Team Climate

Stacy Savage, AKA “The Texas Trash Talker”, was born and raised under the brown, hazy skies and rotten egg smells of the Texas oil and gas industry where both her parents worked at oil refineries for a collective 75 years. She understands the toll pollution takes on communities that are not economically positioned to fight backyard polluters and has chosen a career path in sustainability to stand up for quality of life. Stacy has been a “recycling nerd” for over 22 years and played a pivotal role in passing 2 key pieces of statewide legislation requiring free, responsible manufacturer take-back recycling of computers (passed, 2007) and televisions (passed, 2011). She also assisted in the passage of 4 local recycling ordinances in Austin.In 2013, Mrs. Savage founded Zero Waste Strategies LLC, an environmental consulting firm that specializes in waste reduction.

In this episode, we talk with Jennie Montano, an operations and supply chain leader who has spent her career simplifying complex systems, reducing waste, and helping companies work smarter. Jennie shares how her experience in biotech and global supply chain translates directly to climate solutions, from cutting inefficiencies to accelerating commercialization for hard tech startups.We also explore her passion for home electrification and heat pumps, including insights from her ClimateDrift article on making your home a climate champion. Jennie explains why installation rather than technology is the real barrier and how homeowners can make their homes more efficient. She also offers grounded advice for anyone looking to pivot into climate work and explains why narrowing your niche is the key to effective networking.Plus, she wanted us to know that her sitcom casting choice would be Jenna Fischer as Pam from The Office.This is our final episode of 2025. We will be back in 2026 with season 2. Let's get to work!

We sit down with JOHN J. BERGER, Ph.D., environmental science and policy specialist, award-winning author, and longtime advocate for a rapid shift to clean energy. He digs into his new book, Solving The Climate Crisis: Frontline reports from the race to save the earth, and previews Accelerating the Transition, a national Clean Energy and Climate Protection Conference that will kick off San Francisco Climate Week, April 18–20, 2026.John explains why renewables and efficiency are the most economically and environmentally sound path forward, how regenerative agriculture and restoration fit into the solution set, and what it will take to align public officials, investors, and clean-tech builders to scale impact.Learn moreBook site: solvingtheclimatecrisis.usConference site: acceleratingthetransition.com (San Francisco Climate Week, April 18–20, 2026)

Welcome back, Team! Today we're sharing our conversation with Justin Brodie-Commit. Justin is a Climate-Hard-Tech early-stage investor and an avid Climate-Tech community builder. As a founding general partner of Lichen Ventures and a lead organizer for DC Climate Week, He works as a catalyst to drive the mid-Atlantic as a national climate innovation hub while investing across the US. Motivated by a profound concern for vulnerable populations and ecosystems, Justin is committed to making a difference in the face of our climate crisis.Climate Funders Fireside Chat with Calectra - Decarbonizing Heavy IndustryBaltimore Climate Tech meetup LinkedinSign up for DC Climate Week newsletter and throw hat in the ring to volunteer for 2026. 

Welcome back team.Today We’re talking with Mark Costello, From Baltimore MDUntil Recently, Mark was with the company Wasted, which builds  sustainable sanitation systems as an alternative to traditional waste management. Now looking for his next role in climate action, Mark fills us in on the ups and downs of the hunt in the market today and how he stays inspired.  Can’t wait for you to meet him, Lets get to work!

Today we're excited to bring you our conversation with Owen Barrett. Owen is the founder and CEO of Shine solar, which builds solar solutions for commercial and large residential buildings. He's also the host of of his own Podcast called "Less Talk More Action" about what it's like on the front lines of decarbonization and a cleaner net-zero Future. Let's get to work! 

Welcome back to the Team. Today we’re really happy to welcome Melissa Chan to speak with us. Melissa is Senior Director of Ecosystem Development at Analog Devices, a Boston company makes semiconductors for all sorts of technology. She holds a PhD in Engineering & Public Policy and has spent her entire career in Energy and Climate. An exceptionally smart person, Melissa drops a lot of knowledge in the next hour. We’re going to try to catch as many of the references as we can and post the links in the show notes. We hope you get as much out of this conversation as we did. Lets get to work.ReferencesVehicle-Grid Integration Council (VGIC) A national membership-based advocacy group focused on advancing the role of flexible electric vehicle charging and discharging.Edge Computing doing more of your data processing close to where it's created—on your phone, home router, factory floor, or even inside devices themselves—instead of sending it all to a distant cloud.The Institute for Regulatory Law & Economics (IRLE) a hub that brings together law, economics, and technology to improve how we regulate key industries—especially energy and digital networks .Analog Devices Melissa’s employer, they build software and hardware for all kinds of technology solutions across aerospace, automotive, communications, consumer, energy, industrial automation, and healthcare.Community Development Financial Institution ( CDFI ) a specialized financial institution that provides financial services to underserved communities and populations.DOE GRIP- Department of Energy Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships. A Government Grant Program for companies and individuals that help enhance grid flexibility and improve the resilience of the power system against extreme weather.“Mass Energy Center” refers to the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC). MassCEC is a public agency dedicated to accelerating the growth of the clean energy sector in Massachusetts.Rainforest Action Network Activist Group Taking action against the companies and industries driving deforestation and climate change.All In Energy  a nonprofit with a mission to advance an inclusive clean energy economy.

Today We’re excited to bring you our chat with Melanie Adamson.Melanie is Founder and CEO of Portland Based Alder & Co.  a brand marketing and creative agency focused on energy and cleantech industries.She is also founder of the Substack Tofu -  an online community for climate tech marketersLet's get to work!

In this episode of Team Climate, we're joined by Cam McDonald, Sales Director at Voltus, DER Task Force member, Terra.do fellow, and passionate mentor helping others pivot into climate careers. Cam walks us through his personal journey, sharing how he successfully leveraged years of SaaS sales experience—including building and leading sales and account management teams—to land a meaningful role modernizing the electrical grid. At Voltus, Cam's work directly supports grid flexibility, demand response, and the transition to cleaner energy.

Today, we’re thrilled to have Olivia LaRoche with us. Olivia is the Program Manager for Cleantech Open Northeast, ACT, which supports climate tech startups with funding, hiring, and all the little decisions you have to make to build a business. Olivia is a super knowledgeable and passionate climate advocate who organizes all sorts of events, like recruiting mixers, bootcamps, and pitch competitions. We’re glad you’re here, lets get to work!

Amanda Moore is a communications and marketing professional driven by a passion for connecting people with purpose. She specializes in building authentic brands and strategic communication plans that engage diverse audiences and amplify recycling and the circular economy. With a background in geography, urban planning, and communications, She brings a unique lens to promoting sustainability through thoughtful storytelling and outreach. 

Chris Brereton is a technology executive and investor specializing in climate tech and digital infrastructure. As Chief Product Officer at MARA and Head of US Investments at MOHARA, he leverages his extensive product leadership experience to drive innovation. Chris is passionate about mentoring startups and investing in technologies that improve climate solutions and sustainability. His expertise is focused on creating impactful solutions in clean energy.

Michael Glasky  is a marketing and sales consultant who specializes in working with climate tech startups. With over 10 years of experience, he pivoted from traditional tech to focus specifically on mission-driven companies tackling environmental challenges.As a Climatebase fellowship graduate and mentor for the Cleantech Open accelerator, Mike has immersed himself in the climate innovation ecosystem. He combines his business acumen with a deep understanding of sustainability to help bridge the gap between technical founders and commercial success.

Radhika Bhatt is a climate career coach, recruiter, and founder of Saathe Studio, a climate and social impact career coaching agency. She’s coached 400+ climate-motivated professionals, from recent grads to mid and senior career levels, on the start-to-finish strategy of a successful climate job search, including strategic resume updates, improving LinkedIn profiles and the algorithm, networking with a regenerative mindset, telling stronger career stories, and discovering the hidden job market. In working with Radhika, many people have landed jobs at climate tech startups, environmental nonprofits, international philanthropies, and B-corps, and many have successfully started their own sustainability consulting businesses. She works with people to navigate their job searches in climate in general, and helps people dig deeper into topic areas like climate tech, circular economy, nature-based solutions, clean energy, regenerative agriculture, food systems, environmental justice, and climate communications. She also partners with leading climate organizations to deliver workshops to job-seeker communities, and clients of hers have included: Terra.do, The Bloom, My Climate Journey, Green Jobs Board, the Sustainability Service Corps, Earth Advisors, Climate People, TechChange, and General Assembly. She has also given keynote speeches and facilitated workshops at NY Climate Week (2024), Climate Careers Week (2024), the White House (2016), the UN Global People's Summit (2017), and Cisco Live (2017).Find Radhika at:https://www.linkedin.com/in/radhika-bhatt/https://www.saathestudio.com/