Our Team

Joel is a seasoned non-dilutive funding professional who has been working in the climate grants space since 2004. He has worked on both sides of the grantmaking process, including winning hundreds of millions of dollars from a wide range of non-dilutive funding sources in both the industrialized and developing worlds and awarding and overseeing the implementation of over a million dollars in grants while on the Coastal Fund’s Board of Directors. His other work ranges from engineering and high-tech manufacturing of bioenergy systems, to global clean energy project development, state-level climate policy, working with a state environmental regulatory agency, climate-related sustainable development, and academic climate research. He currently serves as a mentor and advisor at a variety of accelerators and incubators, including the Breakthrough Energy Fellows program, Third Derivative, and Techstars. Joel was a co-founder and advisor at The Climate Map, a nonprofit dedicated to mapping underexplored carbon removal pathways, which was acquired by RMI in 2022. He holds a Master of Environmental Law and Policy from Vermont Law School (summa cum laude), with a self-directed dual concentration in climate change and renewable energy, and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies from the University of California at Santa Barbara (magna cum laude). Joel lives with his wife, daughter, and cats in Humboldt County—on California's rural north coast—and enjoys hiking, mountain biking, whitewater kayaking, and all of the other outdoor activities that the region has to offer.

Ross is a global operations executive and has worked in the climate impact space for the past decade. With a focus on building strong partnerships, he’s been a part of teams that have helped companies raise over $100M - almost all of which has been non-dilutive capital. From small family offices in California to the East African regional offices of the World Bank, Ross has worked to bring together coalitions of financiers to develop innovative fundraising strategies, solve critical challenges and quickly address acute liquidity crises. Ross enjoys working with early stage companies around the world and believes deeply in the power of mission-driven for-profit enterprise to solve some of humanity’s most intractable problems. Based in San Francisco, his passion is impact at scale and working closely with dedicated social entrepreneurs.

Carradine is a dynamic leader known for making a significant impact in product operations, business development, and marketing strategy. Her skills as a facilitator and a robust background in stakeholder relations and project management across diverse teams have consistently delivered results that matter. As Chief of Staff at CFS, Carradine plays a pivotal role in providing crucial operational support to the executive team and across the company. In previous roles at Twilio, she helped ensure the seamless functioning of critical sales systems during a company merger. At Autodesk, she played a key role in facilitating the implementation of essential sales operations software tools in her capacity as a Business Process Analyst. As Marketing Program Manager at Red Canary, a cybersecurity startup, she ran marketing products, programs, and events. Carradine has a professional certification in Business Analyst Foundations and is a Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO). She has also earned recognition as an Arise Leadership Accelerator graduate and subsequently served as an Alum Mentor. As a Mentor, she facilitated small group discussions, equipping emerging women leaders with the skills, strategies, and tools they need to thrive and drive meaningful change. Carradine calls Denver, CO, her home, where she finds solace in hiking, channels her creativity through journaling with Japanese stationery, and cherishes quality time ice skating with her daughter.

Emelie Lucas is a Certified Research Administrator (CRA) holding a Master’s of Science in Research Administration and Compliance from the City University of New York. With over a decade of experience in grant management, she has submitted ~800 grant applications, securing approximately $4 billion in federal, foundation, and industry funding. Her expertise spans various sectors, including public higher education and medical research, and she specializes in supporting innovative technologies and initiatives aimed at addressing climate change. Emelie is committed to promoting diversity in STEM fields and has participated in the National Science Foundation (NSF) Ocean Science Community through Collaboration program (DOCC) at California State University Monterey Bay. As a grant reviewer for several groups, she leverages her extensive experience to drive positive change by identifying high-impact projects and tailoring grant proposals that resonate with funding institutions and philanthropic entities. Emelie is dedicated to collaborating with visionary teams to pave the way for a more sustainable and resilient future.

Dr. Laura Ward is a cross-disciplinary researcher, connector, and facilitator in the climate tech space. With a research background spanning from social science to ecological conservation, she most enjoys working towards cross-sector solutions that prioritize climate and human health and well-being. Laura specializes in facilitating multidisciplinary collaboration from project ideation and design to implementation and publication, often serving as a liaison between science divisions and business teams. Most recently, she led partnership development and program innovation for an AgTech startup working to create more sustainable pollination systems. Laura holds a PhD in Environmental Science, Policy, and Management from UC Berkeley and a BA in Liberal Arts from Saint Mary's College, where she received the departmental award in her major. In addition to her dissertation research, Laura received an award for outstanding teaching and served as a UC Cooperative Extension Fellow, Global Food Initiative Fellow, and Berkeley Connect Mentorship Fellow. She also has experience successfully securing academic grant funding. Laura spends her downtime reading novels, doing puzzles, bothering native bees, and trying to prevent her kiddo and two dogs from chasing the chickens around her yard in Sonoma County, CA.

Urvi Nagrani is an expert in medium and heavy-duty EV applications, sustainability planning, and developing and securing non-dilutive funding for emerging climate technologies. She began working in sustainability as Director of Business Development at Motiv Power Systems, where she spent 6+ years helping scale the team from prototype to commercial product. There she led all state and federal policy, was the first person to ever secure an electric chassis certification from the California Air Resources Board, and led business development, including securing millions of dollars in state grants. She has since worked with a variety of companies in EV infrastructure development, including as a Director of Fleet Solutions at Volta Charging; Fleet Development Manager with PowerFlex, an EDF Renewables Company; and as a Board Advisor at eIQ Mobility, which was acquired by NextEra Energy. Over her career, she has secured approximately $30M in grant funding for climate tech. She has spoken at events ranging from Women in Cleantech’s annual conference to RightsCon, and she maintains an active interest in how various fields impact each other and civic society. She has a B.A. in Film and Media Studies from UC Santa Barbara and an A.A. in History from Foothill College. She is a former board member of San Francisco Women’s Political Committee and is an avid photographer.

Dr. Ron Godiska is a scientific writer and molecular biologist with over two decades of grant writing expertise. He specializes in designing highly effective grant aims and approaches, underpinned by expert writing and editing. Ron has developed and written dozens of winning grants worth over $15 million to advance climate smart technologies, human and canine therapeutics, applications of machine learning, methods of molecular biology, and clinical trials of drug candidates. His early career was focused on developmental DNA rearrangement at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (Seattle), followed by research on inflammation at ICOS Corporation (Seattle). His grant writing began in 2000 at Lucigen Corporation (Madison, WI), a successful small business venture in which the R&D was funded for over 15 years by 70+ SBIR grants. Dr. Godiska has been the Principal Investigator on several Phase I and Phase II SBIR grants and has worked with research teams worldwide to help them achieve innovative goals. In addition, he is the author or co-author of 23 peer-reviewed publications, 13 United States Patents, and dozens of manuscripts, user manuals, and marketing communications. Ron holds a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from Indiana University in Bloomington and a B.S. in Biology from Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh.

Anna brings 8+ years of grant writing experience in renewable energy technology, environmental justice, and agricultural science, with awards totaling $100M+ from the California Energy Commission, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Energy, the National Science Foundation, and other funders. In addition to grant writing, she has worked in climate advocacy for the Skoll Foundation, developed educational resources for Biointeractive (part of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute), and been an energy analyst for Wexus Technologies (an AgTech company). Anna Kulow received a Graduate Certificate in Sustainability from the University of California, Berkeley and completed Masters coursework in Ecological Engineering from the University of Maryland. She holds a dual Bachelors degree in Environmental Policy and Science and Art History from McDaniel College. Aside from grant writing, Anna spends most of her time outdoors and is an avid climber, skier, and runner. She lives with her partner in Louisville, Colorado and, when at home, loves cooking, gardening, and playing with her two cats.

Susan helps organizations align their strategic priorities with a sustainable development framework to achieve better outcomes for people, prosperity, and the planet. Her work has secured over $335 million to support 90+ high-impact projects in 4 countries since 2006. Her master’s thesis in Public Affairs explored the impact of landowner tax credits on conservation easement donations to land trusts, and assessed how incentives can enable a specific conservation agenda. She worked extensively with then Mayor Hickenlooper’s Greenprint Denver initiative to secure EPA funding for brownfields mitigation, carbon reduction initiatives, and Green Seal certification for hotels. As Development Director at Hawaii Island Land Trust, she facilitated a multi-stakeholder project with international conservation NGOs, state government, and the U.S. military to protect 4,500 acres of forested native songbird habitat. Most recently she has secured tens of millions of dollars in federal grant funding for energy resilience and equity programming, including extensive experience with Community Benefit Plans. Susan's grant development work builds public-private partnerships that deliver funding and advance policy to move the needle on our most pressing community needs. She is also an avid gardener and hiker, mother to three humans and one dog, and a proud dual U.S.-Italian citizen.

Debapriya Mazumdar has a PhD in Chemistry, and over 15 years of experience in the cleantech and the life sciences industry. She has expertise in SBIR/STTR grants having written grant applications to several US federal agencies including the Department of Energy (DOE), National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institute of Health (NIH), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Defense (DOD). Since 2020, she is engaged full-time as a grant writer for clients. Prior to that, she was the VP of Product Development at ANDalyze Inc. (acquired by Alpha Measurement Solutions), which commercialized sensors for environmental monitoring. She led the R&D and launched the company’s first product in the market. Further, she led the EPA validation of products, established manufacturing for the sensors, and managed pilot studies with partners and customers. She was involved in raising over $8 million in grant and equity funding for ANDalyze, and was the principal investigator on five federal and corporate grants, including DOE Phase I and II SBIR grants. She is the co-author of 4 patents and 10 peer-reviewed publications in the area of biosensors, and has also written several product manuals, case studies and application notes.

Dr. Rebecca Tadokera is an immunologist and public health scientist by training. Her academic career spans over 14 years in biomedical and public health research at leading universities and research institutions in South Africa, including Stellenbosch University and the University of Cape Town. She holds a PhD in Clinical Science and Immunology, as well as a Masters in Public Health from the University of Cape Town. Her academic career has focused on infectious diseases, with a particular focus on Tuberculosis (TB) and HIV. Dr. Tadokera's expertise is underscored by her research portfolio, which includes the authorship of 15 highly cited peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts within the field of TB and HIV. Her dedication to advancing research is further exemplified by her numerous accolades, including prestigious research grants and fellowships such as the NIH-Fogarty Research Fellowship and the Wellcome Trust Training Fellowship. Throughout her career, she has successfully secured research grants to the tune of over $500,000. Beyond academia and research, Dr. Tadokera is a dedicated advocate for public health policy reforms. She has actively serves and contributes to international health policy organizations, participating in World Health Organization Expert Guidance Groups and Think Tank Organizations in South Africa and beyond as part of her advocacy efforts. More recently, Dr. Tadokera's professional journey has led her on an entrepreneurial journey to found ScieHealth Communications, a thriving boutique scientific consultancy firm based in Cape Town, South Africa, with a global reach. Here, she applies her scientific prowess, multidisciplinary skills and grant writing expertise to assist life sciences and biotech companies in securing funding to accelerate the development of innovative technologies.

Lynn specializes in developing alternative energy projects often capitalizing on regulatory changes and initiatives to drive the clean energy ventures. She began her career on the US Senate Appropriations Committee managing federal spending legislation. Upon leaving the Senate, she joined Shearson Lehman as an investment banker and created two new financial instruments, the nation’s first pooled mutual funds for municipal short-term cash receipt; and the first municipal bond issue secured by federal pass-through appropriated dollars. Lynn is known for creating public-private-partnerships to manage the energy projects, such as the use of microgrid battery and solar systems in regions without power and the formation of a federal-state-private partnership to test a new environmental protection/restoration product on federal lands. In this capacity she serves as an advisor to the United Nations Small Island Developing States DOCK (SIDSDOCK), a 32 nation treaty organization committed to converting to sustainable energy. Ms. Booth has served on the Task Force for Equity in Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TECFD); and the board of the Historic Elitch Garden’s Theater, the first woman owned theater in the US, and obtained a Congressional earmark to restore the theater. She is the author of Cooking with Colorado’s Greatest Chefs.

Dr. Dean Levi received his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1990. He joined the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI) as a postdoctoral research fellow, utilizing ultrafast laser spectroscopy to determine how quantum structures enhance photo-electrolysis of water for solar production of hydrogen. He subsequently dedicated his 30-year career at the SERI / National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to advancing the science and technology of renewable energy. In 2007, became principal investigator and group manager of NREL’s Electro-Optical Characterization group. In this role he was responsible for scientific leadership, project management, personnel management, grant writing, and reporting to NREL’s funding sponsors at the US Department of Energy, securing $27M in funding over the next nine years. In 2016, he took over management of NREL’s world-renowned Cell and Module Performance group, securing $8M in funding over the next three years. During his time as principal investigator and group manager, he led major advances in the accuracy of calibrations of solar cell and module performance, making NREL the most accurate photovoltaic calibration lab in the world. He also led an effort to create the first e-commerce capability at any US National laboratory. Dr. Levi has published over 200 journal articles, conference proceedings, and scientific reports with over 7,500 citations and an H-index of 40.

Gina is a leader in program development and grant writing and reviewing, with wide-ranging experience, in particular with Native American communities. Gina is an enrolled member of the Muscogee (Creek) Indian Nation of Florida. Her professional background includes crafting technical and creative documentation for federally- and state-recognized tribal governments’ environmental, educational, agricultural, and healthcare initiatives; a national Native American non-profit agricultural organization; tribal grassroots organizations; a national minority farmer-rancher coalition; and several state agencies. She has also worked with large-scale cloud storage initiatives and a state-administered Medicaid Management Information System (MMIS). Gina has garnered over $600 million in funding for tribal and minority communities and individual agricultural producers. She has reviewed over $205 million in federal grant proposals. She earned a B.S. in Technical-Vocational Studies/Program Development (Curriculum and Instruction) from the University of West Florida and an M.Ed. in Adult Education from Penn State University. She enjoys singing in a barbershop (a cappella) chorus. As a youth, she competitively showed American Quarter Horses and poultry throughout South Texas while holding 4-H and Student Government offices. She is passionate about American Indian concerns and our natural, environmental, historical, educational, and economic resources. She values cultural preservation and lifelong learning, seeing herself as a conduit for illuminating resources and achieving goals for those she serves.

Matt Grason is an experienced fundraising professional with a passion for environmental protection and nature-based solutions to climate change. He has more than 22 years of fundraising experience, including 16 years writing proposals and managing portfolios of foundation, government, and corporate funders for non-profits. Matt supported renowned conservation biologist Dr. Thomas Lovejoy in fundraising and organizational development for his seminal Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project. As a climate advocate, Matt founded and was a core member of the DC Divest campaign, which successfully persuaded the District of Columbia to remove fossil fuel stocks from its investment portfolios. Matt has extensive hands-on experience with a range of regenerative agriculture strategies, including industrial-scale composting, growing trees, soil health and soil building, and organic and regenerative gardening.

Dr. Will Pallister has more than 15 years of experience raising charitable and private funds for organizations in the clean technology and environmental advocacy sectors. He has also developed content for executive-level communications, white papers, and industry publications. His grants have raised tens of millions of dollars, including six- and seven-figure awards for programs and projects ranging from establishing outdoor rehabilitative programs serving military veterans to building electric vehicle charging stations. Will holds a doctorate in history from the Warburg Institute, University of London, and an MPhil in English Renaissance literature from Cambridge University. A committed environmentalist, he enjoys spending time outdoors at high elevation in southern Alberta and closer to sea-level near his home on Vancouver Island.

Dr. Nicholas Day is an experienced entrepreneur with a technical background in electrochemistry and a strong passion for solving climate change. As an experienced grant writer and grant manager, he enjoys assisting clients to pursue and manage funding and understands what it takes for startups to win. He has over eight years of experience with multiple federal agencies, as well as other private awarding agencies. Dr. Day received his PhD in Chemistry from Portland State University in 2015 and specialized in the electrochemical characterization and utilization of novel conductive polymers. He has direct hands-on experience with a wide range of climate change technologies, including capture and utilization of CO2, hydrogen evolution electrochemically and photochemically, perovskite solar cell manufacturing and testing as well as removing methane from the atmosphere. After completing his PhD studies, Dr. Day won and successfully managed his own NSF Phase I and Phase II awards focused on improving indoor air quality resulting in product launches and collaborations with corporate partners. As an experienced entrepreneur, he intimately understands the challenges startups are facing and how to choose and set up funding applications for success.

Dr. Robert Pyne’s passion for human flourishing has been reflected in his experience as a university professor, non-profit leader, writer, and peacebuilder. His academic teaching and writing has focused on sustainable peace, religion, and human rights, and he has implemented institutional programs to promote environmental sustainability, civic engagement, and socially responsible practices. He has raised millions of dollars through grant writing, donor relations, and philanthropic solicitation. Robert is a skilled writer and editor who, after grading hundreds of undergraduate papers, masters theses, and doctoral dissertations, brings a critical eye to research proposals. His experience as a project manager includes coordinating staff teams across sub-Saharan Africa, leading educational trips to Israel and the West Bank, and developing community-based academic programs. Robert grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona and was a member of Arizona State University’s NCAA champion track and field team. After living for many years in Dallas, where his four adult children were born, he now resides in Green Bay, Wisconsin. He enjoys travel, but when he is home, Robert can often be found biking along the Fox River—once one of America’s most industrialized waterways, now transformed as a model for ecosystem restoration.

Dr. Chris Wintersinger is passionate about enabling emerging, high-impact climate technologies. He brings a strong record of grant and technical writing, project management, and advocacy for untapped opportunities at startups, academic labs, and nonprofits. He earned his PhD in bioengineering from Harvard University, where he used DNA to create better diagnostics, new strategies to fabricate things at the nanoscale, and vaccines. He has experience on the funder side in research program development when he led a coordinated DARPA-inspired research program at a non-profit that supported under-resourced technologies. Also, he is a self-proclaimed biotech and synthetic biology nerd, a fellow at the Foresight Institute, and a firm believer that climate risk is best tackled by leveraging technologies borrowing from multiple disciplines. When he is not writing or thinking about climate and sustainability, Chris is building things from metal as a hobbyist welder, scrambling up mountains, or in the kitchen trying new recipes.

Dr. Ashley Rivenbark is a project manager and scientific writer with over 10 years of grant writing, editing, and management experience. She has managed and submitted over 60 SBIR/STTR grants and has won over $15 million to advance a wide range of cutting-edge technologies. Ashley has over 20 years of extensive experience in editing research papers, grant applications, and text for scientists who do not use English as a first language. She earned a B.S. in Biological Sciences with double minors in Genetics and Botany from North Carolina State University, and then earned a PhD in Toxicology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine studying cancer epigenetics. After obtaining her PhD, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center that was funded by the American Cancer Society focusing on epigenetic mechanisms of gene regulation. Ashley has achieved an Excellence in Science Award from the American Society of Pathology (ASIP) and has published over 25 papers, reviews, and book chapters.

Sameera has a PhD in plant biotechnology and molecular biology and has over 13 years of professional experience in various scientific and managerial roles. She is a dynamic and results-driven scientist with a proven track record of securing non-dilutive funding for small and medium-sized businesses, including notable grants such as a $100 million Department of Energy (DoE) award and close to $10 million in total via SBIR/STTRs. In the last 2 years as a full-time grant writer and scientific consultant, she gained a thorough understanding of most of the federal agencies such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institute of Health (NIH), Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR), and Department of Defense (DOD), among others. Sameera’s expertise extends to advising C-level executives, founders, and scientists on business and product development strategies, ensuring alignment with funding opportunities and strategic objectives. As a passionate biologist, she leverages her research and grants experience to collaborate with innovative minds to drive science for a tangible and sustainable impact in the world.

Danae Barnes joins the Climate Finance Solutions team with a successful track record across in both academia and industry. In academia, Danae developed federally-focused bids at University of Maryland, Stanford University and Arizona State University. Industry experience includes USAID proposals at Chemonics, NIH-centric work with a WSOB, and her most recent role at a Series B start-up focused on green tech. Danae’s 16 years of grant experience has resulted in more than $186M in funding, with funders including Department of Energy, Department of Transportation, as well as NIH, NSF, DoD and others. As a certified Project and Proposal manager, Danae brings the enthusiasm to enable development of winning bids in a supportive environment. Danae holds an MA in Rhetoric and is a published creative writer, contributing to her ability to define and inspire a compelling narrative. In addition to work in the climate space, Danae has been a board member of several arts non-profits, and will occasionally teach a meditation or yoga class.

Cheyenne Pritchard strives to empower positive change through partnership cultivation and creative product applications. She has over six years of experience working across the food equity and sustainable food system, holding positions in program management, partnership cultivation, and social impact strategy. She has an entrepreneurial spirit, and previously developed a food rescue program at Philabundance responsible for redirecting over 1 million pounds of surplus food from the landfill annually. She holds an MPH from University of California, Berkeley with a concentration in Health and Social Behaviors and Sustainable Food Systems, a BA from Amherst College in psychology and English, and is a former Fulbright Fellow. In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her dog Monte, cooking plant-based recipes, traveling across the country with her partner in a retrofitted Dodge Minivan, and collecting crushed pennies.

Lisa is an analyst and grant writer with a passion for identifying climate solutions at the intersection of food production and conservation. She has led efforts on the cutting edge of offshore aquaculture development in the US for both food and renewable energy production. Managing a research program developing innovative aquaculture technologies for six years enabled Lisa to gain valuable first-hand experience in funding strategy, cultivating collaborations, and all aspects of grants (research, applications, administration, and implementation). Her experience through the full life cycle of grants, including as a Principal and Co-Principal Investigator on several publicly-funded aquaculture programs, deeply informs her perspective when engaging with businesses to find actionable funding sources. Lisa thinks in possibilities—often identifying cross-sector opportunities to create competitive funding applications for clients. Lisa holds a BSc in Marine and Freshwater Biology from the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada and now resides in the tropics. In her free time, Lisa enjoys surfing, hiking, and gardening.

Dr. Marley Jarvis is a PhD-trained marine scientist turned award-winning multimedia science storyteller, writer, and public speaker based in rural Northern California. She specializes in leveraging research from the learning sciences to inform effective communication of scientific information for diverse audiences. She has coached and mentored hundreds of scientists, engineers, and other STEM professionals on communicating their work with impact. In addition, she has over 15 years of experience supporting grant writing and management, including federal and private grants of over $1M, as well as extensive experience writing for government agencies. Most recently, Marley served as a Senior Outreach and Education Specialist at the University of Washington’s Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences where she synthesized and communicated research updates to funders, policymakers, business leaders, and public audiences. She also specialized in informal STEM learning and public engagement with science at Pacific Science Center, a large science museum in Seattle. She holds a BA in Biology from Carleton College and a PhD in Biology from the University of Oregon’s Institute of Marine Biology. Her research background includes nearshore oceanography, plankton, coastal ecology, and deep-sea biology. Marley is also an illustrator, designer, and producer focused on telling multimedia stories about science.

Charlotte is an researcher, analyst, and policy wonk with a background in grant development, climate mobilization, legislative advocacy, and building community resilience. Through her work as a Research Associate with Social Goody LLC, a full-service woman-owned strategic planning and grant writing firm, Charlotte leveraged her data analysis and prospecting skills to identify strategic funding and partnership opportunities and develop grant proposals for large-scale public health and education projects. In her role as an Engagement Organizer with the Oregon League of Conservation Voters, she worked to convene diverse community stakeholders and build resilient coalitions to advocate for progressive climate policy at both the state and federal level. Driven by a deep-rooted belief in climate justice informed by her upbringing in Appalachia, Charlotte is passionate about championing intersectional environmental initiatives that amplify marginalized voices, particularly in underserved rural and BIPOC communities, and supporting those most impacted by climate change to take the lead in devising sustainable solutions. She graduated magna cum laude from Binghamton University with a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Law.

Peter Suechting is an interdisciplinary PhD candidate in Environmental Science, Studies, and Policy & Political Science at the University of Oregon. He holds a MS in Political Science from the University of Oregon and a BA in Environmental Studies from Amherst College. Currently, Peter teaches part-time at the UO (Go Ducks!) in the Environmental Studies department while completing his PhD dissertation, which examines the social dynamics shaping the unfolding 'green' energy transition over the past two decades. As a researcher, data wrangler, and analyst, he specializes in the design and implementation of information systems for mission-focused organizations in the climate space. He is grateful to reside in the beautiful Willamette Valley in Eugene, OR, with his wonderful partner Amanda and their two canine companions, Mowgli and Juniper. Together, the four of them spend their time hiking, baking, and pursuing their passions, whether they be climate solutions or digging in the yard.

Kathy joins the Climate Finance Solutions research team with 15 years of grants experience from the nonprofit sector. Her proposals have resulted in more than $10 million in public and private funding for nonprofits including The New York Public Library and The Giving Grove, an innovative community orchard organization now thriving in cities across the U.S. Her expertise includes securing and managing federal grant funds from the Environmental Protection Agency, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Endowment for the Arts, and U.S. Department of Labor. Working with grant clients from coast to coast for the past three years through the Twin Cities-based firm Access Philanthropy, Kathy gained deep experience collaborating with diverse nonprofit leaders and stewarding relationships with corporate and foundation funders. She earned a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Georgia. At home in Kansas City, Missouri, she enjoys spending time with her two children, reading, writing, working for her local library, and growing fresh fruits and vegetables.

Komal is an experienced project manager, researcher, and environmental justice advocate and educator. She specializes in developing and executing strategies to drive organizational growth and operational efficiency, and foster internal and external collaboration. Komal has an interdisciplinary research background that encompasses social science, market analysis, and design research. As a Social Entrepreneurship Fellow at the Hasso Plattner Institute of Design, Komal led product innovation and partnership engagement for the 40x40 Initiative working to empower East Oakland communities and build local capacity. As an environmental justice advocate and educator, she spearheaded efforts to expand the environmental justice curriculum at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. Furthermore, she has experience teaching and mentoring K-12, undergraduate, and graduate students, and co-founded a digital education and mentorship program for first-generation and low-income students across South Asia. She holds a Master of Arts in Sustainability Science and Practice and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, with a minor in Global Studies, from Stanford University. In her spare time, Komal enjoys reading memoirs and poetry, dancing giddha and bhangra, and cooking.

Danielle Frempong's keen interest in environmental sustainability and her experience in nonprofit management and grant writing drew her to Climate Finance Solutions. She strongly believes that innovative solutions are the key vehicle for environmental change and wants to help provide organizations developing new technology and new approaches with adequate resources to scale up. During her time on the Fundraising Team at Center for Civilians in Conflict, a Washington, DC-based NGO, she supported individual fundraising efforts by researching donor prospects and creating and managing a database of hundreds of donors. She also worked with The Prosp(a)rity Project to fundraise grants worth $1M. Danielle's experience in a range of other nonprofits, including International Christian Concern (in Maryland) and Community Aid Network (in Accra, Ghana), informs her understanding of how to fund and scale projects and programs with concrete impact. Originally from Ghana, Danielle is also very interested in and committed to climate-resilient sustainable development in West Africa. She holds a Bachelor's degree in International Development Studies and a minor in International Relations from Calvin University.

Christy is an entrepreneur, fundraiser, coach, and advisor with a background in institutional and corporate fundraising and design. She brings six years of experience in corporate philanthropy, including at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, a research institution and one of the world’s largest natural history museums. At the Academy, she worked alongside some of the world’s foremost climate scientists to develop strategic partnerships and secure millions of dollars in philanthropic funding annually for climate-focused scientific research and global conservation programs. She also helped develop and fund educational programs, exhibits, and events focused on conservation and climate. Christy’s coaching practice leads high-performing entrepreneurs to make more intentional, value-driven decisions and create successful mission-driven businesses. Her experience and guidance have helped define and drive CFS’ goals and impact.

Jennifer McFarlane is an independent director, with experience on seven corporate boards - one public (NASDAQ quoted), and six private – in the climate, energy, and health tech sectors. She currently serves on five boards including Cascade Energy, Energy and Blue Planet Systems, and is an Audit Committee Chair. Jennifer is an Audit Financial Expert and holds an ESG Global Competent Boards Designation (GCB.D). To the board, Jennifer brings strategic vision, insights on global scaling and digital transformation, as well as finance savvy derived from her twenty years as a CFO in public and private companies such as NEXTracker (NXT) and LanzaTech (LNZA). During her C-level career, Jennifer was typically brought in to take technology driven companies to the next level by refining their strategies, executing on M&A and financings, and delivering on rapid global growth, which included doubling revenues to $700M within two years. She started her career as an investment banker, where she advised a wide range of clients including Fortune 500 companies and international governments. Jennifer is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a C3E Ambassador (DoE appointment) and serves on the board of two global non-profit organizations. Jennifer holds an MBA from Stanford GSB, and an LLB/BSc from University of New South Wales, Australia.

Victoria is an impact-oriented business leader and scientist with over 15 years of experience building complex projects from the ground up. She began her career with a doctorate and post-doctoral fellowship in Biology during which she authored 12 peer-reviewed publications, won a university award for Outstanding Graduate Research, and received competitive grants from National Geographic, National Institutes of Health, and the National Science Foundation, among others, totaling approximately $400,000. She then went on to co-found and build Angaza, a climate-tech company focused on making life-changing solar electrification products radically more affordable for off-grid populations in emerging markets. To date, Angaza's technology platform has helped over 30 million people gain access to clean energy products worldwide and has been supported by over $800,000 in grants from USAID and the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP). Victoria is a mentor for the Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship and is passionate about contributing at the intersection of science and technology, global sustainability, and operational excellence.