From City & State:
Katelyn O’Leary has been lucky enough to focus professionally on the issues that she feels most passionately about. “Climate change is that existential crisis we all face,” says the lobbyist, who specializes in energy and telecommunications. “We’re in a pivotal time where both government and the private sector have the opportunity to safeguard this planet for future generations.”
That intersection is where O’Leary comes in. As a vice president at The Parkside Group, she’s currently working on the $400 million state Environmental Protection Fund and other budget initiatives to finance New York’s progress toward clean energy goals.
The 30-year-old Fort Lauderdale, Florida, native jokes about the reverse trajectory that brought her to SUNY Oneonta for college. Inspired by the historical figures she revered as a child – Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy – “I always knew I wanted to get into government affairs,” she says. After studying politics, O’Leary made a beeline for Albany, taking roles in the state Senate and as a senior policy adviser for energy and environment in the Executive Chamber.
Working on public-private economic development collaborations proved excellent preparation for O’Leary’s current portfolio. On any given day, she might be championing policies to roll out electric vehicle charging across the state, or representing a power company in its quest for a renewable energy grid. “I realized you could stay inside or be outside government, working with groups that address climate change,” O’Leary says. “It’s exciting to do good work on both sides.”
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