Meet Rachel Kriegsman, CELI's Director of Strategic Partnerships
CELI’s Executive Director, Liz Ramsay Dalton, sat down with CELI’s newest member of the team, Rachel Kriegsman, to introduce her to the broader CELI community and discuss her new role as Director of Strategic Partnerships.
Full Audio Transcript
Hi everyone: I’m Liz Ramsay Dalton, Executive Director of the Clean Energy Leadership Institute. I’m thrilled to sit down virtually and introduce you to Rachel Kriegsman, CELI’s Director of Strategic Partnerships.
In this capacity, Rachel oversees CELI’s fundraising, strategy, and growth plans. A native North Carolinian, Rachel spent her summers exploring the Great Smoky Mountains. A southerner at heart, Rachel graduated from Goucher College in Baltimore, MD. earning a B.A. in Peace Studies and Environmental Science. Rachel also holds a Masters in Environmental Management from Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment.
Rachel, Thanks so much for chatting with me today. Let’s start by you telling us a bit about yourself and how you came to join CELI.
Of course! In 2014, I was working at the Union of Concerned Scientists on their Climate and Energy team where much of my work was focused on supporting writing and research on the state of clean energy. The work was exciting, fun, and challenging and it was also clear to me that there was so much more to learn, so I jumped at the opportunity to join CELI’s second cohort to supplement my understanding of the energy sector. I wanted to know what possibilities existed (or might exist) for the future of clean energy. I learned a lot through the CELI Fellowship and spent the next three years in DC working at the intersection of climate and energy before heading to Duke for grad school.
One of the questions I get frequently from our Fellows is around the decision to go to grad school. Could you share a little more about that experience?
Grad school was a really amazing experience. I was lucky to have a really great cohort and meet some fabulous people, but -- better than that -- I got to learn side-by-side with them for two years. I took time to dig into the intersection of business and environment with a very sharp lens on the leadership needed to make change. One thing I love is intersectionality -- the places where big issues meet -- climate and energy, energy and agriculture, leadership and the environment. I also love collaboration because of the ability to iterate and think as part of a team will enrich the final outcome with different perspectives and voices. I was so fortunate to learn from some fantastic leaders in the energy space at Duke -- including Brian Murray to Dalia Patino Echeverri -- to link economic scenarios to clean energy integration. I also worked through grad school for an organization called the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association focused on building a sustainable food system and it was really fun to explore the areas where local food systems and climate + clean energy met.
That all sounds great, Rachel. How do you feel that experience prepared you for coming back to CELI as our Development and Operations Manager?
I’m thrilled to build on my professional experiences and what I learned at Duke and bring that to CELI. I’m grateful to continue connecting the dots of intersectionality in areas where we can drive forward a clean energy future. So much of what we are able to do in the nonprofit world and, in particular, at CELI depends on incorporating partners from different companies, organizations, and communities to round out the knowledge of future leaders in energy who come to the table with a diverse set of perspectives and ideas. I’m here for it! Ready to see where we go next to change our future for the better.
Building on your existing work, you’ve just moved into a new role with CELI as our Director of Strategic Partnerships. What are you most looking forward to in this new capacity?
I love connecting people and connecting with people, so I am really excited to be in this new role to work with CELI’s 500+ alumni as well as companies and organizations that can make a lasting impact on CELI’s mission to develop a new kind of energy leader. It’s both exciting and important work and I am thrilled to be able to spend my days helping people who are passionate about driving the transition to a clean energy economy find ways to connect and continue building their leadership potential.
Well I am certainly excited about the trajectory you are setting for CELI and I look forward to growing our geographic and programmatic reach with you! One of the things I’m always interested in learning is how people decided to get into this space. When was that first moment you knew you were going to pursue a career in clean energy?
Since I was young (I’m talking 5 years old or so) the environment has been a driving force for me. I spent most of my childhood summers outdoors at a summer camp in the Great Smoky Mountains where I made lifelong friends. And I have brought that enthusiasm for the environment and outdoors with me in almost all aspects of my life. Thanks to my CELI fellowship and work at the Union of Concerned Scientists, I was able to see how policy and decision makers focused on climate and energy trends. And then later at the Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, I worked with farmers and stakeholders on clean energy needs and corporate social responsibility. So I’m thrilled to build on what I’ve learned and continue to connect the dots of intersectionality on exciting new topics and areas that we can continue to push forward a clean energy future.
It’s great to see how many aspects of our industry you have experienced and can share. What do you see as the biggest opportunity for CELI to make an impact?
There’s a tremendous opportunity for CELI to make an impact by introducing people to the possibility of clean energy jobs and to build the leadership skills that are necessary to develop a clean energy economy. The network that CELI has created and the collaborative nature of the organization and the people it reaches across sectors and disciplines and places around the world who are willing to share knowledge and come up with creative solutions to come of our biggest problems -- that is what I see as CELI’s biggest opportunity to change the way we imagine the future.
You recently participated in a panel discussing your own experience entering the workforce during the Great Recession. What advice would you give to folks who are looking to enter the clean energy workforce at this moment in time?
Yes! I recently participated in a virtual panel with the Peace Studies department at my alma mater. It was really great to see several of my undergrad classmates and see that, despite graduating during the Great Recession, we have each found ways to be resilient and creative to bring us to where we are today that is true to ourselves. A few bits of wisdom from that session:
Be open-minded. The world has a lot to offer and so do you. Don’t forget that you can have an incredible impact on the future. Consider what you want to do and look for places where there is a gap that needs filling.
Thoughtfully break the rules. The change that needs to happen for a clean energy future and a better world is going to take a bit of thoughtful rule breaking. Don’t be afraid of that.
Stay curious. You’ll find so much opportunity when you stay curious and keep learning. Keep poking at the things that interest you and see where they might fit into the bigger picture of your energy career. (ahem! Join CELI!)
Finally, patience is everything. Things will work out -- maybe not like you imagined, but what is happening now will not last forever and things will work out.
It goes without saying again, but we are in a time of crisis. In addition to thinking about careers, there is a personal toll this takes on a daily basis. How are you managing and what advice would you share with our community?
I’m managing alright. I am so grateful for my family and friends and a great team at work -- it’s definitely a source of sanity for me as we move through this moment in time. I am also grateful for my training in mindfulness and meditation because while we experience the COVID crisis, it’s not lost on me that we have another crisis churning in the background -- one of climate and social inequity that requires profound action now. Finding my breath and taking time to clear my head is good, but it’s also grounding as I think about the work ahead, particularly how we will have to think and act creatively and be the leaders we wish to see in order to tackle Covid-19, but also to build a clean energy future that is equitable and resilient and inclusive.
That’s super helpful advice. Thank you, Rachel. One thing I know about you that I’m not sure everyone does, is that in addition to your passion for clean energy, you are passionate about the practice of yoga and are a certified yoga instructor. I wondered if you might want to share a bit of information about our upcoming event?
Yeah! Something fun! CELI is hosting a Yoga for Clean Energy event on Sunday, May 3. I definitely hope folks attend and enjoy a moment of calm as we center our nervous system and also get together more informally as a clean energy community. Registration is free and open to the public! Join us!
Thanks so much, Rachel! If you’d like to join us this Sunday, May 3rd, please register for our free yoga session at cleanenergyleaders.org/events. We look forward to seeing you on your yoga mats!
If you are interested in learning more about ways to partner with CELI, please do not hesitate to reach out to Rachel via email at rachel@cleanenergyleaders.org.
Rachel -- thanks so much for being here with us today! We hope to see you all at a CELI event soon.
Thank you!