Green Collar Careers Podcast

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• From the Classroom to Clean Energy: How a Sociologist Became a Climate Leader | Adam Flint, Network for a Sustainable Tomorrow 31.05.2026 58min

  In this episode of the Green Collar Careers Podcast, I sit down with Adam Flint, Director of Clean Energy Programs at the Network for a Sustainable Tomorrow (NeST) in Binghamton, New York. Adam has two sociology degrees from Binghamton University, no engineering background, and co-led the design of a $52 million statewide clean energy program in New York. His story is proof that the biggest barrier to clean energy careers is not credentials. It is that most people have never heard these jobs exist.We dive deep into:The Sociology to Clean Energy Pipeline: How two sociology degrees and a mid-career pivot from academia became the foundation for over a decade of directing clean energy programs, workforce development, and statewide policy work.The Energy Corps Internship: How NeST has placed over 130 interns from every major into meaningful clean energy careers and what Adam actually looks for when he hires.The Resume That Wasn't Written for the Job: Adam was hiring the morning of a panel we did together at Binghamton University. The resumes weren't written for the position. The interviews revealed everything.The Visibility Problem: Why the biggest barrier to filling clean energy jobs is not a shortage of qualified people. It is that most people have never heard of these careers and what we need to do about it.Advice for Mid-Career Pivoters: What someone 10 or 15 years into finance, communications, or tech should actually do to break into clean energy. Adam's advice maps almost exactly onto the Green Pivot Method.Stubborn Hope: Adam's closing message for anyone who feels paralyzed by the state of the planet. Why doing something, anything, with someone else is the answer.If you have ever wondered whether your non-traditional background can translate into a meaningful clean energy career, Adam Flint is your proof that it can.Get the free Green Pivot Map (90-Day Framework) at josealmanzaresq.com.#CleanEnergy #GreenCollarCareers #EnvironmentalCareers #GreenJobs #CareerPivot #Sustainability #ClimateJobs #CleanEnergyJobs #EnvironmentalJustice #CareerAdviceTimestamps:0:00 - Introduction2:02 - What is NeST and what they do9:22 - The Energy Corps internship program20:18 - Two sociology degrees to directing a $52 million clean energy program24:45 - Where Adam's passion for justice comes from30:08 - Solving the visibility problem for clean energy careers36:15 - The resume story from the Binghamton panel45:15 - Advice for mid-career professionals wanting to pivot53:57 - Final words for people sitting on the sidelines57:01 - How to connect with Adam🎙️ Connect with Adam Flint:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/adamsflintNeST: nynest.org🎙️ Connect with Jose:Website: josealmanzaresq.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/josealmanzaresqSubstack: substack.com/@josealmanzarSubscribe to Green Collar Careers Podcast:🎧 ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ | ⁠YouTube⁠🎵 Music Credit - Kwae:📷 Instagram: @kwaemusic🎨 Logo Credit - Leo:📷 Instagram: @logic9uy_art🎙️ About Green Collar CareersGreen Collar Careers is a podcast and newsletter for professionals who feel pulled toward environmental or climate work but aren't sure how to make the move. Each episode features honest conversations with people who have built meaningful careers in this space and the practical lessons they learned along the way. Hosted by Jose Almanzar, environmental attorney and former environmental scientist.📩 Subscribe to the newsletter at josealmanzaresq.com and Substack.📢 DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this podcast constitutes legal advice. This podcast is not attorney advertising. Nothing said in this podcast is endorsed by the podcast host, their guests, or their employers. The views expressed by the podcast host and their guests are their own and do not reflect the opinions of their employers. By listening to this podcast, the listener is not entering into an attorney-client relationship or any other relationship with the host or their guests.
• What Actually Gets You Hired in Environmental Work | Keith Brodock, LaBella Associates 12.05.2026 59min

  Keith Brodock, Principal and Senior Engineer at LaBella Associates, told me that in his entire 25-year career, most of his job opportunities came from direct relationships.He's had one of the most decorated careers in environmental engineering. Three patents. Seventeen PE licenses across the country. A canoe guide in Minnesota. A production line worker at IBM. And somehow, all of it led to remediating contaminated sites, designing cleanup systems, and helping the next generation of environmental professionals find their footing.In this episode of the Green Collar Careers podcast, Keith breaks down the unconventional path that took him from chemical engineering at Clarkson University to becoming one of the most sought-after environmental engineers on the East Coast.If you have ever wondered whether your non-traditional background can translate into a meaningful environmental career, Keith Brodock is your proof that it can.Get the free Green Pivot Map (90-Day Framework) at josealmanzaresq.com#GreenCareers #EnvironmentalEngineering #CareerPivot #GreenCollarCareers #EnvironmentalCareers #Networking #CareerAdvice #Sustainability #LaBellaAssociates #ClimateWorkTimestamps:0:00 - Introduction2:28 - What LaBella Associates does5:24 - Geothermal energy: why hasn't it taken off?6:37 - Keith's role as an environmental engineer11:53 - Growing up in the IBM era & early influences17:26 - Chemical engineering at Clarkson University25:01 - How Keith accidentally landed in environmental work26:27 - The Green Pivot Map28:24 - The black hole of online job applications41:00 - How to stand out in the environmental job market45:27 - Networking: the real way careers get built47:36 - Introverts vs. extroverts at conferences53:05 - Advice for mid-career professionals wanting to pivot56:37 - Final words for anyone sitting on the sidelines🎙️ Connect with Keith Brodock:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/keithbrodock🎙️ Connect with Jose:Website: josealmanzaresq.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/josealmanzaresqSubstack: substack.com/@josealmanzarSubscribe to Green Collar Careers Podcast:🎧 ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ | ⁠YouTube⁠🎵 Music Credit - Kwae:📷 Instagram: @kwaemusic🎨 Logo Credit - Leo:📷 Instagram: @logic9uy_art🎙️ About Green Collar CareersGreen Collar Careers is a podcast and newsletter for professionals who feel pulled toward environmental or climate work but aren't sure how to make the move. Each episode features honest conversations with people who have built meaningful careers in this space and the practical lessons they learned along the way. Hosted by Jose Almanzar, environmental attorney and former environmental scientist.📩 Subscribe to the newsletter at josealmanzaresq.com and Substack.📢 DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this podcast constitutes legal advice. This podcast is not attorney advertising. Nothing said in this podcast is endorsed by the podcast host, their guests, or their employers. The views expressed by the podcast host and their guests are their own and do not reflect the opinions of their employers. By listening to this podcast, the listener is not entering into an attorney-client relationship or any other relationship with the host or their guests.
• Storytelling for the Planet: Making the Pivot from Pharma to Conservation | Dana Geller 23.04.2026 52min

  "I kept looking over my shoulder thinking, surely they're looking for someone else."That is how Dana Geller felt when she first applied to The Nature Conservancy. After years of leading high-stakes communications in global pharma and humanitarian aid, she felt an internal "compass" pulling her toward climate work—but she didn't think her corporate background would translate to the world of PhDs and conservation scientists.She was wrong.In this episode, Dana Geller, the New York Director of Marketing and Communications at The Nature Conservancy, breaks down exactly how she transitioned from the corporate world to one of the most prestigious environmental organizations in the world.We dive deep into:The “Slow Burn” Pivot: How childhood memories and an orange sky over Brooklyn turned a lifelong passion into a professional mission.The Secret to Translating Skills: Why her "storytelling muscles" from pharma were exactly what the climate movement needed to make invisible systems visible.Replacing Anxiety with Agency: How Dana shifts the conversation from "doom and gloom" to actionable progress.The “Outsider” Advantage: Why being the person without the PhD is your greatest asset in reaching the public.The LinkedIn Success Story: How Dana landed a senior role at TNC through a cold application by stacking her credentials and trusting her experience.If you feel stuck in a corporate role and wonder if you have anything to offer the environmental movement, this conversation is your proof that you do.Get the free Green Pivot Map (90-Day Framework) at JoseAlmanzarEsq.com.#GreenCareers #ClimateAction #Sustainability #CareerPivot #NatureConservancy #Storytelling #ClimateJobs #GreenCollarCareers #EnvironmentalLaw #MarketingStrategyTimestamps:00:00 - Introduction02:42 - The Childhood Spark08:44 - The Orange Sky Moment09:36 - The LinkedIn "Home Run"13:12 - The Extroverted Search16:24 - The Outsider Advantage21:26 - Nature is Not an Escape25:16 - Anxiety vs. Agency37:15 - Leading Experts45:15 - Final Advice🎙️ Connect with Dana Geller:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/danazgeller🎙️ Connect with Jose:Website: josealmanzaresq.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/josealmanzaresqSubstack: substack.com/@josealmanzarSubscribe to Green Collar Careers Podcast:🎧 Spotify | Apple Podcasts | YouTube🎵 Music Credit - Kwae:📷 Instagram: @kwaemusic🎨 Logo Credit - Leo:📷 Instagram: @logic9uy_art🎙️ About Green Collar CareersGreen Collar Careers is a podcast and newsletter for professionals who feel pulled toward environmental or climate work but aren't sure how to make the move. Each episode features honest conversations with people who have built meaningful careers in this space and the practical lessons they learned along the way. Hosted by Jose Almanzar, environmental attorney and former environmental scientist.📩 Subscribe to the newsletter at josealmanzaresq.com and Substack.📢 DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this podcast constitutes legal advice. This podcast is not attorney advertising. Nothing said in this podcast is endorsed by the podcast host, their guests, or their employers. The views expressed by the podcast host and their guests are their own and do not reflect the opinions of their employers. By listening to this podcast, the listener is not entering into an attorney-client relationship or any other relationship with the host or their guests.
• What Environmental Employers Actually Want: 40 Years of Advice in One Conversation | Kevin Doyle, Yale School of the Environment 22.03.2026 59min

  What does 40+ years of placing people in environmental careers teach you? Everything.Kevin Doyle has spent more than four decades at the intersection of environmental work and careers.As Executive Director of Career and Professional Development at the Yale School of the Environment, and before that, two decades at the Environmental Careers Organization placing students in federal agencies and nonprofits nationwide, Kevin has seen more environmental career pivots succeed and fail than almost anyone alive.In this conversation, we cover everything:The Funding Shift: How the drivers of environmental jobs have fundamentally shifted away from the federal government toward corporate sustainability, impact investing, and state-level policy.The Yale Framework: The four-part Community of Practice framework Yale uses to help students find their path.The #1 Skill: Why project management is the single most important skill for every environmental professional in 2026.The Differentiator: What separates the people who thrive from those who struggle, even with identical degrees.The Education Debate: The honest truth about graduate school vs. certification programs.Market Realities: And what to do when the job market feels impossible.We also get into philosophy—Alan Watts, Krishnamurti, meditation, and why the thinking brain gets in the way of finding your path. This one goes deep.If you've ever wondered where you fit in the environmental and climate space (or whether you're too late to make a move), this is the episode.Get the free Green Pivot Map --> josealmanzaresq.com#GreenCareers #EnvironmentalCareers #ClimateJobs #Sustainability #CareerPivot #GreenCollarCareers #YaleSchoolOfTheEnvironment #EnvironmentalLaw #CareerAdvice #GreenJobsTimestamps:00:00 - Introduction & Kevin's background06:00 - His first job in local government11:00 - How the environmental careers field has changed18:00 - Stop thinking about job titles and start here instead22:00 - How to find your path when you don't know what you want28:00 - What environmental employers are actually looking for in 202631:00 - Why project management is the #1 skill every environmental professional needs34:00 - The portfolio vs. the resume + employers don't fill jobs, they acquire talent39:00 - What separates people who thrive from those who struggle45:00 - Build your personal advisory board47:00 - Graduate school vs. certification programs51:00 - Three pieces of advice for mid-career professionals making the pivot right now58:00 - Final message: "We need you."🎙️ Connect with Kevin Doyle:LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kevin-doyle-98aa4820Yale School of the Environment: environment.yale.edu🎙️ Connect with Jose:Website: josealmanzaresq.comLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/josealmanzaresqSubstack: substack.com/@josealmanzarSubscribe to Green Collar Careers Podcast:🎧 ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ | ⁠YouTube⁠🎵 Music Credit - Kwae:📷 Instagram: @kwaemusic🎨 Logo Credit - Leo:📷 Instagram: @logic9uy_art🎙️ About Green Collar CareersGreen Collar Careers is a podcast and newsletter for professionals who feel pulled toward environmental or climate work but aren't sure how to make the move. Each episode features honest conversations with people who have built meaningful careers in this space and the practical lessons they learned along the way. Hosted by Jose Almanzar, environmental attorney and former environmental scientist.📩 Subscribe to the newsletter at josealmanzaresq.com and Substack.📢 DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this podcast constitutes legal advice. This podcast is not attorney advertising. Nothing said in this podcast is endorsed by the podcast host, their guests, or their employers. The views expressed by the podcast host and their guests are their own and do not reflect the opinions of their employers. By listening to this podcast, the listener is not entering into an attorney-client relationship or any other relationship with the host or their guests.
• From Climate Anxiety to Climate Career: How Gen Z Is Reshaping Environmental Work | Heidi Pan 08.03.2026 46min

  What does it actually look like to build a career around environmental work when you're 19 years old, hosting a podcast, attending college, interning at NASA, and still figuring it out?In this episode, I sit down with Heidi Pan - host of the 1.5 Degrees podcast and environmental studies student at UPenn - for an honest conversation about climate anxiety, career uncertainty, and what it means to take action when the problem feels too big for any one person to solve.Heidi started her podcast at 16. She's been interviewed by the BBC. And she still doesn't have it all figured out, which is exactly what makes this conversation worth your time. We get into the job market realities facing Gen Z, why your degree doesn't guarantee a career path anymore, how to break into environmental work without a science background, and the simple networking move that gets responses from people you'd never expect to hear back from.If you've ever felt like you're not doing enough, or that the problem is too big for your small corner of the world, this one's for you.🗺️ Get the Green Pivot Map - FreeFeeling pulled toward environmental or climate work but not sure where to start? I created a simple 90-day framework to help you reposition your existing skills and take intentional steps toward a career that actually fits.Grab your free copy at josealmanzaresq.com or message me "PIVOT" on LinkedIn.Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction00:40 - Meet Heidi Pan07:28 - What is the 1.5 Degrees Podcast actually about?10:44 - Where is this all leading? Heidi's career prospects13:45 - Leaning into communications and storytelling18:09 - Climate anxiety: how Gen Z is actually talking about it23:41 - Green Pivot Map (free resource - link in show notes)24:18 - What Gen Z is saying about the job market right now27:03 - Practical advice for students entering environmental careers29:02 - How to put yourself out there on social media (even when it's terrifying)35:20 - You don't need a STEM background to work in environmental37:36 - The exact cold email strategy that gets responses40:47 - Jose's inbox playbook: how to get anyone's attention44:45 - Final words of advice: "Just do it"🔗 Connect with Heidi & Jose!Connect with Heidi on LinkedIn:💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/heidi-pan-037257219/🔗 Website: sites.google.com/view/heidipan/Connect with Jose:💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/josealmanzaresq🔗 Substack: josealmanzar.substack.com🔗 Website: josealmanzaresq.com🎵 Music Credit - Kwae:📷 Instagram: @kwaemusic🎨 Logo Credit - Leo:📷 Instagram: @logic9uy_art🎙️ About Green Collar CareersGreen Collar Careers is a podcast and newsletter for professionals who feel pulled toward environmental or climate work but aren't sure how to make the move. Each episode features honest conversations with people who have built meaningful careers in this space and the practical lessons they learned along the way. Hosted by Jose Almanzar, environmental attorney and former environmental scientist.Subscribe to Green Collar Careers Podcast:🎧 ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ | ⁠YouTube⁠📩 Subscribe to the newsletter at josealmanzaresq.com and Substack.📢 DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this podcast constitutes legal advice. This podcast is not attorney advertising. Nothing said in this podcast is endorsed by the podcast host, their guests, or their employers. The views expressed by the podcast host and their guests are their own and do not reflect the opinions of their employers. By listening to this podcast, the listener is not entering into an attorney-client relationship or any other relationship with the host or their guests.
• From Bartender to Corporate Sustainability: How Stacy Savage Built a Green Career 12.02.2026 47min

  In this episode of the Green Collar Careers Podcast, I sit down with Stacy Savage, founder of Zero Waste Strategies and the self-proclaimed “Texas Trash Talker.”Stacy’s career path is a masterclass in transferable skills.She went from slinging fajitas and margaritas in Austin to knocking on doors across legislative districts in Texas as a grassroots organizer. Over nine years, she learned how to handle rejection, regulate her emotions, communicate across political divides, and qualify conversations quickly… skills that would later shape her work in policy, consulting, and entrepreneurship.Today, she advises companies on a “zero waste” strategy and helps them see sustainability not just as compliance, but as a competitive advantage.In this episode, we talk about:How door-to-door organizing builds elite communication skillsHandling rejection and staying mission-focusedTransitioning from nonprofit work to entrepreneurshipBuilding a memorable personal brandTurning advocacy experience into business valueAnd how to carve out your niche in the environmental fieldIf you’re a student, career changer, or early professional wondering how your current skills translate into environmental work, this conversation is for you.Subscribe for more stories from people building meaningful careers in environmental, climate, and sustainability work.#GreenCareers #SustainabilityCareers #EnvironmentalPodcast #CareerAdviceTimestamps:00:00 – Introduction00:51 – Introducing Stacy Savage01:29 – The “Texas Trash Talker” Origin Story03:55 – Growing Up in Southeast Texas Oil & Gas Country06:00 – From Biology Major to Bartender08:50 – Getting Paid for Grassroots Organizing10:30 – 9 Years of Door-to-Door Environmental Organizing12:45 – Organizing Across All Texas Legislative Districts13:30 – Handling Rejection & Emotional Regulation15:00 – Sales Skills, Qualification & Finding Supporters31:24 – Breaking Into Sustainability & Business Skillsets45:29 – Final Career Advice: Trust the Nudge & Take Action🔗 Connect with Stacy & Jose!Connect with Stacy on LinkedIn:💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/stacysavage🔗 Consulting for Women in Waste: 0waste.org/consulting-for-women-in-waste/Connect with Jose:💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/josealmanzaresq🔗 Substack: josealmanzar.substack.com🔗 Linktree: linktr.ee/jalmanzar🎵 Music Credit - Kwae:📷 Instagram: @kwaemusic🎨 Logo Credit - Leo:📷 Instagram: @logic9uy_artSubscribe to Green Collar Careers Podcast:🎧 ⁠Spotify⁠ | ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ | ⁠YouTube⁠🎙️ About Green Collar CareersThe Green Collar Careers Podcast explores the many paths into environmental and sustainability work, what those careers actually look like, how people get started, and how they grow over time.📢 DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this podcast constitutes legal advice. This podcast is not attorney advertising. Nothing said in this podcast is endorsed by the podcast host, their guests, or their employers. The views expressed by the podcast host and their guests are their own and do not reflect the opinions of their employers. By listening to this podcast, the listener is not entering into an attorney-client relationship or any other relationship with the host or their guests.
• Environmental Justice Careers: How Data, Systems Thinking, and Refusing to Sell Out Built a Movement | Aaron Mair, Former Sierra Club President 26.01.2026 56min

  What does it take to build a career that doesn't just advance your life, but changes the conditions of an entire community?In this episode, I sit down with Aaron Mair, the 57th President of the Sierra Club and the first Black person to lead the organization in its history. Aaron's path is one of the most genuinely non-linear on this show: Navy veteran, Binghamton University alum, data systems analyst for the New York State Department of Health, GIS pioneer, environmental justice founder, Sierra Club president, and now a builder of career pathways for youth of color into the green economy.Aaron also talks about how he helped build the Champlain Hudson Power Express, how he developed the Ebola screening protocol for New York State, and why he thinks the most important career move a young person can make right now is getting into the water and environmental protection sector—where civil service jobs are available, pay well, and desperately need the next generation.This one goes deep. We cover intergenerational wealth, agency, the role of ethics in career decision-making, and why Aaron believes you cannot eat dollars. If you've ever felt like your background didn't fit the environmental space, this episode will reframe that entirely.🗺️ Get the Green Pivot Map - Free:Feeling pulled toward environmental or climate work but not sure where to start? I created a simple 90-day framework to help you reposition your existing skills and take intentional steps toward a career that actually fits.Grab your free copy at josealmanzaresq.com or message me "PIVOT" on LinkedIn.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:00:00 - Introduction00:55 - Meet Aaron Mair01:41 - First Black president of the Sierra Club — what that means06:35 - World systems theory, sociology, and learning how to think09:32 - Getting into state service — internships, access, and the civil service gap12:23 - Data, public health, and connecting science to society33:40 - What employers in the green economy actually need36:10 - DEP water jobs — a wide open door most youth of color don't know about37:50 - Timbuktu Summer Science and Career Program and building new pathways39:04 - The broader awakening — treating Earth as more than a resource basin46:40 - Advice to young Aaron — trust yourself, ask for help, get applied experience55:38 - Final words and closing🔗 Connect with Aaron!💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/aaron-mair-554508a/🔗 Connect with Jose!💼 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/josealmanzaresq📷 Instagram: @jose_environmental_attorney🔗 Website: josealmanzaresq.com🎙️ About Green Collar CareersGreen Collar Careers is a podcast and newsletter for professionals who feel pulled toward environmental or climate work but aren't sure how to make the move. Each episode features honest conversations with people who have built meaningful careers in this space and the practical lessons they learned along the way. Hosted by Jose Almanzar, environmental attorney and former environmental scientist.🔎 Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.📩 Subscribe to the newsletter at josealmanzaresq.com📢 DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this podcast constitutes legal advice. This podcast is not attorney advertising. Nothing said in this podcast is endorsed by the podcast host, their guests, or their employers. The views expressed by the podcast host and their guests are their own and do not reflect the opinions of their employers. By listening to this podcast, the listener is not entering into an attorney-client relationship or any other relationship with the host or their guests.
• From NYPD Officer to IP Attorney: How to Reinvent Your Career Without a Roadmap | Pablo Segarra, Esq. 19.01.2026 58min

  What does it actually take to reinvent yourself - not once, but multiple times - and build real credibility each time you start over?In this episode I sit down with my old friend Pablo Segarra, a Bronx-born, Brooklyn-raised attorney who's been living and practicing law in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic for nearly a decade. Pablo's path is genuinely unlike anyone else I've had on this show: NYPD officer, law school student working nights while injured, solo practitioner serving entrepreneurs, Web3 legal advisor, and now IP and trademark attorney with over 1,400 clients under his belt.We get into what happened after a serious car accident cut his police career short and sent him toward law school - a move he literally described as a "crazy idea" because he didn't believe he was worthy of applying. We talk about how he built credibility in the crypto space almost overnight, why he credits cutting the time between thought and action as his single biggest career accelerator, and the mistake he kept making even after he'd made it, taking every speaking gig and platform opportunity without asking whether it actually served his goals.This one is not an environmental episode in the traditional sense. Pablo is an IP attorney, not an environmentalist. But his playbook for pivoting, building visibility from scratch, and deciding when to say no is one of the most practical and transferable conversations I've had on this show. If you're sitting on a move you haven't made yet, this episode will push you.🗺️ Get the Green Pivot Map - FreeFeeling pulled toward environmental or climate work but not sure where to start? I created a simple 90-day framework to help you reposition your existing skills and take intentional steps toward a career that actually fits.Grab your free copy at josealmanzaresq.com or message me "PIVOT" on LinkedIn.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Introduction01:12 Meet Pablo Segarra and a career that isn't linear02:43 Why Pablo moved from New York to the Dominican Republic07:22 Leaving the NYPD after a life-changing injury11:41 The "crazy idea" of going to law school15:15 Overcoming self-doubt and finally applying22:00 Building a law practice for solopreneurs25:30 Getting into Web3 and the crypto space27:40 How to build credibility in a new field fast32:00 The formula: research, identify players, act fast36:00 Advice for young professionals entering a brutal job market40:00 Build your own table if there's no seat for you48:00 Everything is a "no" unless it's an obvious "yes"51:00 What Pablo would tell his younger self55:35 If it keeps you up at night, you care about it57:50 Final reflections🔗 Connect with Pablo!💼 LinkedIn: /pablo-segarra-esq/🔗 Connect with Jose!💼 LinkedIn: /jose-almanzar-esq📷 Instagram: @jose_environmental_attorney🔗 Website: josealmanzaresq.com🎵 Music Credit - Kwae:📷 Instagram: @kwaemusic🎨 Logo Credit - Leo:📷 Instagram: @logic9uy_art🎙️ About Green Collar CareersGreen Collar Careers is a podcast and newsletter for professionals who feel pulled toward environmental or climate work but aren't sure how to make the move. Each episode features honest conversations with people who have built meaningful careers in this space and the practical lessons they learned along the way. Hosted by Jose Almanzar, environmental attorney and former environmental scientist.🔎 Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.📩 Subscribe to the newsletter at josealmanzaresq.com📢 DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this podcast constitutes legal advice. This podcast is not attorney advertising. Nothing said in this podcast is endorsed by the podcast host, their guests, or their employers. The views expressed by the podcast host and their guests are their own and do not reflect the opinions of their employers. By listening to this podcast, the listener is not entering into an attorney-client relationship or any other relationship with the host or their guests.
• How to Pivot into Environmental Law When You Have No Environmental Background | Yvonne Norman, Columbia Law's Sabin Center 30.12.2025 1h

  What do you do when a successful career stops feeling like yours? And the work you actually want to do is in a field you know almost nothing about?In this episode I sit down with Yvonne Norman, Legal Network Manager at the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia Law School, for one of the most honest and practical conversations about career pivoting I've had on this show.Yvonne spent over 20 years in civil litigation - personal injury, medical malpractice, plaintiff and defense work across solo practices and big firms. By any external measure, she had made it. Then burnout hit hard, and a physical wake-up call in the fall of 2021 forced her to ask a question she had been avoiding: what did she actually want her work to mean?What followed was a multi-year, intentional journey from civil litigator to recognized voice in environmental and climate law, with no environmental background, no roadmap, and no guarantee it would work. She shares the exact playbook: how she started consuming content before she felt qualified, co-authored her first article on extreme heat, leveraged bar association committees, sought out informational meetings, and ultimately landed at one of the most prestigious climate law institutions in the country because the people there already knew her name.We also get into the three things she wishes she had done earlier, what "pivoting within the pivot" actually looks like, and the one action item anyone can take today to start moving toward environmental work.If you've been sitting on that pull toward environmental or climate work and haven't moved yet, this episode is the push.🗺️ Get the Green Pivot Map - FreeFeeling pulled toward environmental or climate work but not sure where to start? I created a simple 90-day framework to help you reposition your existing skills and take intentional steps toward a career that actually fits.Grab your free copy at josealmanzaresq.com or message me "PIVOT" on LinkedIn.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Introduction01:14 Yvonne's background and journey to environmental law03:58 Early legal career in civil litigation05:57 Experiencing burnout after 20 years09:49 Returning to her original motivation for becoming an attorney12:48 First steps into environmental law16:37 Overcoming imposter syndrome as an outsider21:07 The power of bar associations and active volunteering23:33 How intentional networking opened unexpected doors27:12 The playbook — posting, writing and informational meetings36:07 Narrowing down your focus within the environmental space40:28 Applying for jobs and the long road of rejection42:26 Landing at Columbia Law's Sabin Center47:16 Three things Yvonne wishes she had done differently56:10 One action item anyone can take today58:48 Final words🔗 Connect with Yvonne!💼 LinkedIn: /ivonne-norman-esq/🔗 Connect with Jose!💼 LinkedIn: /jose-almanzar-esq📷 Instagram: @jose_environmental_attorney🔗 Website: josealmanzaresq.com🎵 Music Credit - Kwae:📷 Instagram: @kwaemusic🎨 Logo Credit - Leo:📷 Instagram: @logic9uy_art🎙️ About Green Collar CareersGreen Collar Careers is a podcast and newsletter for professionals who feel pulled toward environmental or climate work but aren't sure how to make the move. Each episode features honest conversations with people who have built meaningful careers in this space and the practical lessons they learned along the way. 🔎 Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.📩 Subscribe to the newsletter at josealmanzaresq.com📢 DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this podcast constitutes legal advice. This podcast is not attorney advertising. Nothing said in this podcast is endorsed by the podcast host, their guests, or their employers. The views expressed by the podcast host and their guests are their own and do not reflect the opinions of their employers. By listening to this podcast, the listener is not entering into an attorney-client relationship or any other relationship with the host or their guests.
• Clean Energy Careers and Climate Tech: How to Break In and Build Real Impact | Keith Kinch, BlocPower 23.12.2025 48min

  What does it take to build a career at the center of the clean energy transition? In this episode I sit down with Keith Kinch, climate innovation leader, entrepreneur, and co-founder of BlocPower, for a conversation about breaking into clean energy careers, scaling climate tech companies, and what it means to do this work when your community is on the line.Keith helped grow BlocPower from a Brooklyn startup into a nationally recognized leader in building electrification. He now serves as a Strategic Advisor at Legacy Suite and Founder in Residence at Browning the Green Space, where he supports founders and professionals building equitable pathways into the clean energy economy.We get into his upbringing in East New York as the son of Barbadian immigrants, how Superstorm Sandy became a turning point in his climate journey, the real lessons from scaling BlocPower for over a decade, and his three-part framework for breaking into the green economy - no matter where you're starting from. We also get into the emotional weight of caring about places like Barbados and the Dominican Republic when the climate data is hard to look at, and what Keith holds onto to stay hopeful anyway.If you're trying to figure out where you fit in the clean energy transition — this one will give you both a framework and a reason to keep going.🗺️ Get the Green Pivot Map - FreeFeeling pulled toward environmental or climate work but not sure where to start? I created a simple 90-day framework to help you reposition your existing skills and take intentional steps toward a career that actually fits.Grab your free copy at josealmanzaresq.com or message me "PIVOT" on LinkedIn.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Introduction01:30 Climate innovation, Brooklyn and building electrification01:56 What is Browning the Green Space?04:27 Growing up in Brooklyn as the child of immigrants07:20 Early awareness of energy inefficiency08:54 Superstorm Sandy as a turning point09:46 The origin story of BlocPower12:22 Scaling impact and real-world health outcomes15:55 Confidence, leadership and taking the leap16:17 Three-part framework for breaking into green careers18:54 Networking, outreach and learning from people in the space20:12 Doing the work you're good at even when it's hard23:30 Climate change, the Caribbean and the emotional weight of the work24:51 Hope, innovation and adapting human behavior32:30 Future-proofing your career in clean energy37:00 What gives Keith hope for the next 20 years47:00 Final words🔗 Connect with Keith!💼 LinkedIn: /keith-kinch-amazing/🔗 Connect with Jose!💼 LinkedIn: /jose-almanzar-esq📷 Instagram: @jose_environmental_attorney🔗 Website: josealmanzaresq.com🎵 Music Credit - Kwae:📷 Instagram: @kwaemusic🎨 Logo Credit - Leo:📷 Instagram: @logic9uy_art🎙️ About Green Collar CareersGreen Collar Careers is a podcast and newsletter for professionals who feel pulled toward environmental or climate work but aren't sure how to make the move. Each episode features honest conversations with people who have built meaningful careers in this space and the practical lessons they learned along the way. Hosted by Jose Almanzar, environmental attorney and former environmental scientist.🔎 Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.📩 Subscribe to the newsletter at josealmanzaresq.com📢 DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this podcast constitutes legal advice. This podcast is not attorney advertising. Nothing said in this podcast is endorsed by the podcast host, their guests, or their employers. The views expressed by the podcast host and their guests are their own and do not reflect the opinions of their employers. By listening to this podcast, the listener is not entering into an attorney-client relationship or any other relationship with the host or their guests.
• How to Beat Job Search Burnout and Land Your Green Career | Lauren Celano, Propel Careers 13.06.2025 47min

  Job search burnout is real...And it's one of the most undertalked challenges facing professionals trying to break into environmental and climate work.In this episode I sit down for the second time with Lauren Celano, CEO of Propel Careers, for a conversation about what burnout actually looks like, how to catch it early, and the practical strategies that help people stay grounded and keep moving when the search feels like it's going nowhere.Lauren has coached thousands of professionals through career transitions and brings a level of honesty and tactical clarity to this conversation that most career advice completely misses. We get into how to build your target organization list using conference websites and venture capital firm portfolios, why warm outreach beats cold applications every time, how to use LinkedIn as a living portfolio rather than a static resume, and why accumulating small daily victories is the most underrated way to rebuild momentum when you're down.If you've been applying and not hearing back, or just feeling worn down by the process, this one is for you.🗺️ Get the Green Pivot Map - FreeFeeling pulled toward environmental or climate work but not sure where to start? I created a simple 90-day framework to help you reposition your existing skills and take intentional steps toward a career that actually fits.Grab your free copy at josealmanzaresq.com or message me "PIVOT" on LinkedIn.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Introduction02:00 What is job search burnout and how does it show up07:00 Why our careers are tied to our sense of identity and value09:00 Strategies to stay resilient during a long search13:00 The importance of tracking your wins and progress15:00 How to build a targeted organization list using conference websites23:00 Using venture capital firm portfolios to find hidden employers28:00 Outreach strategies once you have your target list32:00 How to use your LinkedIn summary section effectively35:00 Posting content to stay visible and build momentum37:00 Accumulating small victories to beat burnout40:00 Volunteering and community involvement as momentum builders43:00 Writing your ideal job description as a clarity exercise48:00 Final words🔗 Connect with Lauren!💼 LinkedIn: /laurencelano/🎙️ Podcast: Propelling Careers🔗 Connect with Jose!💼 LinkedIn: /jose-almanzar-esq📷 Instagram: @jose_environmental_attorney🔗 Website: josealmanzaresq.com🎵 Music Credit - Kwae:📷 Instagram: @kwaemusic🎨 Logo Credit - Leo:📷 Instagram: @logic9uy_art🎙️ About Green Collar CareersGreen Collar Careers is a podcast and newsletter for professionals who feel pulled toward environmental or climate work but aren't sure how to make the move. Each episode features honest conversations with people who have built meaningful careers in this space and the practical lessons they learned along the way. Hosted by Jose Almanzar, environmental attorney and former environmental scientist.🔎 Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.📩 Subscribe to the newsletter at josealmanzaresq.com📢 DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this podcast constitutes legal advice. This podcast is not attorney advertising. Nothing said in this podcast is endorsed by the podcast host, their guests, or their employers. The views expressed by the podcast host and their guests are their own and do not reflect the opinions of their employers. By listening to this podcast, the listener is not entering into an attorney-client relationship or any other relationship with the host or their guests.
• Renewable Energy Careers: Why Every Job Can Be a Green Job | Pete Rose, Hydro-Quebec 15.05.2025 59min

  What if the green career you're looking for isn't a specific job title...but a mindset you bring to any role?In this episode I sit down with Pete Rose, Director of Stakeholder Relations at Hydro-Quebec, North America's largest producer of renewable energy, for a conversation about his journey from UNICEF and the Government of Quebec to the forefront of the clean energy transition.Pete brings a perspective you don't often hear in green career conversations - that diverse, non-linear experience isn't a liability, it's exactly what the sustainability space needs. We get into the Champlain-Hudson Power Express Project, what Hydro-Quebec actually does, how a $40 million Green Economy Fund gets built and deployed, and why Pete believes that with the right mindset, any job can be a green job.Oh! And we find out whether Pete is a movie buff, an SNL fanatic, or both.If you've ever felt like your background doesn't fit neatly into the green economy, this episode will change how you think about that.🗺️ Get the Green Pivot Map - FreeFeeling pulled toward environmental or climate work but not sure where to start? I created a simple 90-day framework to help you reposition your existing skills and take intentional steps toward a career that actually fits.Grab your free copy at josealmanzaresq.com or message me "PIVOT" on LinkedIn.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Introduction01:09 The Pete Rose name03:13 Career background07:05 Champlain-Hudson Power Express Project10:18 What does Hydro-Quebec do?13:04 What does Pete do at Hydro-Quebec?15:14 Educational and experience background21:10 The $40 million Green Economy Fund29:10 Why anything can be a green job35:54 Advice for young professionals45:25 Advice for experienced professionals48:46 Resources49:00 Final words53:14 Pete the movie and SNL buff🔗 Connect with Pete!💼 LinkedIn: /peter-rose-003b8/🔗 Connect with Jose!💼 LinkedIn: /jose-almanzar-esq📷 Instagram: @jose_environmental_attorney🔗 Website: josealmanzaresq.com🎵 Music Credit - Kwae:📷 Instagram: @kwaemusic🎨 Logo Credit - Leo:📷 Instagram: @logic9uy_art🎙️ About Green Collar CareersGreen Collar Careers is a podcast and newsletter for professionals who feel pulled toward environmental or climate work but aren't sure how to make the move. Each episode features honest conversations with people who have built meaningful careers in this space and the practical lessons they learned along the way. Hosted by Jose Almanzar, environmental attorney and former environmental scientist.🔎 Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.📩 Subscribe to the newsletter at josealmanzaresq.com📢 DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this podcast constitutes legal advice. This podcast is not attorney advertising. Nothing said in this podcast is endorsed by the podcast host, their guests, or their employers. The views expressed by the podcast host and their guests are their own and do not reflect the opinions of their employers. By listening to this podcast, the listener is not entering into an attorney-client relationship or any other relationship with the host or their guests.
• Green Building and Sustainable Real Estate Careers: From Roofer to Developer | Dusten Hendrickson, Mailbox Money Real Estate 28.04.2025 50min

  What does sustainable real estate development actually look like from the ground up, and what does it take to build a career in green building when you didn't start with a traditional path?In this episode I sit down with Dusten Hendrickson, real estate developer and founder of Mailbox Money Real Estate and Private Equity, for a conversation about his journey from working as a roofer to building market-affordable, sustainably designed homes and everything he learned about self-awareness, failure, and entrepreneurship along the way.Dusten brings a refreshingly honest perspective on what it takes to integrate sustainability into real estate development, the opportunities that exist in green building right now, and what both career changers and experienced professionals need to hear if they're thinking about making a move into this space.If you've ever wondered whether sustainability and real estate can coexist — this episode will show you what that actually looks like in practice.🗺️ Get the Green Pivot Map - FreeFeeling pulled toward environmental or climate work but not sure where to start? I created a simple 90-day framework to help you reposition your existing skills and take intentional steps toward a career that actually fits.Grab your free copy at josealmanzaresq.com or message me "PIVOT" on LinkedIn.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Introduction04:10 Business background09:26 Building efficiency measures13:03 Energy efficiency measures20:21 Early childhood23:08 Educational and professional background28:27 Advice to your younger self33:10 Opportunities in green real estate36:05 Advice for experienced professionals39:53 Learning from mistakes and failure41:23 Final words of advice42:33 Parenting discussion🔗 Connect with Dusten!💼 LinkedIn: /dusten-hendrickson/🔗 Connect with Jose!💼 LinkedIn: /jose-almanzar-esq📷 Instagram: @jose_environmental_attorney🔗 Website: josealmanzaresq.com🎵 Music Credit - Kwae:📷 Instagram: @kwaemusic🎨 Logo Credit - Leo:📷 Instagram: @logic9uy_art🎙️ About Green Collar CareersGreen Collar Careers is a podcast and newsletter for professionals who feel pulled toward environmental or climate work but aren't sure how to make the move. Each episode features honest conversations with people who have built meaningful careers in this space and the practical lessons they learned along the way. Hosted by Jose Almanzar, environmental attorney and former environmental scientist.🔎 Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.📩 Subscribe to the newsletter at josealmanzaresq.com📢 DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this podcast constitutes legal advice. This podcast is not attorney advertising. Nothing said in this podcast is endorsed by the podcast host, their guests, or their employers. The views expressed by the podcast host and their guests are their own and do not reflect the opinions of their employers. By listening to this podcast, the listener is not entering into an attorney-client relationship or any other relationship with the host or their guests.
• Mentorship and Diversity in Environmental Law: How to Navigate Your Career with Intention | Marisa Blackshire, Bloom Energy 02.04.2025 45min

  What separates the professionals who break into environmental law from those who don't? According to Marisa Blackshire, a lot of it comes down to mentorship, and knowing how to use it.In this episode I sit down with Marisa Blackshire, Vice President of Environment & Regulatory Law at Bloom Energy, for a conversation about her journey from aspiring professional to industry leader, why flexibility in your job search opens doors you didn't know existed, and what it actually means to find, use, and become a mentor in the environmental space.Marisa brings warmth, honesty, and hard-earned wisdom to this conversation, covering mentee etiquette, diversity in environmental law, career advice for both young and experienced professionals, and what her role at one of the leading clean energy companies in the country actually looks like day to day.If you're trying to figure out how to get into this space and keep moving once you're in, this one is worth your full attention.🗺️ Get the Green Pivot Map - FreeFeeling pulled toward environmental or climate work but not sure where to start? I created a simple 90-day framework to help you reposition your existing skills and take intentional steps toward a career that actually fits.Grab your free copy at josealmanzaresq.com or message me "PIVOT" on LinkedIn.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Introduction02:10 Marisa's childhood04:02 Early legal and environmental interests05:30 Early career and education10:52 Mentorship programs12:57 How to find a mentor20:51 Seeking a mentor22:38 Mentee etiquette26:22 Advice for young professionals29:28 Advice for experienced professionals34:12 Marisa's role at Bloom Energy40:53 Diversity in environmental law43:01 Final words🔗 Connect with Marisa!💼 LinkedIn: /marisa-blackshire-esq/🔗 Connect with Jose!💼 LinkedIn: /jose-almanzar-esq📷 Instagram: @jose_environmental_attorney🔗 Website: josealmanzaresq.com🎵 Music Credit - Kwae:📷 Instagram: @kwaemusic🎨 Logo Credit - Leo:📷 Instagram: @logic9uy_art🎙️ About Green Collar CareersGreen Collar Careers is a podcast and newsletter for professionals who feel pulled toward environmental or climate work but aren't sure how to make the move. Each episode features honest conversations with people who have built meaningful careers in this space and the practical lessons they learned along the way. Hosted by Jose Almanzar, environmental attorney and former environmental scientist.🔎 Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.📩 Subscribe to the newsletter at josealmanzaresq.com📢 DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this podcast constitutes legal advice. This podcast is not attorney advertising. Nothing said in this podcast is endorsed by the podcast host, their guests, or their employers. The views expressed by the podcast host and their guests are their own and do not reflect the opinions of their employers. By listening to this podcast, the listener is not entering into an attorney-client relationship or any other relationship with the host or their guests.
• Environmental Insurance Careers: How to Break Into Environmental Risk Management | Mary Gerding, Hylant 10.03.2025 31min

  Environmental insurance is one of the most overlooked and underappreciated career paths in the green economy. It's also one of the most essential.In this episode I sit down with Mary Gerding, Managing Director of Environmental Risk at Hylant, for a conversation about what environmental insurance actually is, how it drives the cleanup of contaminated sites, and what her journey from administrative work to industry expert looks like up close.Mary brings a rare combination of technical knowledge and practical wisdom to this conversation, covering the skills that matter most in environmental risk management, the real challenges of the field, and what aspiring professionals need to know to break in.If you've never considered environmental insurance as a career path, this episode will open a door you didn't know existed.🗺️ Get the Green Pivot Map - FreeFeeling pulled toward environmental or climate work but not sure where to start? I created a simple 90-day framework to help you reposition your existing skills and take intentional steps toward a career that actually fits.Grab your free copy at josealmanzaresq.com or message me "PIVOT" on LinkedIn.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Introduction04:56 Environmental insurance 10106:15 Professional background: from admin to industry expert15:30 Breaking into the environmental industry25:44 Advice for seasoned professionals28:59 Final thoughts and a special movie recommendation🔗 Connect with Mary!💼 LinkedIn: /mary-gerding-8a6b4440/🔗 Connect with Jose!💼 LinkedIn: /jose-almanzar-esq📷 Instagram: @jose_environmental_attorney🔗 Website: josealmanzaresq.com🎵 Music Credit - Kwae:📷 Instagram: @kwaemusic🎨 Logo Credit - Leo:📷 Instagram: @logic9uy_art🎙️ About Green Collar CareersGreen Collar Careers is a podcast and newsletter for professionals who feel pulled toward environmental or climate work but aren't sure how to make the move. Each episode features honest conversations with people who have built meaningful careers in this space and the practical lessons they learned along the way. Hosted by Jose Almanzar, environmental attorney and former environmental scientist.🔎 Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.📩 Subscribe to the newsletter at josealmanzaresq.com📢 DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this podcast constitutes legal advice. This podcast is not attorney advertising. Nothing said in this podcast is endorsed by the podcast host, their guests, or their employers. The views expressed by the podcast host and their guests are their own and do not reflect the opinions of their employers. By listening to this podcast, the listener is not entering into an attorney-client relationship or any other relationship with the host or their guests.
• Environmental Law and Government Careers: How to Break Into Environmental Policy | Will Kellermeyer, NJ Department of Environmental Protection 01.03.2025 33min

  What does it actually look like to shape environmental policy from inside a government agency, and how do you build a career that puts you at the intersection of law, regulation, and real environmental impact?In this episode I sit down with Will Kellermeyer, attorney and policy advisor at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, for a conversation about his journey into environmental law, what it's like to work in government, and how legal frameworks actually drive sustainability outcomes on the ground.Will brings a candid, insider perspective on what skills matter most in this field, the real challenges of shaping environmental regulations, and what both young professionals and seasoned practitioners need to know if they're considering a career in environmental law or government policy.If you've ever wondered whether government is the right path for your environmental career, this one gives you the full picture.🗺️ Get the Green Pivot Map - FreeFeeling pulled toward environmental or climate work but not sure where to start? I created a simple 90-day framework to help you reposition your existing skills and take intentional steps toward a career that actually fits.Grab your free copy at josealmanzaresq.com or message me "PIVOT" on LinkedIn.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Introduction02:20 Background06:20 Early career10:05 Environmental interests15:34 Advice for young professionals21:23 The importance of self assessment25:20 Advice for seasoned professionals30:36 Final words🔗 Connect with Will!💼 LinkedIn: /williamkellermeyer/🔗 Connect with Jose!💼 LinkedIn: /jose-almanzar-esq📷 Instagram: @jose_environmental_attorney🔗 Website: josealmanzaresq.com🎵 Music Credit - Kwae:📷 Instagram: @kwaemusic🎨 Logo Credit - Leo:📷 Instagram: @logic9uy_art🎙️ About Green Collar CareersGreen Collar Careers is a podcast and newsletter for professionals who feel pulled toward environmental or climate work but aren't sure how to make the move. Each episode features honest conversations with people who have built meaningful careers in this space and the practical lessons they learned along the way. Hosted by Jose Almanzar, environmental attorney and former environmental scientist.🔎 Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.📩 Subscribe to the newsletter at josealmanzaresq.com📢 DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this podcast constitutes legal advice. This podcast is not attorney advertising. Nothing said in this podcast is endorsed by the podcast host, their guests, or their employers. The views expressed by the podcast host and their guests are their own and do not reflect the opinions of their employers. By listening to this podcast, the listener is not entering into an attorney-client relationship or any other relationship with the host or their guests.
• Sustainability Careers in Higher Education: How to Break In and Move Up | Ryan McPherson, University at Buffalo 24.06.2024 45min

  Higher education is one of the most overlooked pathways into sustainability work, and one of the most accessible for professionals at every stage.In this episode I sit down with Ryan McPherson, Chief Sustainability Officer at the University at Buffalo, for a conversation about how his career evolved into sustainability leadership, why informational interviews are still one of the most underutilized tools in the job search, and how to leverage your institutional networks to open doors that cold applications never will.Ryan brings a grounded, practical perspective on what sustainability work actually looks like inside a major research university, and what both early-career professionals and seasoned practitioners need to hear if they're thinking about making a move into this space.If you've never considered higher education as a home for your environmental career, this episode will change that.🗺️ Get the Green Pivot Map - FreeFeeling pulled toward environmental or climate work but not sure where to start? I created a simple 90-day framework to help you reposition your existing skills and take intentional steps toward a career that actually fits.Grab your free copy at josealmanzaresq.com or message me "PIVOT" on LinkedIn.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Introduction03:10 Childhood and early environmental interests06:11 Early career10:09 Sustainability work at University at Buffalo22:55 Advice for early career professionals30:10 Advice for seasoned professionals35:35 Resources40:30 Final words📚 Resources Mentioned:🏛️ UB Sustainability: buffalo.edu/sustainability.html📰 NY Times Climate Forward: nytimes.com/column/climate-fwd🌿 GreenBiz: greenbiz.com🎙️ Rich Roll Podcast: richroll.com/all-episodes/🔗 Connect with Ryan!💼 LinkedIn: /ryan-a-mcpherson-212a0218/🔗 Connect with Jose!💼 LinkedIn: /jose-almanzar-esq📷 Instagram: @jose_environmental_attorney🔗 Website: josealmanzaresq.com🎵 Music Credit - Kwae:📷 Instagram: @kwaemusic🎨 Logo Credit - Leo:📷 Instagram: @logic9uy_art🎙️ About Green Collar CareersGreen Collar Careers is a podcast and newsletter for professionals who feel pulled toward environmental or climate work but aren't sure how to make the move. Each episode features honest conversations with people who have built meaningful careers in this space and the practical lessons they learned along the way. Hosted by Jose Almanzar, environmental attorney and former environmental scientist.🔎 Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.📩 Subscribe to the newsletter at josealmanzaresq.com📢 DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this podcast constitutes legal advice. This podcast is not attorney advertising. Nothing said in this podcast is endorsed by the podcast host, their guests, or their employers. The views expressed by the podcast host and their guests are their own and do not reflect the opinions of their employers. By listening to this podcast, the listener is not entering into an attorney-client relationship or any other relationship with the host or their guests.
• Battery Storage and Decarbonization Careers: How to Find Your Happy Place in the Green Economy | Evan van Hook, Viridi 24.05.2024 47min

  What does it take to decarbonize our economy and how do you build a career at the center of that work?In this episode I sit down with Evan van Hook, Chief Sustainability Officer at Viridi, for a conversation about battery storage, the real challenges of decarbonization, and what he calls finding your "Happy Place"...the intersection of what you're good at, what you care about, and where the work actually needs to be done.Evan brings decades of experience navigating the environmental and sustainability space and offers some of the most grounded career advice you'll hear - for students just starting out and experienced professionals ready to make a move.If you're trying to figure out where you fit in the clean energy transition, this one will help you find your direction.🗺️ Get the Green Pivot Map - FreeFeeling pulled toward environmental or climate work but not sure where to start? I created a simple 90-day framework to help you reposition your existing skills and take intentional steps toward a career that actually fits.Grab your free copy at josealmanzaresq.com or message me "PIVOT" on LinkedIn.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Introduction02:15 Background12:40 Mobilizing for environmental work20:45 Finding your happy place26:30 What does a Chief Sustainability Officer actually do?38:00 Advice for students40:00 Advice for experienced professionals43:45 Resources44:15 Final words🔗 Connect with Evan!💼 LinkedIn: /d-evan-van-hook-167aa8228/🔗 Connect with Jose!💼 LinkedIn: /jose-almanzar-esq📷 Instagram: @jose_environmental_attorney🔗 Website: josealmanzaresq.com🎵 Music Credit - Kwae:📷 Instagram: @kwaemusic🎨 Logo Credit - Leo:📷 Instagram: @logic9uy_art🎙️ About Green Collar CareersGreen Collar Careers is a podcast and newsletter for professionals who feel pulled toward environmental or climate work but aren't sure how to make the move. Each episode features honest conversations with people who have built meaningful careers in this space and the practical lessons they learned along the way. Hosted by Jose Almanzar, environmental attorney and former environmental scientist.🔎 Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.📩 Subscribe to the newsletter at josealmanzaresq.com📢 DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this podcast constitutes legal advice. This podcast is not attorney advertising. Nothing said in this podcast is endorsed by the podcast host, their guests, or their employers. The views expressed by the podcast host and their guests are their own and do not reflect the opinions of their employers. By listening to this podcast, the listener is not entering into an attorney-client relationship or any other relationship with the host or their guests.
• Environmental Health and Safety Law Careers: Breaking Into Corporate America | Jonathan Nwagbaraocha, Xerox 07.02.2024 38min

  What does it actually look like to build an environmental law career inside a major corporation, and what does it take to get there?In this episode I sit down with Jonathan Nwagbaraocha, in-house Environmental, Health and Safety Counsel at Xerox, for a conversation about his journey into corporate environmental law, what skills matter most when you're starting out, and what both recent grads and experienced professionals need to know if they want to break into this space.Jonathan brings a grounded, practical perspective on building a green and EHS career from the inside - the networking moves that actually work, how to stay flexible early in your career, and why confidence in your existing skills matters more than you think.If you're wondering whether corporate America is a viable path for meaningful environmental work, this one will change how you think about it.🗺️ Get the Green Pivot Map - FreeFeeling pulled toward environmental or climate work but not sure where to start? I created a simple 90-day framework to help you reposition your existing skills and take intentional steps toward a career that actually fits.Grab your free copy at josealmanzaresq.com or message me "PIVOT" on LinkedIn.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:00:00 Introduction05:30 Educational background06:25 Initial environmental interests08:45 Early career15:50 Getting to Xerox17:45 Skills for green careers20:15 Advice for recent grads22:40 Building your network27:25 Advice for experienced professionals31:10 Additional resources33:20 Final words📚 Resources Mentioned:🌿 Green 2.0: diversegreen.org⚖️ ABA SEER Year in Review: americanbar.org/groups/environment_energy_resources/publications/year_in_review_home/🔗 Connect with Jonathan!💼 LinkedIn: /jnwagbaraocha/🔗 Connect with Jose!💼 LinkedIn: /jose-almanzar-esq📷 Instagram: @jose_environmental_attorney🔗 Website: josealmanzaresq dot com🎵 Music Credit - Kwae:📷 Instagram: @kwaemusic🎨 Logo Credit - Leo:📷 Instagram: @logic9uy_art🎙️ About Green Collar CareersGreen Collar Careers is a podcast and newsletter for professionals who feel pulled toward environmental or climate work but aren't sure how to make the move. Each episode features honest conversations with people who have built meaningful careers in this space and the practical lessons they learned along the way. Hosted by Jose Almanzar, environmental attorney and former environmental scientist.🔎 Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.📩 Subscribe to the newsletter at josealmanzaresq.com📢 DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this podcast constitutes legal advice. This podcast is not attorney advertising. Nothing said in this podcast is endorsed by the podcast host, their guests, or their employers. The views expressed by the podcast host and their guests are their own and do not reflect the opinions of their employers. By listening to this podcast, the listener is not entering into an attorney-client relationship or any other relationship with the host or their guests.
• How to Land Your Dream Job in the Environmental Space: Cold Outreach, Boards of Advisors and Finding Your Calling | Lauren Celano, Propel Careers 17.07.2023 42min

  What if the key to finding your green career wasn't more credentials - but finally getting clear on what you actually love to do?In this episode I sit down with Lauren Celano, founder and CEO of Propel Careers, a life science search and career development firm, for a conversation about how the skills and lessons from life sciences translate directly into environmental and climate work, and what it actually takes to land the job you want.Lauren has recruited for dozens of the nation's most innovative life sciences organizations and coached thousands of students, postdocs, and professionals to advance their careers. She brings a level of practical clarity to the job search that most career advice completely misses.We get into her background, how life sciences and environmental work intersect, the concept of building your personal "board of advisors," how to do cold outreach that actually gets responses, and an exercise she calls "loved it/loathed it" that helps you figure out what you're actually meant to be doing.If you've ever felt unclear about your direction or stuck in a job search that isn't moving, this one is for you.🗺️ Get the Green Pivot Map — FreeFeeling pulled toward environmental or climate work but not sure where to start? I created a simple 90-day framework to help you reposition your existing skills and take intentional steps toward a career that actually fits.Grab your free copy at josealmanzaresq.com or message me "PIVOT" on LinkedIn.🔗 Connect with Lauren!💼 LinkedIn: /laurencelano/🔗 Connect with Jose!💼 LinkedIn: /jose-almanzar-esq🔗 Website: josealmanzaresq dot com📷 Instagram: @jose_environmental_attorney🎵 Music Credit - Kwae:📷 Instagram: @kwaemusic🎨 Logo Credit - Leo:📷 Instagram: @logic9uy_art🎙️ About Green Collar CareersGreen Collar Careers is a podcast and newsletter for professionals who feel pulled toward environmental or climate work but aren't sure how to make the move. Each episode features honest conversations with people who have built meaningful careers in this space and the practical lessons they learned along the way. Hosted by Jose Almanzar, environmental attorney and former environmental scientist.🔎 Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.📩 Subscribe to the newsletter at josealmanzaresq.com📢 DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this podcast constitutes legal advice. This podcast is not attorney advertising. Nothing said in this podcast is endorsed by the podcast host, their guests, or their employers. The views expressed by the podcast host and their guests are their own and do not reflect the opinions of their employers. By listening to this podcast, the listener is not entering into an attorney-client relationship or any other relationship with the host or their guests.