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Alison Wise

BIO: Alison Wise, Director of Career Services

Alison Wise, director of career services at Ecotech Institute, brings more than eighteen years devoted to working on environmental and socially responsible business and policy issues. Alison is recognized for her proficiency in building strategies around clean economic development, melding stakeholder engagement with social media, and visualization tools for regional perspectives and planning. In her role, Alison has shifted gears from her recent analytical positions to apply her knowledge towards building the bridge between students and the growing cleantech workforce. She is responsible for managing the Career Services Center and helping place students in applicable jobs based on their education. She will provide counseling and vocational guidance to students and graduates, and serve as a liaison between local and national employers and Ecotech Institute. Before joining Ecotech Institute, Alison was a senior strategic analyst at NREL (National Renewable Energy Lab) in Golden, Colorado. Her analysis expertise was in renewable markets and private sector investments, public policy and market/corporate policy; her primary research interests included renewable energy and renewable fuels competitiveness, best practices for incentivizing renewable energy and renewable fuels, emerging markets for renewable technologies and emerging infrastructure issues, climate issues, and carbon and renewable market development. Alison is also Co-Chair for the Clean Economy Network (CEN) – Rockies. CEN is the national advocacy association for the cleantech and green business community and works at the intersection of politics, policy and business to develop and advocate for policies and programs, catalyze clean development and create green jobs. Her affiliation with this organization, in tandem with her deep well of knowledge, once again positions Alison as a leader in helping Ecotech Institute students find meaningful careers. Previously, Alison was a senior research consultant at Clean Edge, Inc., a senior advisor and director of business development & public policy at Future 500, and founder at Sea Change Sustainable Business Interest Group. Sea Change was one of the first organizations that directly advocated for policies that would give environmentally sustainable businesses and business practices a competitive advantage in the marketplace. Alison also gained business and advocacy experience in positions at Progressive Asset Management, Washington Public Interest Research Group, Deep E Co, Right to Pride/Human Rights Campaign and Oregon Public Interest Research Group. Alison received her master’s of business administration from the University of Oregon, and a bachelor’s of arts in history and biology from Reed College.