Vin Valentino is the Energy Economy Lead for the Washington State Department of Commerce, where he works to grow the state's clean energy economy through investment, policy strategy, and partnerships across government, industry, and communities. He holds an interdisciplinary degree in applied sustainability from Ohio State University, and his path has run from a craft brewery in Columbus, Ohio, to Stanford Health Care, to the City of Seattle. Before any of it, though, he was a kid from Dayton who played in bands, bartended through school, and had no clear plan. His story starts there. His turning point was small and human. One political science class cracked open how climate, economics, and migration all cross borders, and a single nudge from his older sister sent him back to college. From there he talked his way into a sustainability role at Land-Grant Brewing over one beer, then leapt to Stanford Health Care. The conversation draws out the lived experience behind each jump while pressing on how Vin keeps spotting opportunity where other people see a dead end. What surfaces is a way of working that treats every messy, uncertain step as part of the build. Episode in a glance 00:53 Vin explains Washington State's clean energy economy 03:19 From Dayton to Columbus, dropping out and playing music 05:37 The college class that sparked his interest in climate 12:17 How a conversation at a brewery became a sustainability job 16:41 Getting laid off during COVID and landing at Stanford Health Care 21:56 His advice for breaking into sustainability work About Vin Valentino Vincent "Vin" Valentino is the Energy Economy Lead for the Washington State Department of Commerce, where he works to grow the state's clean energy economy through investment, policy strategy, and partnerships across government, industry, and communities. He earned an interdisciplinary degree in applied sustainability, spanning policy, economics, business, and design, from Ohio State University. His path runs from leading sustainability and operations at Land-Grant Brewing in Columbus, Ohio, to managing sustainability programs at Stanford Health Care, to serving as a Green Economy Strategic Advisor and division manager for the City of Seattle, where he helped establish Washington's first green bank. Connect with Vin Valentino and his work Vin Valentino on LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinvalentinowaWashington State Department of Commerce → commerce.wa.govLand-Grant Brewing Company → landgrantbrewing.comSend us a message!
