The Green Light

Dylan Green
  • 4.8 (18)
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Transforming business through talent. Helping professionals find their career passion within the clean energy and technology space.

  1. 12/22/2025

    Ep. 110 | Building WRISE from the Ground Up — Lisa Daniels on Community Power and Tribal Energy Leadership

    What does it look like to spend more than two decades advancing community-led clean energy — from helping farmers and rural landowners build their own wind projects to supporting Native and tribal nations pursuing energy sovereignty today? In this episode, Catherine sat down with Lisa Daniels, one of the founders of Women of Wind Energy (now WRISE) and the longtime Executive Director of Windustry, whose work has shaped how rural and tribal communities participate in the renewable energy transition. Lisa came into this work as an environmentalist in the late 1990s, confused by an energy system that ignored the free wind and sunlight all around us while investing heavily in fossil fuels. When state funding for her early nonprofit work evaporated overnight due to political changes, she took the curriculum home and built a new organization from scratch — one that helped thousands of farmers, ranchers, and rural communities understand how to harvest the wind for themselves. To mark WRISE’s 20th anniversary, we talked about:   • Why community ownership keeps economic benefits local  • Building Windustry on a shoestring after state funding collapsed  • The early volunteer-powered days of Women of Wind Energy  • What it was like to be one of only a few women in every meeting, workshop, and conference  • How WRISE’s fellowship program gave new people their first real glimpse into the industry  • Why state and local action will drive the next era of clean energy If you’re a clean energy employer and need help scaling your workforce efficiently with top tier staff, contact Catherine McLean, CEO & Founder of Dylan Green, directly on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3odzxQr. If you’re looking for your next role in clean energy, take a look at our industry-leading clients’ latest job openings: bit.ly/dg_jobs.

    22 min

  2. 11/25/2025

    Ep. 109 | Building America’s Early Wind Industry — and the First WRISE Network — with Jan Blomstrann, Former CEO of NRG Systems

    What does it take to lead one of the earliest U.S. wind companies through four decades of change — and help spark a nationwide movement for women in clean energy? Catherine sat down with Jan Blomstrann, Co-Founder and later CEO of NRG Systems, a company that helped build the modern wind industry through its early resource assessment tools and later expanded into solar. When she took over as CEO in 2004, Jan was one of the only women leading a clean energy manufacturing company. She guided NRG through explosive industry growth, economic turbulence, and an eventual sale — and then turned her focus to philanthropy, supporting women’s issues, social justice, and sustainable communities. Jan was also in the room at the very first WRISE luncheon that she helped organize in 2005 — expecting 10 women, finding 100. That moment helped spark the network that would later grow to 3,000 members and 47 chapters. To mark WRISE’s 20th anniversary, we talked about: • Leading in a male-dominated industry • Why WRISE became a sanctuary for women in renewables • Her message to the next generation: “Please keep going — what you do matters.” • The men who truly championed women behind the scenes • Why clean energy still needs its mission-driven roots If you’re a clean energy employer and need help scaling your workforce efficiently with top tier staff, contact Catherine McLean, CEO & Founder of Dylan Green, directly on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3odzxQr. If you’re looking for your next role in clean energy, take a look at our industry-leading clients’ latest job openings: bit.ly/dg_jobs.

    25 min

  3. 11/12/2025

    Ep. 108 | How Three Generations Lead Through Change — Arevon, EVgo & Onyx at WRISE Leadership Forum

    What happens when three generations of clean energy leaders sit down for one honest conversation? A masterclass in resilience, leadership, and the future of our industry. In this Green Light podcast episode recorded at the WRISE Leadership Forum, Catherine spoke with: Patty Rollin — CCO at Onyx RenewablesYvonne Robinson — Regional Director at EVgoJimin Suh — Development Associate at ArevonTogether they share: The early-career lessons they wish they’d learned soonerHow they stay grounded through uncertainty and major transitionsHow leadership evolves across decadesWhat the next generation really needs from today’s managersHow they confront fear (not “imposter syndrome”) and build confidenceWhat gives them hope about the future of clean energyIf you’re a clean energy employer and need help scaling your workforce efficiently with top tier staff, contact Catherine McLean, CEO & Founder of Dylan Green, directly on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3odzxQr. If you’re looking for your next role in clean energy, take a look at our industry-leading clients’ latest job openings: bit.ly/dg_jobs.

    24 min

  4. 11/11/2025

    Ep. 107 | Founding WRISE, Advancing State Energy Policy, and Inclusive Leadership in Clean Energy | Suzanne Tegen, Center for the New Energy Economy

    What happens when women stop waiting to be invited to the table — and start building their own network? That question led Suzanne Tegen and her peers to found Women of Wind Energy, now Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy (WRISE), twenty years ago. Today, WRISE has over 3,000 members, 47 chapters, a robust slate of annual programming, and continues to expand its impact across the renewable energy industry. Suzanne is now Acting Director at Colorado State University’s Center for the New Energy Economy, where she leads bipartisan clean energy policy research and works with state legislators, governors’ offices, and utilities to advance practical, state-level policy solutions. To mark WRISE’s 20th anniversary, Catherine sat down with Suzanne to talk about:  • Building leadership confidence through community and mentorship  • Lessons from two decades of WRISE’s growth and impact  • What allyship really looks like — and how to practice it when someone’s not in the room  • The importance of inclusion in energy transitions, especially for fossil-fuel-reliant communities  • Her vision for the next chapter of WRISE and a more inclusive clean energy workforce One line that stayed with us:  "Inclusion is intentional. You have to dig in, find out who isn’t being heard, and make sure they’re involved so that better decisions can be made." If you’re a clean energy employer and need help scaling your workforce efficiently with top tier staff, contact Catherine McLean, CEO & Founder of Dylan Green, directly on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3odzxQr. If you’re looking for your next role in clean energy, take a look at our industry-leading clients’ latest job openings: bit.ly/dg_jobs.

    18 min

  5. 10/22/2025

    Ep. 106 | How Arevon Built a World-Class Development Team from Scratch as a 4.5 GW Solar and Storage Operator | Shanelle Montana, Chief Development Officer, Arevon

    What does it take to build a world-class development team from scratch inside a company that already operates over 4.5 GW of solar and storage projects? Catherine sat down with Shanelle Montana, Chief Development Officer at Arevon, on SunCast’s PowerUp Live stage presented by Wärtsilä at RE+ in Vegas, to talk about: • Her path from Washington D.C. to leading utility-scale solar and storage development — including roles at Lightsource bp, EDF Renewables, and BayWa r.e. • How Arevon’s operator-first DNA shapes its development strategy • Navigating policy shifts and market uncertainty with patience and “patient capital” • Building and retaining strong teams in a competitive market • Why advancing diversity across teams leads to better business outcomes Shanelle shared thoughtful, grounded insights on how to lead through change — and why patience, flexibility, and relationships are key to lasting impact in the energy transition. If you’re a clean energy employer and need help scaling your workforce efficiently with top tier staff, contact Catherine McLean, CEO & Founder of Dylan Green, directly on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3odzxQr. If you’re looking for your next role in clean energy, take a look at our industry-leading clients’ latest job openings: bit.ly/dg_jobs.

    11 min

  6. 09/30/2025

    Ep. 104 | What It Really Takes to Manage a 200+ MW Solar Project | Emily Modglin, Greenbacker

    What does it take to lead operations for Greenbacker’s largest utility-scale solar project and maximize performance across a diverse national portfolio? In this episode, Catherine spoke with Emily Modglin, Manager of Solar Operations at Greenbacker Capital, at Solarplaza's AMNA conference about: 🔹 Her transition from engineering and O&M into large-scale asset ownership 🔹 Managing the 240 MW Appaloosa Solar project in Utah and what makes it uniquely complex 🔹 How adaptability, creative problem-solving, and AI tools are driving better performance 🔹 Greenbacker’s nearly $1B financing of New York’s largest solar project with Hecate Energy Emily shares a field-tested perspective on what it really takes to operate solar at scale. If you’re a clean energy employer & need help scaling your workforce efficiently with top tier staff, contact Catherine McLean, CEO & Founder of Dylan Green, directly on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3odzxQr. If you’re looking for your next  role in clean energy, take a look at our industry-leading clients’ latest job openings: bit.ly/dg_jobs.

    19 min

  7. 09/30/2025

    Ep. 105 | What Actually Drives Revenue in Energy Storage Projects | Sam Kuhlwein, Stem

    What actually drives revenue for solar-plus-storage projects? In this episode, Catherine spoke with Sam Kuhlwein from Stem at the Asset Management North America (AMNA) conference in San Diego, where they dug into how energy management systems shape asset performance. They also talked about what gets in the way of performance: commissioning delays, low-quality data, and systems that can’t respond fast enough to dynamic grid signals. Sam shared how Stem approaches EMS design, why these systems need to be considered early in project development, and what it takes to operate across complex use cases—including merchant storage and behind-the-meter applications.  “Everyone loves revenue,” he said. “But getting there takes high-frequency data, layered scheduling, and systems that can shift on the fly.”  If you’re a clean energy employer & need help scaling your workforce efficiently with top tier staff, contact Catherine McLean, CEO & Founder of Dylan Green, directly on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3odzxQr. If you’re looking for your next role in clean energy, take a look at our industry-leading clients’ latest job openings: bit.ly/dg_jobs.

    12 min

  8. 08/26/2025

    Ep. 103 | 20 Years of WRISE: Founder Karen Conover on Lessons from the Frontlines

    Karen Conover helped found WRISE — and in doing so, shaped a generation of women leaders and the clean energy industry itself. Today, WRISE has 3,000+ members and 47 chapters advancing diversity across renewables. But Karen’s influence goes further: at 29, she launched Global Energy Concepts, a wind power pioneer later acquired by DNV, helping scale wind in the U.S. and abroad. Two decades later, she’s still mentoring through Repowering Schools — and reflecting on what’s changed and what hasn’t. In this episode, to mark WRISE’s 20th anniversary, we discuss:  ⚡ What it takes to build a company from scratch  🌎 Global lessons U.S. renewables still need to learn  📈 Why WRISE’s company-wide memberships were a turning point  💡 Karen’s advice for emerging leaders If you’re a clean energy employer looking for top talent, connect with Catherine McLean, CEO of Dylan Green, on LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3odzxQr If you’re looking for your next senior-level role in clean energy, explore our clients’ latest openings: https://bit.ly/dg_jobs.

    18 min
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4.8
out of 5
18 Ratings

About

Transforming business through talent. Helping professionals find their career passion within the clean energy and technology space.

Information

  • Creator
    Dylan Green
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2025
  • Episodes
    110
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 The Green Light
  • Show Website
    The Green Light