Accelerate Climate Solutions’ mission is to help our neighbors in the Naperville/Aurora region benefit from the green economy while also driving down greenhouse gas emissions. To do this, we work to ensure that local climate solutions are deployed rapidly and broadly; that residents, businesses, and government have the knowledge needed to make climate positive choices; and that students have the resources needed to pursue climate solutions careers. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions will drive other co-benefits, including improved health, better indoor and outdoor air quality, cost savings, and job creation.Accelerate Climate Solutions was founded to fill a gap between climate solutions and on the ground implementation. We will do this through education, stakeholder engagement, and business recognition. Working locally will allow us to interact directly with local decision makers, from homeowners to business owners to government officials. Building relationships based on shared goals will be the key to success.Current projects include:Partnering with KidsMatter on Building Leadership Around Sustainable Transformation (BLAST), a shark tank type of program to support students developing environmental solutions.Business outreach to promote waste reduction, sustainability, and solar.Educating the community about incentives for energy efficiency.

Design environmental sampling and analysis plans, manage environmental and medical data, perform environmental risk assessments, review scientific and medical literature, and report scientific information to both technical and non-technical audiences.Experience:Prepared numerous technical memoranda and reports, including Summary of Findings of the McFarland Air Investigation, for the Environmental Protection Agency.Managed $2.2 million air and dust sampling and analysis program. Prioritized and delegated tasks, prepared budgets and reports, communicated effectively with client (EPA).Reviewed over 3000 articles on implanted medical devices and co-wrote two extensive and several smaller literature reviews for submission to Food and Drug Administration.

Acted as liaison between Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and research laboratories on method development programs for organic and organometallic compounds with total budget of $100,000. Prepared laboratory statements of work. Prepared regular updates on progress of research. Directed changes to research program based on study outcome. Performed data validation. Prepared report of findings.Developed relational database to input and interpret results of air and dust sampling. Database used to evaluate temporal and spatial trends in chemical concentrations and associated human health risk. Effectively organized large amounts of data (over 100,000 records in largest table).Prepared numerous technical memoranda and reports, including Summary of Findings of the McFarland Air Investigation, for the Environmental Protection Agency.Managed $2.2 million air and dust sampling and analysis program. Prioritized and delegated tasks, prepared budgets and reports, communicated effectively with client (EPA).Evaluated risks associated with redeveloping property for use as clinic. Determined that elevated levels of lead in soil would result in health risks to workers and neighborhood during construction.

The goal of Island Conservation Initiatives was to develop small businesses that sustainably utilize the natural resources of the island nation of Vanuatu, serving as a model for local entrepreneurs while employing local talent. Island Palm Products was the first successful venture, exporting seeds of palm trees to nurseries worldwide, increasing the likelihood of survival of endangered species. Managed the for-profit arm of the NGO Foundation for the Peoples of the South Pacific. Managed palm seed export business.Started business employing and training artists to create vegetable ivory carvings from the seed of the Metroxolyn warburgii palm. Consulted on environmental sustainability issues.

Reviewed over 3000 articles on implanted medical devices and co-wrote two extensive and several smaller literature reviews for submission to Food and Drug Administration.Evaluated risks and benefits of using recycled packaging for food products. Developed strategy to understand risks associated with exposure to components and potential contaminants of packaging. Based on research, major paper company began making and marketing recycled packaging.Presented seminars on data management systems and lead poisoning risk assessment. Trained individuals and groups on data collation and presentation.