Shows
Sustainability Skill SetEpisode 14. Mike Hower on Connecting with People in the Sustainability Space, Finding Your Unique Contribution, and Managing Your Energy as a Sustainability ProfessionalIn this episode, I had a fantastic conversation with Mike Hower, a sustainability communication leader who has spent his career helping companies craft narratives around their social and environmental performance.
From Senior Editor at Greenbiz, to Communication Strategist at Edelman, Mike has experience working on sustainability communications as a journalist, within companies, and as a consultant.
He recently started his own company, Hower Impact, to continue this work as a fractional executive and leadership coach.
Mike also holds regular sustainability career advice “connection sections”. So, he had plenty of relevant thoughts to share duri...
2023-12-2647 minSustainability Skill SetEpisode 13. Andy Nelson on overcoming the three most common hurdles that sustainability job seekers faceIn this episode, I was honored to speak with career coach, Andy Nelson. In his past, Andy was involved with scaling multiple start-ups and worked in management consulting. He now focuses on helping mid-career professionals transition into the climate, sustainability, and social impact space.
Andy has mentored hundreds of people through career changes. He understands the major challenges they face and provides them with essential tools and tactics to be successful.
In our conversation, Andy and I uncovered so many actionable strategies for those who want to work on sustainability.
Most notably, we...
2023-12-1938 minSustainability Skill SetEpisode 12. Stephanie Udler on The Role of Fractional Executives, Unconventional Paths to Sustainability Work, and Public vs. Private Sustainability ConsultingIn this episode of the Sustainability Skill Set podcast, I sat down with Stephanie Udler who is a leader at the intersection of public policy and corporate sustainability. After taking her first job fielding calls in a senator’s office, Stephanie spent much of her career supporting the U.S. government’s earliest sustainability programs before transitioning into corporate work. In our conversation, Stephanie describes her current role as a Fractional Sustainability Executive, the tremendous value they inject into organizations, and the relevance of this type of role in today's business landscape. Stephanie also shares instrumental advice for anyone inte...
2023-12-0239 minSustainability Skill SetEpisode 11. Shea Jameel on relationship-based sustainability leadership, a common approach to driving sustainability across industries, and practical steps for interview preparation.In the latest episode of the Sustainability Skill Set podcast, I sit down with Shea Jameel, Senior Director of Sustainability at Marsh McLennan, to discuss her impressive career journey and the skills she uses to succeed. Shea shares insights on building meaningful relationships, making the business case for sustainability, and driving change within organizations.
Throughout the episode, Shea highlights the importance of strong relationships when implementing sustainability initiatives, regardless of industry. She emphasizes the need for effective communication, project management skills, and the ability to adapt to change. Shea also offers valuable advice on preparing for sustainability...
2023-11-2838 minSustainability Skill SetEpisode 10. Michael Jung on ‘Super Solutions’ for Achieving Net-Zero, Using Smart Questioning to Spark Progress, and Showing Up in Your CareerIn this episode of the Sustainability Skill Set podcast, host Louis DeMaso sits down with Michael Jung, the Executive Director of the ICF Climate Center. During the conversation, Michael provides valuable insights into the groundbreaking work of the ICF Climate Center, including their recent report on "super" solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. He emphasizes the importance of these solutions, combined with the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), in helping the country reach its net-zero goals by 2050.
Some key takeaways from this episode are:
In order to...
2023-10-2954 minSustainability Skill SetEpisode 9. Rachel Lawton on the Power of Effective Messaging and How to Succeed as a Freelance Sustainability CopywriterIn this episode of the Sustainability Skill Set podcast, host Louis DeMaso sits down with Rachel Lawton, a freelance copywriter who helps climate-conscious companies tell their stories. Rachel shares her insights on the importance of messaging in sustainability, the transferable skills she utilizes in her work, and the power of simplifying complex ideas. She also discusses her journey into freelance writing and offers advice for aspiring climate writers. Tune in to this engaging conversation to gain valuable tips for effective communication in the sustainability sector and to learn how you can make a difference through your writing.
...
2023-10-2451 minSustainability Skill SetEpisode 8. Anmol Vanamali on sustainable finance careers, pre-competitive agreements, and ‘the wild west’ of business management theoryDo you aspire to make a positive impact on the environment and society through your career? If so, you won't want to miss the latest episode of the Sustainability Skill Set podcast.
In this interview, Louis DeMaso sits down with Anmol Vanamali, an accomplished leader in the field of climate and energy policy, international finance, and sustainable infrastructure. Anmol has held multiple director-level positions in global non-profit organizations, such as the Center for Clean Air Policy and Winrock International. Currently, he is an adjunct professor at Georgetown University's Master of Science in Foreign Service program.
...
2023-07-0443 minSustainability Skill SetEpisode 7. Danielle Norwitz on the energy industry, the importance of sales skills for sustainability professionals, and building relationships to accelerate your careerIn this episode of the Sustainability Skill Set podcast, host Louis DeMaso speaks with Danielle Norwitz, an account executive at Resource Energy, who shares her experience in energy management and data analytics.
She provides a unique perspective on the role of sustainability in the commercial real estate industry, discussing how her team offers services like sustainability benchmarking, ESG reporting, materiality assessments, and metric reporting to cities and states to help clients achieve their sustainability goals and meet regulatory requirements.
Danielle also provides valuable career advice for anyone interested in sustainability, emphasizing the importance of building...
2023-06-1935 minSustainability Skill SetEpisode 6. Ryan Spies on prioritizing sustainability initiatives, meaningful work, and transitioning into a sustainability role in your careerIn this episode of the Sustainability Skill Set podcast, host Louis DeMaso speaks with Ryan Spies, a passionate executive leader with over a decade of experience building sustainability, decarbonization, and ESG strategies within Fortune 500 companies.
Ryan shares insights on how companies can reduce greenhouse gases, what makes a successful sustainability program, and how to integrate sustainability into every aspect of a company. Ryan emphasizes the importance of understanding where a company can have influence and measuring data to put estimates on data that is not available.
He also discusses his own career path and how...
2023-06-1350 minSustainability Skill SetEpisode 5. Megan Saunders on ESG in real estate, becoming a subject matter expert, and managing the physical and human aspects of climate riskJoin me for an exciting conversation with Megan Saunders, the Director of ESG at Kayne Anderson Real Estate, as she shares her insights and best practices on how to advance environmental, social, and governance (ESG) in real estate.
With 15 years of experience in sustainability strategy and implementation, Megan has a deep understanding of what it takes to make a building green, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and balance people, planet, and profit.
Megan talks about how she sets ESG strategy for the entire real estate firm, collaborates with partners, and leads a team in implementing measures...
2023-06-0643 minSustainability Skill SetEpisode 4. Bridging the Gap: How Alex Nichols-Vinueza Brings Together Diverse Stakeholders to Reduce Food LossIn this episode, Louis DeMaso speaks with Alex Nichols-Vinueza, Program Manager at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), about his role on their Food Loss and Waste team. Listeners can expect to learn about WWF's approach to reducing food loss and waste, the benefits and drawbacks of working for a non-governmental organization (NGO), and the importance of collaboration in sustainability efforts. They will also gain insights into Alex's professional journey and how his experiences prepared him for working in sustainability. Read more about this episode on the Sustainability Skill Set website.
2023-04-2447 minSustainability Skill SetEpisode 3. From Water Policy to Renewable Energy: Daniel Wolf’s Journey to AdvocacyIn this episode, Louis DeMaso interviews Daniel Wolf, a Policy Manager at The American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE). They discuss Daniel's work advocating for policies that accelerate the United States’ transition to renewable energy, including clean energy taxes and legislation for transmission lines. Daniel shares his personal journey into advocacy, skills that are important for success in his field, and emerging trends in renewable energy technology. Listen to this episode to learn how advocating for renewable energy policy can make a tangible impact in advancing sustainability and how you can enter this exciting field. Read more about this ep...
2023-04-1754 minSustainability Skill SetEpisode 2. Sustainability Leadership in Action: What it Takes to be Director of ESG with Molly LavertyIn this podcast episode, Louis DeMaso talks with Molly Laverty, the Director of ESG for Del Monte Foods, about her journey from working directly with coffee suppliers to managing a multinational sustainability program. They discuss the sustainability challenges faced by the food industry, including measuring scope three emissions accurately, and how Molly works cross-functionally with departments like transportation, agriculture, and packaging to achieve Del Monte's sustainability goals. They also touch on the importance of collaboration, building consensus, data and analytics, supply chain management, and public speaking in sustainability careers. Molly shares her tips for preparing for public speaking engagements...
2023-04-1045 minSustainability Skill SetEpisode 1. The Climate Career Gameplan: Tips and Strategies with Kealy HermanJoin Sustainability Consultant and Host Louis DeMaso as he talks with Kealy Herman, Global Technical Director of Net Zero Strategy at Arcadis, in this episode of the Sustainability Skill Set podcast. Kealy has had an impressive career in sustainability, and now she's sharing her knowledge and experience, discussing the key activities that sustainability professionals perform in their jobs and companies, and how to integrate sustainability into the way we do business and run organizations. Kealy also compares sustainability careers in consulting versus those within companies, highlighting the differences in specialization, company politics, and collaboration with internal partners. Listen to...
2023-04-0854 min