New Haven Community Solar

Prior to attending the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Franz served 8 years in the Obama Administration, and is dedicated to fighting climate change. Most recently he served as Senior Advisor to the Special Envoy for Climate Change at the U.S. Department of State, working on the team that successfully negotiated the Paris Agreement. Prior to that, he was Deputy Associate Director at the White House Council of Environmental Quality working on energy, environment and climate policy and public engagement; and a Confidential Assistant and Legislative Analyst at the U.S. Department of Agriculture working on conservation, energy, food security, science policy and open data. He also worked on both of Barack Obama’s Presidential campaigns in 2008 and 2012. Franz holds a Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics and a Bachelor of Arts in Politics from the University of California, Santa Cruz. When Franz isn’t busy battling climate change he enjoys painting, soccer, and songwriting. ---- Last 3 years employment: 9/2014-7/2016: Special Assistant to the Special Envoy for Climate Change, US Department of State (The U.S. Department of State is a department of the U.S. Government) 7/2016-1/2017: Senior Advisor to the Special Envoy for Climate Change, US Department of State (The U.S. Department of State is a department of the U.S. Government) 1/2017-Present: Teaching and Research Assistant, and Student, Yale University (Yale University is an academic Institution) 7/2018-Present: Founding Member and Chief Executive Officer, New Haven Community Solar, LLC. This is a part-time position and Franz allocates approximately 15 hours per week. Franz works part-time for approximately 15 hours per week for Yale University as a Research Assistant and Teaching assistant. His primary position is a student.

Kwasi comes from a background of international development and natural resource management. He is devoted to developing and implementing integrated data-driven community-based solutions that increase equity and resilience. Kwasi is also a recent graduate from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies Master’s program, where his research focused largely around smallholder-driven supply chains, and crafting certification and responsible sourcing strategies within them. Bringing ten years of international development experience, Kwasi has worked in Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Tanzania, Madagascar, South Africa, and Indonesia; each grappling with similar and yet incredibly unique challenges to attaining a sustainable future. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology from Wesleyan University where he also played football and lacrosse. In his free time Kwasi enjoys playing video games and hitting the beach. Last 3 years of employment: 2/2013-7/2016: Program Specialist, Pact (Pact is an International Development non-Profit) 7/2016-5/2018: Student, Yale University (Yale University is an academic institution) 7/2018-Present: Founding Member and Chief Marketing Officer, New Haven Community Solar, LLC. This is a part-time position and Kwasi allocates approximately 15 hours per week.

Matt is passionate about using data-driven insights to drive innovation that increases sustainability and equity. His recent research has focused on the relationship between consumer credit card spending and air pollution. Before obtaining a master’s in environmental management from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Matt obtained a Bachelors of Environmental Science with a Chemistry minor at Western Washington University. Afterwards, he spent four years investigating contaminated sites and assisting permitting for new data centers. Matt studies the flow of materials in society and ways to replace them using green chemistry and systems thinking, as well as technologies that will alter the way we live and work. In his “down” time Matt loves to go skiing, cycling, and listening to the freshest jams. ---- Last 3 years employment: 4/2012 - 6/2014 - Staff Scientist at Landau Associates Inc (Landau Associates is an environmental engineering consulting firm based in the Pacific Northwest) 6/2014 - 1/2016 - Senior Staff Scientist at Landau Associates Inc (Landau Associates is an environmental engineering consulting firm based in the Pacific Northwest) 6/2017-8/2017 - Intern at Metabolic (Metabolic is a venture building and circular economy consulting firm based in Amsterdam, NL) 8/2016-8/2018 - Research Assistant at Yale University (Yale University is an academic institution) 7/2018-Present: Founding Member and Chief Operating Officer, New Haven Community Solar, LLC. This is a part-time position and Matt allocates approximately 15 hours per week. This is his primary position. Matt works part-time for approximately 5 hours per week as a Research Assistant at Yale University.