Staff

Gregg Small

Executive Director (Seattle)

Gregg brings more than 16 years of experience working on environmental and public policy issues, including 13 as an Executive Director. At Climate Solutions, Gregg oversees a staff of twenty policy experts, campaigners, innovators, and researchers across four Northwest offices, providing strategic direction for one of the most effective regional climate and clean economy organizations in the nation. 

For the past seven years, he has been a leader in Priorities for a Healthy Washington, a collaborative of more than 25 of the leading environmental organizations in Washington working together to pass strong statewide environmental policies. He has extensive experience bringing together diverse constituencies working on local, state, and national issues.

Prior to coming to Climate Solutions, Gregg served as the Executive Director of the Washington Toxics Coalition for 7 years and as the Executive Director of the California-based Pesticide Watch for 5 years. During that time, he played a leadership role in creating and developing a number of leading coalitions working on environmental health issues, including the Toxic Free Legacy Coalition, Californians for Pesticide Reform, and Safer Chemicals, Healthy Bodies.

Gregg began his professional career as an organizer for Green Corps, working in Washington, DC, Vermont, and California. He received his B.A. in Political Science from Dickinson College.

gregg (at) climatesolutions.org

Owen Atkins

Grants Manager (Seattle)

Owen manages Climate Solutions’ grants program and is the primary foundations contact. He joined Climate Solutions in 2008 with a background in nonprofit administration and policy advocacy on education and children’s issues.  For six years, he worked for the Washington State PTA in a variety of roles, most recently as the interim Executive Director. Prior to entering the nonprofit field, he worked in the publishing business and spent ten years in the music industry.

He is dedicated to the profession of ethical fundraising and a member of the Northwest Development Officers Association and the Puget Sound Grantwriters Association.  He was selected as a 2011 scholar by the Washington chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Owen earned a master’s degree in Nonprofit Leadership (MNPL) from Seattle University and a BA from University of Washington-Tacoma.

owen (at) climatesolutions.org

Chris Bast

Business Partnerships Associate (Seattle)

Chris is a native Virginian with broad experience at the intersection of politics and policy. 

As the Business Partnerships Associate, Chris brings research, communications and administrative support to the Business Leaders for Climate Solutions and Montana Business Leaders for Clean Energy programs.

Prior to joining Climate Solutions, he worked in a variety of roles for the Governor of Virginia and the Virginia Division of Energy including managing the Governor’s Renew Virginia initiative to support energy efficiency and promote renewable energy production and environmental sustainability.

He also has extensive experience working in fast-paced state, local, and national campaigns and organizations. He is a graduate of James Madison University, where he first got involved in political campaigns and issue-advocacy.

In his free time he enjoys hiking, traveling, and exploring the Northwest’s many opportunities for adventure with his wife and dog.

chris (at) climatesolutions.org

Beth Berlin

Montana State Director (Missoula)

Beth serves as the Montana Director where she oversees the organization’s Montana outreach to businesses, communities, and local leaders, including the Montana Business Leaders for Clean Energy program.

Prior to joining Climate Solutions, she served as the Program Director for Women’s Voices for the Earth, a national nonprofit, where she oversaw various environmental justice campaigns and for the City of Missoula as the Brownfield Coordinator and as the manager of the City’s nationally recognized transportation options program. As the Development Associate for the NW Energy Coalition, she initiated planning and helped to coordinate funding for renewable energy, low income, and energy efficiency programs. 

Prior to moving west, Beth worked in Washington DC as an environmental and socioeconomic consultant on environmental clean up and nuclear waste issues to the US Department of Energy and for the National Congress of American Indians.

She is an active member on a number of local advisory panels and boards in Missoula that address climate change and air quality. In her spare time Beth enjoys managing her family’s outdoor gear store with her husband, cross country skiing, floating and fishing on the local rivers, biking around town, and spending time with her husband and two golden retrievers.

Beth received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology from the University of Arizona and her Master of Arts degree in Applied Anthropology from American University in Washington DC.

bethberlin (at) climatesolutions.org

Russ Childers

Database Manager (Seattle)

As Database Manager at Climate Solutions, Russ is working with the staff to streamline the database and develop tools to make it more useful in their work.

Prior to joining Climate Solutions, Russ  worked and volunteered for almost 30 years with NGOs and in university and research settings. After college, he spent about 8 years in Europe, mainly working at the Max-Planck-Institute for Psychiatry in Munich and becoming active in the burgeoning nuclear disarmament movement, mostly with the Munich American Peace Committee and the U.S. American Peace Network / Europe. While in Europe, he also did database work for a housing charity in London and a translating company in Munich.

After returning to the US, he was Outreach Director for Heart of America Northwest, and worked for almost 15 years at the University of Washington, including as Data Manager with the Office of Educational Assessment and Senior Computer Specialist with the Center on Human Development and Disability. Since starting at Climate Solutions, Russ has focused on making the database more user friendly, and thus a more useful and powerful tool for Climate Solutions staff.

Russ has taught tennis since 1987 in Munich, Northern Italy, and Seattle, and currently teaches tennis at the University of Washington's Nordstrom Tennis Center and coaches the varsity boys at University Prep. He also enjoys early music concerts, playing in tennis tournaments, and writing op-eds and letters to the editor when time permits.

Russ graduated with a BA in Computer and Information Science and a minor in Mathematics from the University of Oregon, and speaks, reads, and writes German fluently.

Jessica Finn Coven

Washington State Director (Seattle)

 Jessica serves as the Washington State Director of Climate Solutions where her worked focuses on developing legislative and policy strategies to reduce global warming pollution and grow an equitable clean-energy economy in Washington State. Jessica first joined Climate Solutions in 2007 as a policy specialist and has worked to further clean energy policy in Washington through the state’s Energy Independence Act, Climate Action and Green Jobs law and others.

Prior to joining Climate Solutions, Jessica worked as the program director for the U.S. Climate Action Network. From 2002- 2005, she was a global warming campaigner for Greenpeace in Washington DC. She also spent several months working in Beijing as a policy advisor for Greenpeace China.  

Jessica received her MA in economics and energy policy from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and her BA in Mandarin from Barnard College, Columbia University. 

Jessica currently sits on the board of Washington Conservation Voters. She lives in Seattle with her husband, young son and old dog.

jessica (at) climatesolutions.org

Beth Doglio

Campaign Director (Olympia)

 Beth brings 20 plus years of campaign experience to Climate Solutions. As Campaign Director, she is responsible for integrating campaign strategy into Climate Solution’s flagship programs and building a comprehensive civic engagement program across Climate Solutions’ states.

She was the founding Executive Director of Washington Conservation Voters and served in that role from 1991 – 1995.  In 1996 she was a field organizer for National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (NARAL).  She also served as a campaign organizer and later the development director for Audubon Washington.   

Beth has worked in public, private, non-profit sectors and served in leadership staff positions in numerous political campaigns.  She has managed communications, has extensive organizing and direct advocacy expertise, and significant fundraising experience.

Beth has a BA from Indiana University in Political Science and Telecommunications. A mom of two young boys, she enjoys the outdoors, cycling, yoga, running, and traveling.

beth (at ) climatesolutions.org

Clark Gilman

Harvesting Clean Energy Program Manager (Olympia)

Clark manages Climate Solutions' Harvesting Clean Energy program, which offers rural people opportunities to generate economic prosperity through clean energy production and energy efficiency projects.

Prior to joining the Climate Solutions team, Clark worked as a leader of a regional construction labor organization. He built a successful monthly newspaper for over 20,000 households in the Pacific Northwest and led initiatives to improve affordable housing construction. Prior to that, he worked for the Labor Education Center at the Evergreen State College and the Washington State Institute for Public Policy helping to explain complex and divisive public policy issues to a broad variety of audiences.
 
Clark has construction and market gardening experience and received a BA in Ecological Agriculture from The Evergreen State College.

clark (at) climatesolutions.org

KC Golden

Policy Director (Seattle)

KC oversees the Policy Leadership Program, pioneering leading-edge state and local climate policies while helping to deliver strong regional support for responsible national and international climate policy. He has over 20 years experience in Northwest energy and climate issues in the public and nonprofit sectors.  He has served in the public sector as a special assistant to the Mayor of Seattle for clean energy and climate protection initiatives and as an Assistant Director in Washington's Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development, where he directed the state's Energy Policy Office. From 1989 to 1995, he was Executive Director of the Northwest Energy Coalition, a regional alliance working for a clean, affordable energy future.
 
KC is an active leader in the national climate movement, serving on the boards of 350.org and the US Climate Action Network.  He has also been active in the utility industry, helping Seattle City Light become the first major carbon-free electric utility in the late 1990s, and as a Governor's representative to the Executive Board of Energy Northwest, a regional public power consortium.  He was one of Seattle Magazine's "Power 25" most influential people, and it's #1 "Eco-Hero."
 
KC earned his Bachelors Degree at the University of California, Berkeley, and was a Kennedy Fellow at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, where he received a Master's in Public Policy.

kcgolden (at) climatesolutions.org

Ann Gravatt

Oregon Director (Portland)

Ann joined Climate Solutions in October 2011 as the Oregon Director. 

Ann brings more than a decade of energy experience to Climate Solutions, working as a consultant, policy advocate and attorney.  From 2002-2010, Ann was the Policy Director for the Renewable Northwest Project (RNP). At RNP, Ann was involved with key victories throughout the Northwest, including passage of renewable energy standards in Montana, Washington and Oregon. Ann also directed RNP’s state regulatory work, regularly appearing before the region’s utility commissions to advance strong clean energy policy. 

Ann practiced natural resources and energy law for several years in Portland and Washington, D.C. She also has a background in candidate and ballot initiative campaigns and public affairs. Ann has a J.D. from the George Washington University Law School and a B.A. from the University of Richmond. 

Ann and her husband, Brad Ouderkirk, are the parents to two young children and live in NE Portland.

ann (at) climatesolutions.org

Ashley Henry

Oregon Business Partnerships Manager (Portland)

Ashley serves as the Manager of Oregon Business Partnerships which includes our Business Leaders for Climate Solutions program as well as the Pivotal Leaders network, a Northwest effort that recognizes and supports entrepreneurs and other leaders building the regional cleantech economy.

Prior to joining Climate Solutions, Ashley provided business development and strategic community relations services for companies and non-profits in the clean economy. Before beginning her own consulting practice, she created the first industry-specific business development position at one of the nation’s leading renewable energy law firms, Stoel Rives LLP. During her tenure, Stoel Rives was recognized as one of the nation’s top renewable energy law firms by Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. She also worked with the Oregon Business Association to develop a vibrant committee of business leaders with diverse political and economic objectives that addressed environmental policy issues.
 
Ashley has a Master’s Degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Oregon and a Bachelor’s Degree in International Affairs from Georgetown University. She’s an avid hiker, cross-country skier, and singer. 

ashley (at) climatesolutions.org

Kimberly Larson

Director of Communications and Marketing (Seattle)

Kimberly brings 15 years of communications and organizing experience on public interest issues.  Prior to joining Climate Solutions, she was the Media Director for the Public Interest Network, a family of organizations that includes Environment America and U.S. PIRG. In that capacity she developed communications plans, conducted outreach to national media outlets, and organized with the arts and entertainment community.

She has garnered coverage of state campaigns in outlets ranging from USA Today to National Public Radio to Business Week.  Previously, she was the Assistant Field Director for U.S. PIRG, directing grassroots campaigns on federal issues such as clean energy, global warming, and environmental health; she also conducted media outreach on a California campaign finance reform ballot initiative in the Fall of 1996.

Kimberly was a 2008 Media, Communications, and Information Policy Fellow with the Rockwood Leadership Program.  She started her career with Green Corps, the field school for environmental organizing, after graduating from the University of Vermont with a B.A. in Environmental Studies in 1995.

kimberly (at) climatesolutions.org

Ross Macfarlane

Senior Advisor, Business Partnerships (Seattle)

Ross manages Climate Solutions Business Partnership program, which helps build support in the region’s corporate community for strong climate and energy policy and private investment in solutions. He is active in promoting good climate and energy policy on a state and federal level.  He recently managed and facilitated Sustainable Aviation Fuels Northwest, the first stakeholder effort in the nation to point a path to low-carbon alternatives to power the next generation of flight. He has been selected by peers as a “Pivotal Leader”, which recognizes a few individuals who are have the skills and experience to drive the region’s clean energy economy.

Ross brings more than 30 years of experience working on public policy and environmental issues. He was a partner at Preston Gates & Ellis (now K&L Gates) where he managed the environmental law practice and represented a wide range of public and private clients. He was recognized as a “Superlawyer” in the areas of Environmental, Transportation and Public law. He also served on the management team for an agency working to build urban mass transit. A Northwest native, Ross is a graduate of Pomona College and University of Washington School of Law. He is passionate about hiking, skiing, and traveling

Suzanne Malakoff

Communications Specialist (Olympia)

Suzanne is responsible for the effective planning, organizing and coordinating of communications and media outreach, with emphasis on e- and web communications for the organization and program and state-level initiatives. She is also responsible for creating organizational and program collateral and marketing materials 

She began her career with Climate Solutions  as administrative director and created many of the organization’s internal systems and policies. Before joining Climate Solutions, she worked on farms in New Zealand, fishing boats in Alaska and odd-jobbed her way around the Northwest.

A Washington native, Suzanne graduated from Fairhaven College at Western Washington University with a self-designed B.A. in Writing and Literature.

suzanne (at) climatesolutions.org

Patrick Mazza

Research Director (Seattle)

Patrick has written on ecological sustainability issues for nearly three decades as an environmental journalist and technology policy analyst. A founding member of the Climate Solutions team, Mazza has written a number of papers aimed at improving public understanding of climate change science and accelerating clean energy development. Patrick’s key papers on emerging clean energy systems include The Smart Energy Network: Electricity’s Third Great Revolution; Powering Up the Smart Grid;Carrying the Energy Future: Comparing Hydrogen and Electricity for Transmission, Storage and Transportation, and The New Harvest: Biofuels and Wind Power for Rural Revitalization and National Energy Security. Patrick is co-author with Guy Dauncey of Stormy Weather: 101 Solutions to Global Climate Change (New Society, 2001).

patrick (at) climatesolutions.org

Teresa Myers

Events Director (Olympia)

Teresa oversees Climate Solutions' signature fundraising events. She is responsible for coordinating strategic planning efforts in event development as well as organizing the Climate Solutions Seattle Breakfast, Oregon Dinner and Olympia Fundraiser.  She also provides support for our other development events.  

From 1999 to 2009 she served as the Development Director for Climate Solutions. Over the last 12 years she has played an integral role in developing the fundraising program and growing the revenue stream for the organization. Prior to joining Climate Solutions, she worked in the financial industry as an independent financial advisor.

Teresa received her B.S. in Business Administration from Ohio State University, majoring in Economics and Marketing.

An avid cyclist, Teresa spent 1 1/2 years cycle touring around the world. She also enjoys hiking, traveling, and playing with her two young boys.

teresa (at) climatesolutions.org

Savitha Reddy Pathi

Development Director (Seattle)

Savitha joined Climate Solutions in 2010, bringing nearly 15 years experience in the nonprofit sector, including philanthropic advising, grantmaking, fundraising and fundraising consultation. In her previous role as Program & Donor Services Officer for the Seattle Foundation, she served as a philanthropic advisor and lead staff person to over 100 donor advised funds, providing strategy and structure to families’ grantmaking and overall philanthropic goals. As a Program Officer, she reviewed proposals, facilitated funder-collaboratives, and was a contributing strategist to the 2009 report A Healthy Community: Strategies for Effective Giving.

She has also worked with The Collins Group, providing fundraising counsel for feasibility studies and capital campaigns, at The Women's Funding Alliance in a fundraising and grantmaking role, and as a private consultant on philanthropic advising and fundraising.  In Washington DC, she worked for the US EPA and Environmental Media Services (now Resource Media).

Savitha is a  Brainerd Foundation Fellow to Social Venture Partners (SVP), and serves on the Boards of the Wing Luke Asian Museum and the Mize Family Foundation.

Born in Hyderabad, India, Savitha was raised in Bath, Ohio and received a BA with Honors in Government and Environmental Studies from Bowdoin College.  An avid world traveler, Savitha's resolutions for the new decade are to master yoga, snowboarding and Spanish.

savitha (at) climatesolutions.org

Eileen V. Quigley

New Energy Cities Program Director (Seattle)

Eileen directs the New Energy Cities Program, which is working with pioneering Northwest communities to accelerate the transition to the clean energy economy.

Eileen has served as Executive Director for three nonprofit organizations, two regional and one national. She is a nationally recognized expert in the strategic use of Internet technologies for communication, donor/membership development, and online advocacy, having spent 15 years teaching progressive nonprofits how to use the Internet for social change, seven of which were at RealNetworks, Inc., the company that created streaming media technology.

She has extensive background in public policy, having edited a quarterly journal of public policy, economics, and culture for the Pacific Northwest and Western Canada. She is also knowledgeable about municipal and county government, having run a watchdog organization that has promoted the civic health of the Puget Sound region for 100 years.

Eileen wrote political, business, and feature stories for the Los Angeles Times from its New York bureau; three weekly columns for the National Journal, a D.C.-based magazine of politics and public policy; and covered the 1984 Presidential election for NBC News as an off-air reporter.

Eileen received her Master of Science in Journalism from Columbia University and her Bachelor of Arts in Literature from Yale University.

eileen (at) climatesolutions.org

Joelle Robinson

Field Director (Seattle)

Joelle engages citizens and diverse constituencies—faith, health, veteran, youth, parents, sportsmen, business—to make their voices heard for climate solutions. She led local field work collaboration with our partners toward passing a federal climate bill, and is currently working to ensure we stop any coal export from the U.S. West Coast.

Joëlle was the Regional Outreach Coordinator of National Wildlife Federation (NWF), where she focused on mobilizing hunters, anglers and concerned citizens around solutions to global warming. Previous work with Climate Solutions includes the NW Climate Connections partnership, serving as the Field Assistant for the successful Clean Cars campaign and Field Director of the Renewable Fuel Standard which passed in April 2006.

She is a board member of Earth Ministry and on the Advisory Board for the Seattle Area Happiness Initiative. She previously served on the Solar Washington board and Sierra Club Executive Committee.

Joëlle is a Northwest native who loves to hike, bike, dance, paraglide and travel.  Her favorite quote is “Hope is borne of participating in hopeful solutions.”  — Marianne Williamson.

joelle (at) climatesolutions.org

Rhys Roth

Director of Strategic Innovation (Olympia)

Rhys co-founded Climate Solutions in 1998 and has pioneered a number of its innovative programs and partnerships which have been instrumental in positioning clean energy at the top of the economic development agenda for leading elected officials throughout the Northwest.

In 2000, Rhys created and has since led Climate Solutions’ Harvesting Clean Energy program, bringing together the energy and agriculture communities around a shared goal: advance rural economic development through clean energy in the Northwest.

In the early 2000's, Rhys led Climate Solutions’ efforts to engage the Northwest high-tech community in building a world-class “clean tech” industry, including the Poised for Profit partnership of top economic development, technology, and energy agencies.

In 2007, he helped create Business Leaders for Climate Solutions, a vehicle for executives to make the job creation and business case for adopting a strong clean energy and climate policy framework.

In 2009, he helped create Climate Solutions’ New Energy Cities program to support pioneering Northwest cities to accelerate the transition to a clean, renewable, super-efficient energy system.

Rhys received his Masters Degree in Environmental Studies in 1990 from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington.

rhys (at) climatesolutions.org

Shannon Sedgwick

Bookkeeper (Olympia)

 Shannon is responsible for maintaining Climate Solutions’ financial systems, managing services for both offices, and providing clerical and office administration services to all staff. She also maintains the organization’s central database.

Before joining Climate Solutions, Shannon worked for several local businesses helping them them set up efficient bookkeeping and business systems.

shannon (at) climatesolutions.org

Conner Sharpe

Director of Administration and Finance (Seattle)

Conner has worked in various non profit environments (agency, government, and faith-based) for 15 years in multiple capacities including direct services, training, program management, policy, and organizational administration. His volunteer time is spent as a trainer for a local anti-oppression organization. His leftover spare time is spent with his pound puppy and kitties and watching nature consume his backyard. 

conner (at) climatesolutions.org

Elizabeth Willmott

New Energy Cities Project Manager (Seattle)

Elizabeth manages the New Energy Cities (NEC) workshops, work plans and deliverables for each of the program’s projects. She also participates as a team member in strategic planning, executing project contracts and communicating the NEC story.

From 2009 to 2011, Elizabeth served as the Senior Program Manager for Economic Recovery at the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), where she managed performance and accountability tracking for $13.6 billion in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds.  These grants and loans funded housing renovation and construction, community development, and homelessness prevention services in America's hardest-hit local economies, while also providing catalytic financial support for green urban development. 

Prior to her work at HUD, Elizabeth served as climate change program coordinator and Executive Fellow in the office of King County (Washington) Executive Ron Sims.  At King County, she played a critical role in development of the first King County Climate Plan, organized the county's 2007 Clean Vehicles Now! conference and co-authored a guidebook with the University of Washington's Climate Impacts Group and ICLEI for local, regional and state governments on how to prepare for climate change impacts.  Elizabeth has written or contributed to numerous other publications, including a forthcoming World Bank guide on climate change adaptation for cities in developing countries, developed in collaboration with ICLEI and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  

Elizabeth is well-traveled throughout the Asia-Pacific region, having lived for extended periods of time in Hawai'i, Hong Kong, and mainland China.  She has a special interest in clean energy opportunities as pathways out of poverty for US minority communities and disadvantaged populations around the world.  

Elizabeth has a double degree in biology and Chinese language from Williams College and a master’s in public policy from Harvard Kennedy School.