Career Transitions: Making the Leap into Green Careers

Thinking about a career in sustainability or clean energy, but not sure where to start? Join us for an engaging discussion featuring professionals who successfully transitioned into impactful roles in sustainability and energy.

Our speakers will share their personal career journeys, including:

• What they did before entering the sustainability space

• What they do now and how their previous experience translates

• Challenges and opportunities they encountered during the transition

• Advice for professionals and students interested in making a similar pivot

Whether you’re actively exploring a career change, curious about the growing sustainability sector, or looking to better understand how transferable skills can create impact, this conversation will offer practical insights, inspiration, and real-world perspectives.

Come ready to learn, ask questions, and connect with others interested in building careers that contribute to a more sustainable future.

Speakers Include: 

Alexandra Skibitskaya, Sustainable Engineering Manager, Altanova

Alexandra is a New York City–based energy and climate strategist specializing in energy efficiency, building decarbonization, and climate action planning. Before transitioning into the energy sector, she built and scaled a consulting company, advising IT and FinTech startups on business growth, IP, and cross-border compliance.

Her career pivot began after witnessing extreme heatwaves in her home region of Siberia, an area historically known for its cold climate, which pushed her to rethink the role she wanted to play in addressing climate change. In response, she relocated to Colorado to pursue a Master’s degree in Renewable and Sustainable Energy at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Today, Alexandra works at the intersection of energy engineering, policy, and commercial strategy at Altanova, helping building owners reduce energy use, operational costs, and emissions associated with the built environment. She also advocates for access to affordable, sustainable energy solutions and greater representation of women in the energy sector.

Kristen Palma, Director of Strategy, Maukemana Consulting

Kristen Palma, Program Manager at CLEAResult, implements energy efficiency technology for major utilities to meet ambitious and urgent decarbonization goals. Kristen’s background positions her at the intersection of innovation and regulation. Her experience in market strategy and policy include impactful work at the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA), the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). She is also a New York City Chapter Leader for the Women in Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy (WRISE).

Manasi Gupta, Program Manager, Home Energy Loan Program, Mid-Hudson Energy Transition

Manasi Gupta is the Program Manager at Mid-Hudson Energy Transition, where she built a first-of-its-kind loan program to finance renewable energy and efficiency upgrades for low-income homeowners in the Hudson Valley. Her path into sustainability wasn't linear: she spent nine years at Google managing large-scale vendor operations and customer-facing programs across seven product areas, including a digital literacy initiative that reached over 60,000 new internet users in rural India. She navigated a deliberate pivot into climate work, first through an MPA in Environmental Sciences and Policy at Columbia SIPA, a capstone project with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, followed by a series of roles spanning clean mobility and renewable energy at Ourbus Inc (landing their first electric bus pilot) and Fram Energy (securing the American Made Solar prize).

Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2026

Time: 6:30-8:00 PM

Location: Hafele America Co.

20 W 22nd St, 2nd floor, New York, NY 10010

Doors open at 6:15 PM and refreshments will be served!

To respect the time of our panelists and guests, the event will begin promptly at 6:30pm. There will also be an opportunity for networking after the event.

If you have any questions, please contact the GreenHomeNYC Green Careers group at greencareers@greenhomenyc.org.