Power Players in Climate, Energy and Sustainability

Katelyn O’Leary is a part of The Parkside Group’s government relations team, where she represents energy and telecommunications clients before state and local governments. Prior to joining Parkside, she served as senior policy advisor on the energy and environment team in New York State’s Executive Chamber, where she advised two governors on climate policy. Early on in her career, Katelyn held several different roles in the New York State Senate, including as legislative director.

What does sustainability mean to you?
For me, sustainability means planting seeds in a garden we’ll never see. We, as human beings, need to realize that there is only one Earth and it has a finite amount of resources. With that knowledge comes the call to action to conserve those resources and safeguard them for generations to come. Sustainability efforts should strive to leave behind a legacy of a healthy environment with clean air and water.

Is there one major climate issue your organization is looking to tackle?
The Parkside Group advises and advocates on behalf of energy organizations that are tackling a variety of climate related issues ranging from the deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, to the development of transmission that supports the interconnection of new renewables onto the grid, and the decarbonization of the electric generation sector.

What is one thing everyone can do to help protect the environment?
One way individuals can help protect the environment is reducing and eliminating their use of single-use plastics, such as plastic water bottles, plastic straws, plastic silverware, and plastic bags. Single-use plastics are more likely to end up polluting our oceans and natural lands than reusable options. These products can be replaced with reusable versions, made out of materials like glass, metal, fabric, or bamboo, that are seamlessly incorporated into our daily life.

What steps are your organization taking to ensure a sustainable future?
The Parkside Group works with organizations that seek to address climate change and be a part of the transformation to a clean economy and more sustainable future.

The first landscape architect to receive the MacArthur Foundation’s “Genius” Grant in 2017, Kate Orff leads SCAPE—a landscape architecture and urban design practice. Internationally recognized as a leading expert on climate adaptive and socially engaging landscapes, Orff has authored three books and completed a wide variety of projects across the U.S. She is also director of the urban design program at Columbia University, where she co-founded the interdisciplinary Center for Resilient Cities and Landscapes.

State Senator Kevin S. Parker is committed to restoring the overall quality of life for the constituents of the 21st Senatorial District in Brooklyn. A lifelong Brooklyn resident, Senator Parker has been a Flatbush resident for over 31 years – nurtured, educated, and employed in the borough. Senator Parker is intimately familiar with the needs of the 21st District, which consists of many diverse communities.

What does sustainability mean to you?
Sustainability means meeting the needs of the present without jeopardizing future generations. Senator Parker aims to create a more equitable and sustainable future by mitigating climate change and protecting the environment for future generations. Policies that promote social equity, justice, and long-term economic growth are essential, particularly in black, brown, and disadvantaged communities. It is critical to address climate change through sustainability efforts.

Is there one major climate issue your organization is looking to tackle?
As chair of the Energy & Telecom Committee in the New York Senate, Senator Parker is dedicated to addressing key issues such as energy access, affordability, and building a green economy. A critical focus is ensuring that disadvantaged communities, especially in his 21st district, are not left behind in the transition to clean energy. Energy is a necessity, and low-income and disadvantaged communities have borne the brunt of climate change.

What is one thing everyone can do to help protect the environment?
To help protect the environment, it’s essential for everyone to stay engaged and informed. New Yorkers should be aware of many initiatives and programs available, such as clean-energy home retrofit funding and affordability programs. By staying informed, consumers can dispel myths while taking advantage of small details that can save them money on their bills, such as demand response which reduces energy consumption during peak periods.

What steps are your organization taking to ensure a sustainable future?
Parker has championed clean energy and the environment for 20 years. As chair of the N.Y. State Senate Energy & Telecom Committee, he has played an integral role in the state’s clean energy landscape, promoting clean energy policy, advocating for environmental justice, and supporting climate education and awareness. Recently appointed to the Environment, Agriculture, and Housing Budget Subcommittee, he aims to focus on appropriations to ensure that long-neglected communities can finally participate in sustainability efforts.

Clint Plummer is the chief executive officer at Rise Light & Power. In this role, Mr. Plummer oversees the company’s existing generation facility’s operations and leads the development of its new projects and strategic partnerships. Mr. Plummer earned his master’s degrees in engineering and public administration from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and New York University as well as a bachelor’s degree in business administration from The Ohio State University.

Jon leads business development and marketing for CleanCapital. Prior to joining CleanCapital, Jon led public sector business development at Bloom Energy. Jon served in the U.S. Army in Iraq, as special adviser for energy to the assistant secretary of the Army and later as director of outreach for the Army’s Energy Initiatives Task Force. In 2012, Jon was appointed to the post of federal chief sustainability officer by President Obama.

What does sustainability mean to you?
Founding CleanCapital and witnessing our exponential growth is, for me personally, the full realization of sustainability. It is inherent in our ethos, built into our mission, vision and values.  Over the last eight years, we have successfully connected  investors to opportunities in the middle-market solar and storage industries, which in turn drives renewable energy capacity, reduces the world’s dependence on fossil fuels, and affords access to clean energy for all populations.

Is there one major climate issue your organization is looking to tackle?
Since our founding in 2015, we have been dedicated to advancing the renewables industry and fighting the climate crisis. Our main climate initiative is to decarbonize the energy sector through the financing and development of middle-market renewable energy projects. Meeting the energy needs of businesses, schools, non-profits, and municipalities with affordable clean energy is one of the most effective paths to achieving a net-zero energy future.

What is one thing everyone can do to help protect the environment?
At CleanCapital, we know that sustainability is a key growth driver. Everyone in our organization maintains a commitment to reduce their carbon footprint, both professionally and in their personal lives. Whether we engage local officials to invest in smart buildings, install solar on our rooftops, or advocate for clean energy infrastructure at the Federal level, the collective action we take serves to mitigate global warming and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.  

What steps are your organization taking to ensure a sustainable future?
Beyond our core function as a renewable energy investor and developer of projects, we advocate for policies that support the deployment of renewable energy. We believe that the best chance our country has to meet climate targets won’t come from building projects in a silo. It will come from industry-wide collaboration to create a policy landscape that benefits us all. By expanding our policy team in 2022, we are putting this belief into action.

Since 2014, Anne Reynolds has served as the executive director of the Alliance for Clean Energy New York where she has successfully advocated for New York’s 70% Clean Energy Standard and a NYSERDA procurement program to support that mandate, and the development of the New York Offshore Wind Alliance. Prior to ACE, Ms. Reynolds served as a deputy commissioner and as assistant commissioner for Policy and Planning at the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

Jeff specializes in increasing energy efficiency within new and existing buildings. He is highly valued for his experience as a mechanical engineer and his expertise in energy modeling platforms. Jeff has shared his expertise at Greenbuild, Urban Green, SCUP and many other venues. Jeff also serves as vice chair of the ACEC Metro Region Energy Code Committee as well as the NYC DOB Energy Code Advisory Committee.

What does sustainability mean to you?
Sustainability means a lot of things to me, starting with the basic concept of living a way of life that we can truly sustain without negative impact. In the context of the world today and the work I do, my personal focus is to mitigate climate change and specifically the impact buildings have on the climate. My focus these days is trying to reduce carbon and fossil fuel consumption in the buildings we work on.

Is there one major climate issue your organization is looking to tackle?
In the fall of 2021, AKF signed on to Carbon Leadership Forum’s MEP 2040 commitment, which commits us to advocating for reduced operational carbon, with a goal of Net Zero carbon on all of our projects by 2030. This is a singular goal that I think has helped us focus on reducing carbon. We have a plan to address operational carbon on all our projects and are working towards addressing embodied carbon as well.

What is one thing everyone can do to help protect the environment?
Well there are many, but just one thing, I would say to be aware. There are a lot of things we do that have an impact on the environment. From the food we eat, to the way we travel. I think just being aware of those impacts is a good start. For example, considering the environmental impact of carbon when deciding between driving, taking the train or flying to Boston or DC is one. 

Johannes Rittershausen currently serves as chief executive officer and member of the board at Convergent. Prior to the founding of Convergent, Mr. Rittershausen worked as a senior project manager in corporate strategic planning and the electric vehicle readiness unit at Southern California Edison. Mr. Rittershausen earned his B.A in philosophy, politics and economics at Pomona College and M.A. from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Studies.

Dana Robbins Schneider is senior vice president, director of energy, sustainability and ESG for Empire State Realty Trust. Dana defines, leads, and executes a comprehensive program including company and property level energy and sustainability initiatives and industry leading best practices. Dana takes a science-based, data-driven approach to analyze and implement actionable measures that drive energy efficiency and performance at the whole building, systems and tenant level including proactive planning for LL97 and 80X50.

What does sustainability mean to you?
Sustainability is a societal goal for a team to work together on a number of different processes to ensure our physical and social environment has a future that is a healthier, safer place to coexist in.

Is there one major climate issue your organization is looking to tackle?
70% of greenhouse gas emissions are due to the buildings in New York City. ESRT is determined to reduce our portfolio’s emissions to net zero while pushing our industry to do the same. Our organization looks to serve as an example and guide for other commercial building owners to develop a pathway to carbon reduction, while making both the technical and business case for deep energy retrofits of existing commercial buildings.

What is one thing everyone can do to help protect the environment?
Consider your own personal impact. To be conscientious of all our actions, and the impact we have on the environment and others. From using public transportation to unplugging your appliances after use, one can make the lifestyle change to be more sustainably conscious. Everyone can use their voice to create societal change to protect the environment and well-being of others. One should share whatever knowledge they hold to help others on their sustainability journey.

What steps are your organization taking to ensure a sustainable future?
ESRT published “The Empire Building Playbook: An Owner’s Guide to Low Carbon Retrofits” in partnership with NYSERDA and supported by the Clinton Global Initiative in April 2022. The Playbook shares ESRT’s knowledge and experience in retrofitting the Empire State Building to reach net zero emissions by 2030. It is a free, publicly available step-by-step guide for building owners to use to create their own decarbonization journey.

Michael Samuelian is the founding director of the Jacobs Urban Technology Hub at Cornell Tech. He is an architect, urban planner, real estate developer and professor. From the redevelopment of Lower Manhattan after 9/11 and the creation of a new neighborhood in Hudson Yards to the activation of Governors Island; he’s helped plan, design and develop some of the most transformative projects in New York City.

What does sustainability mean to you?
Sustainability is looking at your actions today through the lens of the future with an understanding that every action has consequences beyond our lifetime. This can mean being more aware of the carbon impacts of your diet, your commuting decisions, your lifestyle and the products that you buy. Sustainability can be simply put as having a holistic view of how our decisions affect the immediate community around us, but also the environment as an ecosystem.

Is there one major climate issue your organization is looking to tackle?
Last year we produced an Urban Tech Summit focussed on climate mobilization, which is an action-oriented view towards the products and companies that are making material changes in the fight against climate change. Broadly speaking, the energy transition is probably the most important single issue we are looking at. Electrifying everything around us with renewables will be one of the biggest challenges of our time, but decarbonizing our energy systems is critical to our future planet.

What is one thing everyone can do to help protect the environment?
This is not a novel idea, but many of us know that the most immediate thing that we can all do is make relatively simple adjustments to our diets. This is not a tech issue by any means, but eating a more plant-centered diet and eating more locally has multiple health and environmental benefits.