Tell us a bit about yourself.

From a young age, I’ve been drawn to storytelling and writing, which led me to Barnard College for a degree in English and creative writing. I grew up on the east coast in New Jersey and Connecticut but moved to San Francisco after graduating to be closer to family — and started my communications career at a PR agency specializing in technology. At Barnard, I also took classes in East Asian studies, as I began studying Mandarin Chinese in high school and had the opportunity to spend a semester in Beijing as a teenager. My scheduled study abroad to China was cancelled in college due to the pandemic, but I hope to return there soon!

While working in tech PR, I gained exposure to a range of industries including healthcare, cybersecurity, renewable energy, and financial services. I found myself especially drawn to the agency’s clean energy clients, since I was inspired by their sense of purpose and tangible impact. That experience helped me see a path forward for how I could apply my creative skillset to an impact-driven field.

After about three years, I decided I wanted to pivot more directly into clean energy and sustainability. I pursued the Climatebase Fellowship, where I learned from a wide range of professionals across the renewable energy industry. My next step was finding an agency where I could contribute to meaningful climate communications work. And here I am!

Where did your interest in the environment come from?

I’ve always had a personal interest in sustainability, and over time I grew more concerned about climate change as I saw its growing impact and how it disproportionately affects marginalized communities.

My exposure became more concrete when I started working with clean energy clients. One of my first cleantech PR clients worked in distributed energy and virtual power plants, which was a great introduction to the different technologies that make up our grid, and how that’s evolving with the energy transition. I also worked with a nuclear fusion company, which was especially eye-opening. I had preconceived ideas about nuclear energy, and that experience helped me see the technology in a more nuanced way. These experiences led me to a deeper curiosity about clean energy systems, and how different technologies work together to power a cleaner grid.

Since then, I’ve been interested in continuing to explore different parts of the ecosystem and how I can be a better communicator in the field. Solar, carbon capture, electric vehicles — it all sounds interesting to me!

What’s your favorite part about working in the renewable energy industry?

I really enjoy that there’s always something new to learn. The space spans a wide range of technologies, and the market is constantly evolving. Climate change affects everyone everywhere, and energy is foundational to everything we do. There are always new areas to explore and contribute to, and I’m motivated by the progress being made towards more sustainable energy production.

I also value the sense of community in this space. People working in sustainability tend to be genuinely mission-driven with a shared sense of purpose. That level of values alignment with my colleagues makes the work feel especially meaningful.

Why did you choose to work with DG+?

The small, tight-knit team was a big draw. I appreciate that everyone here brings their own expertise and past experiences into the shared work. I also wanted to push myself to think more strategically about communications. My professional background so far has been almost entirely in PR, and I was looking for a place where I could understand how communications fits into a broader marketing and brand strategy.

What do you hope to accomplish while on the DG+ team?

Learning more about paid media is high on the list. My experience has been primarily in earned media, and there are so many other ways to amplify a company’s message. Building a more well-rounded perspective is something I’m genuinely excited about. I also want to collaborate more across departments, especially with visual designers.

Near or far, where in the world would you want to travel to next?

I recently traveled to Venice, Italy for an intensive Armenian language program. I’m ethnically Armenian and grew up very connected to the community, though I don’t speak much of the language. Venice is considered the birthplace of the “Armenian Renaissance” so there’s a rich Armenian history there, including an Armenian island monastery called San Lazzaro degli Armeni which houses what is believed to be the first printing press for Armenian books.

As for my next trip, that’s difficult! I’d want to go somewhere I’ve never been before, so I’d say Southeast Asia, including Thailand and Vietnam. I’d love to learn more about those cultures and see a new part of the world. And shoutout to Dana, our Director of Comms, for the inspiration. I’ll hopefully get the chance to reference one of the travel guides she’s written about Vietnam!

What's your favorite way to spend a day off?

I enjoy spending time with friends and learning how to bake — which often go hand in hand, since I definitely welcome their help in the kitchen. Lately, I’ve been eyeing recipes for Princess Cake, a Swedish dessert with layers of jam and cream covered in green marzipan. If you can’t tell, I’m a bit fixated on it.

Otherwise, a perfect day off for me usually involves spending time in nature, exploring a new neighborhood, and reading a good book.

Tell us something fun or maybe unexpected about yourself.

This may not be too unexpected for someone with a creative writing degree, but I’ve always turned to writing, specifically poetry and fiction, to express myself. My writing practice is something I intentionally carve out time for, and I regularly participate in writing workshops outside of work, which has been a great way to stay consistent and connect with other writers.

I’m also on the leadership team of an Armenian magazine called Azad Archives — we just had our five-year anniversary! We regularly publish work from Armenian artists and writers. The team consists of only four of us, and it’s been rewarding to see how the community around it has grown. Right now, we’re running a call for submissions and have received visual art and written pieces from all around the world.