective, building clean energy job training centers in disadvantaged communities throughout the state. Representative Nekritz is also expert in transportation issues, having chaired the Midwest Interstate Passenger Rail Commission.

This week we talk with Doug Scott and Ann McCabe, two former commissioners of the Illinois Commerce Commission and both former directors of the board of The Climate Registry, where Ann currently serves as executive director. Doug and Ann both have broad experience at the nexus of energy and climate policy and deep understanding of the evolving energy picture in Illinois and across the Midwest. We touch on a range of topics, from the delegation of U.S. states at the signing of the Paris Agreement to the current Clean Energy Jobs Act, which aims to put Illinois on a path to 100% renewable energy by 2050.

Nicole Lederer co-founded Environmental Entrepreneurs on the premise that the economy and the environment are not divergent interests. E2 has proven time and again that sound environmental policy is beneficial to our economy. At its core, E2 is a network of about 1000 leaders in business and that tent has now broadened to include military leaders and farms. This growth is all part of Nicole’s vision. With a background in zoology and healthcare, Nicole’s true talent is in activating unlikely alliances and finding common ground across the political spectrum—something that is all too rare in the climate policy arena.

Marilyn Waite oversees Hewlett Foundation's climate finance program where she invests in sustainable banking strategies that can lower global emissions at the gigaton scale. She is a thought leader in the green jobs space, having authored Sustainability at Work, Careers that Make a Difference, a book that looks at sustainability professions across various sectors, such as agriculture, health care, and even entertainment and media. Waite is a Princeton and Cambridge-trained environmental engineer with a background that ranges from sustainable development in Madagascar to nuclear energy in France. She is an editor-at-large for GreenBiz and an E2 1 Hotels Fellow. In our conversation, she offers astute advice to those seeking to work at the cross-section of energy, finance, and climate change.

Dr. Emily Reichert has been at the helm of Greentown Labs in Somerville, MA since 2013. She has overseen the growth of Greentown to become the largest clean technology startup incubator in the United States, with over 170 companies incubated and $320M in funding raised. These companies run the gamut, from robotics and process efficiency to advanced materials to agriculture, water and waste. Emily has a background in green chemistry and the commercialization of many beneficial technologies. 

As CEO of the Los Angeles Clean Tech Incubator, Matt Peterson oversees the early stage development of nearly 30 portfolio companies across a range of sustainability sectors including energy and energy conservation, information technology, alternative materials, transportation, water and waste, agriculture and the built environment. Matt came to LACI after serving as L.A.’s first Chief Sustainability Officer, this after serving as long-time CEO of Global Green, the NGO that Mikail Gorbachev created to tackle the twin challenges of nuclear proliferation and environmental sustainability.

From her perch as Chief Sustainability Officer for the largest public utility in the U.S., Nancy Sutley has great insight into the energy transformation that is sweeping the country. She also understands the contrasting dynamics of local, state and federal climate and environmental policy, having served as Deputy Mayor for Energy and Environment for L.A., Deputy Secretary for Policy at CalEPA, and President Obama’s Chair of the Whitehouse Council on Environmental Quality. Join Nancy as she discusses her life and career and offers advice to those seeking to dedicate their careers to making an impact on the planet.

Brenden is co-founder and CEO of Carbon Lighthouse, one of the fastest growing clean energy companies in the country. In just six or so years Carbon Lighthouse has grown from ground zero to 85 employees and has eliminated emissions equivalent to 6 power plants with another 9 under contract. Brenden and his team are razor focused on this goal—eliminating as many GHGs as possible. He shares his insights on job opportunities in the clean energy economy and the skills needed to get them. Brenden is candid about his stumbling blocks and accomplishments in building a successful clean energy company.

Nichols served as CARB Chair in Gov Jerry Brown’s first administration in the late 70s and early 80s, and was appointed again in 2007 by Gov Schwarzennegar, a post she continues to hold today. In this conversation, recorded in front of a live audience at NRDC’s Santa Monica office in December 2018, Mary Nichols shares her personal story, from her roots in Ithaca New York, to her time as the first female reporter for the WSJ, to her post overseeing the air and radiation section of US EPA under Clinton, to one of her current roles as negotiator-in-chief with the Trump Administration, as they seek to pull the US out of the Paris Agreement and roll back California’s right under the Clean Air Act to regulate vehicle emissions.

Gary Gero has had a long career in energy, environmental policy and organizational leadership. From LADWP, where he oversaw renewable energy and energy efficiency programs, to leading the Climate Action Reserve where he played a key role in implementing California’s cap and trade program, to his current role as Chief Sustainability Officer for the County of LA, which includes nearly 90 cities. I enjoyed catching up with my old friend, and think you’ll enjoy getting to know Gary, his life and work and his advice to those seeking careers in sustainability.

Bob Perciasepe currently presides over C2ES, a prominent, independent organization that partners with large businesses, mayors and others to create solutions to climate change. Bob has served as an Acting EPA administrator under Obama, head of water and air at EPA under Clinton, COO of the National Audubon Society and Secretary of Environment for the state of MD.

If you’re interested in working on environmental issues, listen to this episode. Louis has a ton of useful advice on how to build expertise, cultivate networks and chart a career path that will put you in the mix. Louis is a great lover of forests and a world expert in forest and land use policy. While his official work at The Nature Conservancy is focused on CA, he is expert in REDD+ and forest policy from Mexico to Brazil to Indonesia.

In his role at SCG, Randall brought together multiple agencies and departments to support sustainable communities emphasizing strong economies, social equity and environmental stewardship. Randall previously worked in Governor Jerry Brown’s office helping to lead efforts to implement Executive Orders on Green Buildings and Zero Emission Vehicles, as well as international climate policy.

Overseeing the strategy for implementing the massive shift to a clean grid is the Chairman of the California Energy Commission, Bob Weisenmiller. The commission he oversees is responsible for a range of critical energy issues, from advancing energy efficiency and renewable energy to investing in energy innovation to transforming the state's transportation sector. Weisenmiller brings deep expertise to the post in which he has served since Governor Brown first appointed him in 2011. Bob joined me for a far-ranging discussion from his childhood in Maryland to his views on the energy transition and the job opportunities it creates.

Phil Ting is pushing the envelope of California environmental legislation; authoring AB 1745, which seeks to ban the sale of gas-powered vehicles after 2045. While the bill did not pass this year, he vows to bring it back in 2019. In our conversation, we cover Phil’s early career as a civil rights activist in the Asian community, his views on green job opportunities, and the climate priorities of the California legislature, where he currently chairs the Assembly budget committee.

Ken Alex is executive director of the governor’s Office of Planning and Research, California’s strategic planning facility for land use, and the clearinghouse for much of the state’s environmental goal setting, monitoring and funding. One of Ken’s marquis accomplishments has been the Under 2 Coalition, a signed commitment representing 43% of the global economy…

Felicia Marcus sits at the helm of the agency that controls California’s most contested resource—water. In her role as Chair of the State Water Resources Control Board, Marcus oversees statewide policy, settles water rights disagreements, and hears appeals of local regional water quality decisions, and is responsible for both water quality and water rights across the state. Her career has spanned top-ranking positions at the City of Los Angeles and the Natural Resources Defense Council, as well as serving as administrator for Region 9 of the US EPA. In this episode, Felicia tells us about her life and career, offers advice for those interested in working on environment and water, and shares her perspectives on this critically important issue.

California State Senator Fran Pavley is widely considered to be the mother of CA climate policy. From her humble beginnings as a 29-year 8th-grade civics teacher and then mayor of Agoura Hills, she burst onto the state political scene in 2000 as an Assemblymember before serving from 2008 to 2016 in the Senate. In addition to authoring the Global Warming Solutions Act, she held the Clean Cars Bill that Trump is now threatening to undo. Join our wide-ranging conversation about her career, her outlook on current climate policy, and her advice for those wanting to save the planet.

I sat down with Senator Scott Wiener in his San Francisco offices to discuss his childhood in New Jersey, his early leadership on LGBTQ issues at Duke University and his work as a San Francisco supervisor on solar power and public transportation. Scott has emerged as a new leader in the California Senate on issues that effect climate change, energy transition, and transportation. I think you’ll enjoy his story.

Assemblyman Garcia became Mayor of Coachella City at the tender age of 29. He has emerged as a key leader on climate action in the California legislature, doing more to broaden the tent of environmental policy to include disadvantaged and environmental justice communities than perhaps anyone. I think you’ll enjoy learning about Eduardo’s unique path and outlook on the impact of climate policy on the future of clean energy jobs and the economy.

Appointed by Governor Jerry Brown, first to the California Energy Commission in 2011 and then to the California Public Utilities Commission in 2012, Peterman has overseen the ramping up of renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy storage and electric vehicle regulations in the state. Join us for a wide-ranging conversation about Carla’s path from Rhodes Scholar to Commissioner, and her insights into the energy transition and its attendant job opportunities.

Appointed by Jerry Brown in 2011, Secretary Rodriquez has overseen California's emergence as a renewable energy powerhouse that is pushing the vanguard of climate change policy across the world. I sat down with Matt at the Cal EPA building in Sacramento for a ranging conversation about his life, career and the policy priorities critical to a sustainable future. I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.