Creating a Career in a Changing Climate

Juliana Carvalho is the Engagement Associate at the George Washington University Office of Sustainability, where she works with students, staff, and faculty to shape culture around sustainability. Juliana has a background in wildlife research, science communication, and community engagement. She holds a B.S. in Biology and Evolutionary Anthropology and a Master of Environmental Management from Duke University. Juliana began her career in marine biology at The Marine Mammal Center, where she assisted in marine mammal rescue and rehabilitation and conducted research on injury identification and rescue best practices. She later worked as a research technician and laboratory manager at the Duke University Medical Center, contributing to neuroscience and evolutionary genetics research focused on neurodegenerative diseases and the evolution of cognitive abilities in whales and dolphins. Juliana has also worked in environmental nonprofit spaces, including as a Stanback Fellow at Defenders of Wildlife, where she supported human-wildlife coexistence initiatives. At her current role at GW, Juliana oversees the office’s communications and manages The Loop, GW’s free clothing exchange store.

Juliana’s advice: 

• Don’t be discouraged by jobs you don’t love, learn from them: Every job or internship, even the ones you don’t enjoy, teaches you something valuable. Figuring out what doesn’t align with your interests or values is just as important as discovering what does. Use those experiences to reflect, pivot, and move closer to work that truly fits you.
• Look beyond the job title and understand the day-to-day.  It’s easy to be drawn to a career based on its mission or impact, but it's important to ask: Do I enjoy the daily tasks this job requires? Talk to people in roles you're curious about and learn what a typical week looks like. Understanding the lifestyle and work rhythm can help you make more informed decisions.
• Explore different angles of your interest area: If you’re passionate about a field, try engaging with it in different ways. For example, I explored wildlife conservation through lab research, field work, and nonprofit roles. Each gave me a new perspective and helped me figure out where I felt most energized and effective.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcarvalho-environment/ 

Deepti Gage counsels clients on a range of critical ESG issues at Beveridge and Diamond, P.C. Deepti’s past legal and project management work in the non-profit and corporate worlds has helped build the foundation for her ESG practice. She understands the perspectives of diverse stakeholders and develops holistic solutions to some of the most pressing issues related to climate change, the circular economy, supply chains, and resource efficiency. Deepti assists clients in navigating carbon markets, including emission reduction generators and companies seeking to procure emissions reductions. Deepti advises clients on circularity strategies with a particular focus on multilateral environmental agreements, including the Basel Convention, the forthcoming Global Plastics Treaty, and related multilateral agreements. She also provides compliance advice on extended producer responsibility requirements, human rights considerations impacting trade, and responsible sourcing. Deepti received her B.S. from Indiana University and her J.D. from the George Washington University Law School.

Deepti’s advice: 

The three most important attributes needed for a job like mine are:

• Being a go-getter and creating your own opportunities—whether it be through networking or anticipating what the next big issue will be and ways to solve it
• The ability to perform under high stress with tight timelines while considering multiple stakeholders
• Research, communication, and project management skills

https://www.linkedin.com/in/deepti-bansal-gage-jd/

Dan Reed is Associate Director of the Center for Climate Change Communication (Mason 4C) at George Mason University. Dan is the chief operating officer at Mason 4C, and oversees communication, program strategy, operations, and development efforts for the Center's research and programs. He is an experienced communication professional and higher education leader with a history of developing creative content, programs, partnerships, and public events that elevate the conversation around science, sustainability, and our planet. 

Prior to joining George Mason, Dan was director of Planet Forward at The George Washington University's School of Media and Public Affairs, where he elevated the program into a recognized media and educational platform that trains and empowers young environmental storytellers. A practitioner and educator, his work has been seen on PBS and Bloomberg Television, and he has taught environmental storytelling and digital media production courses at George Mason, GW, and Middlebury College’s School of the Environment. He currently serves as advisory council chair of Planet Forward.

Dan’s advice: 

• Don’t wait to get started. You don’t have to be a scientist with decades of experience to make a difference. Your voice matters right now.
• When you talk about climate change, you are taking climate action. Telling stories and starting conversations has real impact.
• Make your diversity of interests your strength. Do you love science, but also TikTok? Creative storytelling and activism? Design and data? Perfect. We need all kinds of skills and styles.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danreeddc/ 

Max Sano is the senior policy and coalitions associate at Beyond Pesticides, a national grassroots organization that represents community-based organizations and a range of people seeking to improve protections from pesticides and promote alternative pest management strategies that eliminate reliance on toxic petrochemical-based pesticides. Max holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies, Government, and Middle East Studies at Franklin & Marshall College and a M.A. in Food Studies, Policy, & Advocacy at New York University. He represents Beyond Pesticides in coalitions across the United States and bridges connections with the broader climate movement. Max has years of experience in intersectional climate action, serving on the advisory board of Resilience Youth Network and founder of climate storytelling training nonprofit The Greenzine. His work has been recognized by the UN Food & Agriculture Organization, Riley’s Way Foundation, Udall Foundation, Posse Foundation, Aspen Institute, among others.

Max’s Advice: 

• Advocate for your role, even if it does not currently exist in your organization;
  • Cold email organizations that you find interesting/their work resonating with you! Small and medium-sized nonprofit advocacy organizations sometimes have capacity constraints in seeking out new staff members/fellows, so I would recommend making their lives easier by having materials (resume, essay, multimedia project, presentation, community initiative) and your ask (what role you are looking for, what you can bring to the team, and what you would like to learn.) I emailed my thesis, thesis presentation slides, and copy of resume at the right time to my current workplace and they were also looking to hire a policy advocate type.
• Take advantage of free/reduced cost certification programs and conferences as a student:
  • As a graduate student, I was able to get over 50% a soil health certification course hosted by Cornell University to augment my education by hearing directly from soil health scientists, experts, and other farmers/students from across the globe. This course has come in handy for the more technical aspects of the work I do on soil health and carbon sequestration.
  • Ask your career center, your professors, fellow students about what conferences are available and whether they have a connection to attend as a student.
  • Knowing when to ask for help is important to avoid burnout or the fear of overpromising and underdelivering.
• Appreciate the grey zones and intersectional nature of climate advocacy, as they are valuable in professional life:
  • In my career search, I was seeking out organizations that share the values of holistic solution making and acknowledging the intersectional nature of climate work. Knowing what you are passionate about helped me focus on organizations that satisfied my interests and career goals, however if you don’t know that yet that’s okay as well! Alternatively, I also looked for organizations that may have job openings with relevant skills/past experiences even if they were not working on my dream set of issues. Your skills, your passions/career goals, or some combination of the two can help steer your search!
  • Learning how to apply lessons from one issue area to another is very valuable. For example, a strategy or approach that works on a bill to eliminate forever chemicals in pesticide products in Maryland may prove valuable to a pollinator protection bill in Oregon. Don’t lose the forest through the trees!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-sano/ 

Erin Carlin, Program Manager for GW’s Academic Sustainability Programs, will be available to discuss graduate programs. She is the Program Manager of Academic Sustainability Programs under the GW Alliance for a Sustainable Future. Before joining GW in 2022, she worked as the Head of Project Development for a startup company focused on reducing carbon dioxide emissions from the cement / concrete supply chain. Ms. Carlin received a B.S. in Environmental Science with a concentration in Environmental Studies and a minor in Philosophy from the University of Scranton. During her time at the University of Scranton, she assisted with campus sustainability efforts as a student employee in the Office of Sustainability and completed her honors thesis research on climate change rhetoric.