I've been fortunate to be able to combine the strength of practical business skills with energy and vision from my other roles. And now we have ESG. A steep learning curve for us all.Whether leading solar projects, managing teams, creating documentaries, or educating and mentoring others, my focus is collaboration. Giving hundreds of speeches, workshops and presentations to investors, students, journalists and diverse stakeholders, internationally and at home, has made me both a better listener and more confident that we can solve complex problems together.Being raised close to the land with deep roots in West Virginia, I learned a profound respect for ecology. My great grandfather sat me on his knee at age 4 to start teaching me the basics of carpentry. I’ve continued to develop my skills as a builder throughout my life, whether it’s one of the dozens of homes or offices I fully remodeled, crafting high end furniture and musical instruments or building solar power arrays as a bridge to the future. My own experience with renewable energy began 17 years ago when I built my own solar home.Working throughout my life as a builder, while carving out time for a parallel career as a photojournalist, yields perspective. The key skills are similar. A photographer in a war zone has to move fast, find the story and capture it. That’s true also for a manager who must evaluate a situation then tell an effective story of what needs to be done to get results.I’ve used my writing, video and photography skills to capture humanitarian stories throughout the US, Mexico, Kenya, Jamaica, Russia, Israel, Laos, Thailand, Rwanda, Indonesia, Haiti, Northern Iraq, etc. Working with the Washington Post, Time magazine, LA Times, requires coordinating with hard pressed journalists and tight deadlines. My photos have been exhibited nationally, from Seattle Washington to Washington D.C. Working abroad, with indigenous people here, and steering community projects for the Keeper of the Mountain foundation invites respect for diverse cultures. I prefer being able to meet and speak with each person on their own terms.Directing projects both for profit and non profit has given me insights to both the similarities and distinctions. It’s about balancing objectives and tight time frames while working effectively with the people who will make results happen. In my current role directing commercial operations for solar installations from micro grids to more than a megawatt, it's deeply satisfying to get that balance right.