About CTLR’s #HumansOfCleantech

Modeled after the New York Times' Humans of New York series, this is an idea by Peter Kelley and the RenewComm team for us to showcase our members!

Follow #humansofcleantech on LinkedIn for more in this series. #climatetech #energytransition #cleantechleadersroundtable 

“PEOPLE ASK, ‘WHEN DO YOU SLEEP?’

I have always been a busy bee. I was President of the Spanish Club, Vice President of the Science Club, a member of the Honor Society and part of many other clubs including the business club in high school. I was also part of color guard and played basketball.

“I come from a family of public servants. My childhood was informed by the idea that anyone can have an impact, that there is an opportunity to come up with solutions to problems, and not just talk about the problems.  

“My dad and uncle were firefighters, my mom was a caretaker in the medical field, and my grandmother was a nurse and civil rights activist. I grew up hearing stories of my grandmother’s courage at a young age and her commitment to standing for what she believed in.

SO I FELT THIS BOLD ENERGY FROM THE TIME I WAS A LITTLE GIRL. 

“I thought I'd be a lawyer. I remember arguing about Social Security privatization at 13 years old. As a 14-year-old, I got accepted into a summer program at Yale, and realized I wasn’t as interested in law as I thought: I was more interested in policy. 

“My introduction into energy and the climate space was by way of seeing my family and community disproportionately impacted by it. I knew that I cared about civic engagement. And in particular, how policy can solve for problems like the ones I saw communities experiencing firsthand. 

“I think a part of me always knew I wanted to go to D.C. What was so beautiful about American University was that our professors included former Congress members, lawyers who argued before the Supreme Court, and leaders at the World Bank. I had at least four internships across the city.  

“On the finance side, I interned with the stock exchange in Madrid, and I also helped launch and run a service learning program at my university. It started out pretty small. Before I knew it, folks could receive course credit for their participation. I helped design that experience specifically for students interested in leaving the bubble in Northwest D.C., and experiencing the rest of the District. 

“TODAY, I SIT AT THE INTERSECTION OF BUSINESS, CLIMATE, FINANCE,
AND IMPACT.

I always tell people that working in this space overcomes many of the challenges you see in other areas of tech and creates a platform for people who care about the planet and people. I am the co-founder of the Women of Color Collective in Sustainability, the only global digital collective and community that is 100 percent dedicated to advancing women of color. We host in-person meetups and also have our own digital community. 

“I have been living between New York City and Mexico City for the past few years. Recently, I have also been focused on more creative things—painting, sculpting, using that other side of my brain. I write poetry and I also meditate. My grandmother has been writing poetry her whole life and it’s great to know that this passion is intergenerational.