Vanessa Gerber

black and white shot of Vanessa Gerber, smiling, long brown hair and wearing an open shirt.

Strategic Operations, East Bay Community Energy

Currently based in: Oakland, USA

MSc Environmental Change & Management (2015)

Talk to me about: Clean energy, Environment/sustainability, Climate, Public-private partnerships, Working for a startup, Working for a public agency

Vanessa Gerber is a clean energy professional with diverse and growing experiences in the industry. She currently works in a dynamic role at East Bay Community Energy, a local public agency serving clean electricity and providing innovative customer programs to the Bay Area’s Alameda County (includes places like UC Berkeley and the Tesla Factory in Fremont). Vanessa led the creation of the agency’s inaugural Strategic Plan and also works on other long-term and strategic initiatives, such as procuring large-scale renewable energy and energy storage projects, running the agency’s Supplier Diversity program, and thinking about how to make the transition to a low-carbon society equitable, accessible, and inclusive for all. Prior to joining EBCE, Vanessa worked in the building decarbonization space through her role running marketing and business development at a small startup providing financing for energy improvements for large buildings. In addition to holding an M.Sc. in Environmental Change & Management from Oxford (2015-16), Vanessa holds a B.S. in Conservation & Resource Studies from the University of California at Berkeley.

Advice to St Cross students: Remember to pause and look around every once in a while. Take stock of who and what is around you, what you’ve learned, and how you’ve grown. You will look back to your time at Oxford and St Cross fondly, so fill it up with as much sweetness and surprise as you can.

 

If you would like to be put in touch with Vanessa, please contact Annabelle at development@stx.ox.ac.uk