Higher education is one of the most overlooked pathways into sustainability work, and one of the most accessible for professionals at every stage.

In this episode I sit down with Ryan McPherson, Chief Sustainability Officer at the University at Buffalo, for a conversation about how his career evolved into sustainability leadership, why informational interviews are still one of the most underutilized tools in the job search, and how to leverage your institutional networks to open doors that cold applications never will.

Ryan brings a grounded, practical perspective on what sustainability work actually looks like inside a major research university, and what both early-career professionals and seasoned practitioners need to hear if they're thinking about making a move into this space.

If you've never considered higher education as a home for your environmental career, this episode will change that.

🗺️ Get the Green Pivot Map - FreeFeeling pulled toward environmental or climate work but not sure where to start? I created a simple 90-day framework to help you reposition your existing skills and take intentional steps toward a career that actually fits.

Grab your free copy at josealmanzaresq.com or message me "PIVOT" on LinkedIn.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Introduction03:10 Childhood and early environmental interests06:11 Early career10:09 Sustainability work at University at Buffalo22:55 Advice for early career professionals30:10 Advice for seasoned professionals35:35 Resources40:30 Final words

📚 Resources Mentioned:🏛️ UB Sustainability: buffalo.edu/sustainability.html📰 NY Times Climate Forward: nytimes.com/column/climate-fwd🌿 GreenBiz: greenbiz.com🎙️ Rich Roll Podcast: richroll.com/all-episodes/

🔗 Connect with Ryan!💼 LinkedIn: /ryan-a-mcpherson-212a0218/

🔗 Connect with Jose!💼 LinkedIn: /jose-almanzar-esq📷 Instagram: @jose_environmental_attorney🔗 Website: josealmanzaresq.com

🎵 Music Credit - Kwae:📷 Instagram: @kwaemusic

🎨 Logo Credit - Leo:📷 Instagram: @logic9uy_art

🎙️ About Green Collar CareersGreen Collar Careers is a podcast and newsletter for professionals who feel pulled toward environmental or climate work but aren't sure how to make the move. Each episode features honest conversations with people who have built meaningful careers in this space and the practical lessons they learned along the way. Hosted by Jose Almanzar, environmental attorney and former environmental scientist.

🔎 Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.📩 Subscribe to the newsletter at josealmanzaresq.com

📢 DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this podcast constitutes legal advice. This podcast is not attorney advertising. Nothing said in this podcast is endorsed by the podcast host, their guests, or their employers. The views expressed by the podcast host and their guests are their own and do not reflect the opinions of their employers. By listening to this podcast, the listener is not entering into an attorney-client relationship or any other relationship with the host or their guests.

What does it take to decarbonize our economy and how do you build a career at the center of that work?

In this episode I sit down with Evan van Hook, Chief Sustainability Officer at Viridi, for a conversation about battery storage, the real challenges of decarbonization, and what he calls finding your "Happy Place"...the intersection of what you're good at, what you care about, and where the work actually needs to be done.

Evan brings decades of experience navigating the environmental and sustainability space and offers some of the most grounded career advice you'll hear - for students just starting out and experienced professionals ready to make a move.

If you're trying to figure out where you fit in the clean energy transition, this one will help you find your direction.

🗺️ Get the Green Pivot Map - FreeFeeling pulled toward environmental or climate work but not sure where to start? I created a simple 90-day framework to help you reposition your existing skills and take intentional steps toward a career that actually fits.

Grab your free copy at josealmanzaresq.com or message me "PIVOT" on LinkedIn.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Introduction02:15 Background12:40 Mobilizing for environmental work20:45 Finding your happy place26:30 What does a Chief Sustainability Officer actually do?38:00 Advice for students40:00 Advice for experienced professionals43:45 Resources44:15 Final words

🔗 Connect with Evan!💼 LinkedIn: /d-evan-van-hook-167aa8228/

🔗 Connect with Jose!💼 LinkedIn: /jose-almanzar-esq📷 Instagram: @jose_environmental_attorney🔗 Website: josealmanzaresq.com

🎵 Music Credit - Kwae:📷 Instagram: @kwaemusic

🎨 Logo Credit - Leo:📷 Instagram: @logic9uy_art

🎙️ About Green Collar CareersGreen Collar Careers is a podcast and newsletter for professionals who feel pulled toward environmental or climate work but aren't sure how to make the move. Each episode features honest conversations with people who have built meaningful careers in this space and the practical lessons they learned along the way. Hosted by Jose Almanzar, environmental attorney and former environmental scientist.

🔎 Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.📩 Subscribe to the newsletter at josealmanzaresq.com

📢 DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this podcast constitutes legal advice. This podcast is not attorney advertising. Nothing said in this podcast is endorsed by the podcast host, their guests, or their employers. The views expressed by the podcast host and their guests are their own and do not reflect the opinions of their employers. By listening to this podcast, the listener is not entering into an attorney-client relationship or any other relationship with the host or their guests.

What does it actually look like to build an environmental law career inside a major corporation, and what does it take to get there?

In this episode I sit down with Jonathan Nwagbaraocha, in-house Environmental, Health and Safety Counsel at Xerox, for a conversation about his journey into corporate environmental law, what skills matter most when you're starting out, and what both recent grads and experienced professionals need to know if they want to break into this space.

Jonathan brings a grounded, practical perspective on building a green and EHS career from the inside - the networking moves that actually work, how to stay flexible early in your career, and why confidence in your existing skills matters more than you think.

If you're wondering whether corporate America is a viable path for meaningful environmental work, this one will change how you think about it.

🗺️ Get the Green Pivot Map - FreeFeeling pulled toward environmental or climate work but not sure where to start? I created a simple 90-day framework to help you reposition your existing skills and take intentional steps toward a career that actually fits.

Grab your free copy at josealmanzaresq.com or message me "PIVOT" on LinkedIn.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Introduction05:30 Educational background06:25 Initial environmental interests08:45 Early career15:50 Getting to Xerox17:45 Skills for green careers20:15 Advice for recent grads22:40 Building your network27:25 Advice for experienced professionals31:10 Additional resources33:20 Final words

📚 Resources Mentioned:🌿 Green 2.0: diversegreen.org⚖️ ABA SEER Year in Review: americanbar.org/groups/environment_energy_resources/publications/year_in_review_home/

🔗 Connect with Jonathan!💼 LinkedIn: /jnwagbaraocha/

🔗 Connect with Jose!💼 LinkedIn: /jose-almanzar-esq📷 Instagram: @jose_environmental_attorney🔗 Website: josealmanzaresq dot com

🎵 Music Credit - Kwae:📷 Instagram: @kwaemusic

🎨 Logo Credit - Leo:📷 Instagram: @logic9uy_art

🎙️ About Green Collar CareersGreen Collar Careers is a podcast and newsletter for professionals who feel pulled toward environmental or climate work but aren't sure how to make the move. Each episode features honest conversations with people who have built meaningful careers in this space and the practical lessons they learned along the way. Hosted by Jose Almanzar, environmental attorney and former environmental scientist.

🔎 Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.📩 Subscribe to the newsletter at josealmanzaresq.com

📢 DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this podcast constitutes legal advice. This podcast is not attorney advertising. Nothing said in this podcast is endorsed by the podcast host, their guests, or their employers. The views expressed by the podcast host and their guests are their own and do not reflect the opinions of their employers. By listening to this podcast, the listener is not entering into an attorney-client relationship or any other relationship with the host or their guests.

What if the key to finding your green career wasn't more credentials - but finally getting clear on what you actually love to do?

In this episode I sit down with Lauren Celano, founder and CEO of Propel Careers, a life science search and career development firm, for a conversation about how the skills and lessons from life sciences translate directly into environmental and climate work, and what it actually takes to land the job you want.

Lauren has recruited for dozens of the nation's most innovative life sciences organizations and coached thousands of students, postdocs, and professionals to advance their careers. She brings a level of practical clarity to the job search that most career advice completely misses.

We get into her background, how life sciences and environmental work intersect, the concept of building your personal "board of advisors," how to do cold outreach that actually gets responses, and an exercise she calls "loved it/loathed it" that helps you figure out what you're actually meant to be doing.

If you've ever felt unclear about your direction or stuck in a job search that isn't moving, this one is for you.

🗺️ Get the Green Pivot Map — FreeFeeling pulled toward environmental or climate work but not sure where to start? I created a simple 90-day framework to help you reposition your existing skills and take intentional steps toward a career that actually fits.

Grab your free copy at josealmanzaresq.com or message me "PIVOT" on LinkedIn.

🔗 Connect with Lauren!💼 LinkedIn: /laurencelano/

🔗 Connect with Jose!💼 LinkedIn: /jose-almanzar-esq🔗 Website: josealmanzaresq dot com

📷 Instagram: @jose_environmental_attorney

🎵 Music Credit - Kwae:📷 Instagram: @kwaemusic

🎨 Logo Credit - Leo:📷 Instagram: @logic9uy_art

🎙️ About Green Collar CareersGreen Collar Careers is a podcast and newsletter for professionals who feel pulled toward environmental or climate work but aren't sure how to make the move. Each episode features honest conversations with people who have built meaningful careers in this space and the practical lessons they learned along the way. Hosted by Jose Almanzar, environmental attorney and former environmental scientist.

🔎 Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.📩 Subscribe to the newsletter at josealmanzaresq.com

📢 DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this podcast constitutes legal advice. This podcast is not attorney advertising. Nothing said in this podcast is endorsed by the podcast host, their guests, or their employers. The views expressed by the podcast host and their guests are their own and do not reflect the opinions of their employers. By listening to this podcast, the listener is not entering into an attorney-client relationship or any other relationship with the host or their guests.

What does it look like to build a legal career entirely around ESG and corporate sustainability? And how do you get there when your path isn't straight?

In this episode I sit down with Christine Uri, Chief Legal Officer, Chief Sustainability Officer, and one of LinkedIn's Top 100 Voices in ESG, for a conversation about her non-linear path to law, what it actually means to help companies navigate the legal risks of climate change, and the practical strategies green job seekers need to hear.

Christine has spent 15+ years advising startups, tech companies, nonprofits, and global enterprises on corporate sustainability strategy, ESG legal risk, and everything in between. She's one of the most prolific voices in this space and brings a level of clarity and candor that cuts through the noise.

We get into her less-than-direct path to the practice of law, what ESG work actually looks like day to day, how she helps companies turn sustainability commitments into real strategy, and why purposeful action matters more than the perfect plan.

If you're a lawyer or legal professional wondering whether there's a path into ESG and sustainability work, this one is essential listening.

🗺️ Get the Green Pivot Map - FreeFeeling pulled toward environmental or climate work but not sure where to start? I created a simple 90-day framework to help you reposition your existing skills and take intentional steps toward a career that actually fits.

Grab your free copy at josealmanzaresq.com or message me "PIVOT" on LinkedIn.

🔗 Connect with Christine!💼 LinkedIn: /in/christineuri/

🔗 Connect with Jose!💼 LinkedIn: /jose-almanzar-esq📷 Instagram: @jose_environmental_attorney🔗 Website: josealmanzaresq.com

🎵 Music Credit - Kwae:📷 Instagram: @kwaemusic

🎨 Logo Credit - Leo:📷 Instagram: @logic9uy_art

🎙️ About Green Collar CareersGreen Collar Careers is a podcast and newsletter for professionals who feel pulled toward environmental or climate work but aren't sure how to make the move. Each episode features honest conversations with people who have built meaningful careers in this space and the practical lessons they learned along the way. Hosted by Jose Almanzar, environmental attorney and former environmental scientist.

🔎 Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.📩 Subscribe to the newsletter at josealmanzaresq.com

📢 DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this podcast constitutes legal advice. This podcast is not attorney advertising. Nothing said in this podcast is endorsed by the podcast host, their guests, or their employers. The views expressed by the podcast host and their guests are their own and do not reflect the opinions of their employers. By listening to this podcast, the listener is not entering into an attorney-client relationship or any other relationship with the host or their guests.

What does a 25-year career in environmental consulting actually look like? And what does it take to break in?

In this episode I sit down with Mark Johnson, Senior Principal at Geosyntec Consultants, for a conversation about what environmental engineers actually do, why the environmental career field is more diverse than most people realize, and what he looks for when interviewing candidates for his firm.

Mark has spent over two decades specializing in environmental management, due diligence, and site investigations across commercial, industrial, and public sector industries. He brings a level of experience and candor that you don't often hear in career conversations.

We get into his educational and professional background, what drew him to environmental work, the intangible qualities that separate candidates who get hired from those who don't, and his "Goldilocks Approach" to finding the right fit in this field, which is worth the listen alone.

If you're considering environmental engineering or consulting as a career path, this is the episode to start with.

🗺️ Get the Green Pivot Map - FreeFeeling pulled toward environmental or climate work but not sure where to start? I created a simple 90-day framework to help you reposition your existing skills and take intentional steps toward a career that actually fits.

Grab your free copy at josealmanzaresq.com or message me "PIVOT" on LinkedIn.

🔗 Connect with Mark!💼 LinkedIn: Mark Johnson, PE — Geosyntec Consultants

🔗 Connect with Jose!💼 LinkedIn: /jose-almanzar-esq📷 Instagram: @jose_environmental_attorney

🔗 Website: josealmanzaresq.com

🎵 Music Credit - Kwae:📷 Instagram: @kwaemusic

🎨 Logo Credit - Leo:📷 Instagram: @logic9uy_art

🎙️ About Green Collar CareersGreen Collar Careers is a podcast and newsletter for professionals who feel pulled toward environmental or climate work but aren't sure how to make the move. Each episode features honest conversations with people who have built meaningful careers in this space and the practical lessons they learned along the way. Hosted by Jose Almanzar, environmental attorney and former environmental scientist.

🔎 Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

📩 Subscribe to the newsletter at josealmanzaresq.com

📢 DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this podcast constitutes legal advice. This podcast is not attorney advertising. Nothing said in this podcast is endorsed by the podcast host, their guests, or their employers. The views expressed by the podcast host and their guests are their own and do not reflect the opinions of their employers. By listening to this podcast, the listener is not entering into an attorney-client relationship or any other relationship with the host or their guests.

The environmental and climate fields are among the least racially and ethnically diverse across all disciplines. Cristina Garcia decided to do something about it.

In this episode I sit down with Cristina Garcia, founder of Latinxs in Sustainability, Queens native, and environmental engineer, for a conversation about what it actually takes to build pathways for underrepresented professionals into the green economy, why the degree alone doesn't open doors, and what she'd tell any first-generation professional who feels like this space wasn't built for them.

We get into her journey from civil engineering to environmental work after watching An Inconvenient Truth, the real barriers diverse professionals face when trying to break in, why luck shouldn't be the deciding factor in who gets a foot in the door, and the practical steps - communities, certifications, cover letters - that actually move the needle.

If you've ever felt like the green careers space wasn't meant for someone like you, this one's for you.

🗺️ Get the Green Pivot Map - FreeFeeling pulled toward environmental or climate work but not sure where to start? I created a simple 90-day framework to help you reposition your existing skills and take intentional steps toward a career that actually fits.

Grab your free copy at josealmanzaresq.com or message me "PIVOT" on LinkedIn.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Introduction

01:00 Meet Cristina Garcia, founder of Latinxs in Sustainability

02:57 Background and educational journey

04:27 The An Inconvenient Truth moment that changed everything

11:40 Graduating with degrees but still struggling to get in

18:09 Landing at the NYC Mayor's Office of Sustainability

19:05 Why is it so hard to break into this space?21:10 The CUNY bias problem

22:54 Unpaid internships and who gets left out

25:17 Actionable advice: seek community first

27:39 Free certifications that make your resume stand out

31:22 Advice for mid-career professionals looking to pivot

36:55 Resources: Latinxs in Sustainability, Brown Girl Green, WOCCS, YPE

39:00 Final words: find your seat at your table

🔗 Connect with Cristina & Latinxs in Sustainability!💼 LinkedIn: /cristina-garcia-cem-a9bb1686/

🌱 Website: latinxsinsustainability.org

🔗 Connect with Jose!💼 LinkedIn: /jose-almanzar-esq📷 Instagram: @jose_environmental_attorney

🔗 Linktree: linktr.ee/jalmanzar

🔗 Website: josealmanzaresq.com

🎵 Music Credit - Kwae:📷 Instagram: @kwaemusic

🎨 Logo Credit - Leo:📷 Instagram: @logic9uy_art

🎙️ About Green Collar CareersGreen Collar Careers is a podcast and newsletter for professionals who feel pulled toward environmental or climate work but aren't sure how to make the move. Each episode features honest conversations with people who have built meaningful careers in this space and the practical lessons they learned along the way. Hosted by Jose Almanzar, environmental attorney and former environmental scientist.

🔎 Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

📩 Subscribe to the newsletter at josealmanzaresq.com

📢 DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this podcast constitutes legal advice. This podcast is not attorney advertising. Nothing said in this podcast is endorsed by the podcast host, their guests, or their employers. The views expressed by the podcast host and their guests are their own and do not reflect the opinions of their employers. By listening to this podcast, the listener is not entering into an attorney-client relationship or any other relationship with the host or their guests.

What does it look like to bring sustainability into a corporate legal role - from the inside?

In this first episode of Green Collar Careers, I sit down with Kim Alcantara, Head of Legal at BetVictor, a UK-based online betting platform, for a conversation about how she built a career at the intersection of law and sustainability, what it actually looks like to incorporate environmental best practices into corporate operations, and what she'd tell anyone looking to do the same.

If you've ever wondered whether you can make an environmental impact from inside a corporate role - this one's for you.

🗺️ Get the Green Pivot Map - FreeFeeling pulled toward environmental or climate work but not sure where to start? I created a simple 90-day framework to help you reposition your existing skills and take intentional steps toward a career that actually fits.

Grab your free copy at josealmanzaresq.com or message me "PIVOT" on LinkedIn.

🔗 Connect with Kim!💼 LinkedIn: /kim-alcantara-26ab9a36/

🔗 Connect with Jose!💼 LinkedIn: /jose-almanzar-esq📷 Instagram: @jose_environmental_attorney

🔗Website: josealmanzaresq.com

🔗 Linktree: linktr.ee/jalmanzar

🎵 Music Credit - Kwae:📷 Instagram: @kwaemusic

🎨 Logo Credit - Leo:📷 Instagram: @logic9uy_art

🎙️ About Green Collar CareersGreen Collar Careers is a podcast and newsletter for professionals who feel pulled toward environmental or climate work but aren't sure how to make the move. Each episode features honest conversations with people who have built meaningful careers in this space and the practical lessons they learned along the way. Hosted by Jose Almanzar, environmental attorney and former environmental scientist.

🔎 Find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

📩 Subscribe to the newsletter at josealmanzaresq.com

📢 DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this podcast constitutes legal advice. This podcast is not attorney advertising. Nothing said in this podcast is endorsed by the podcast host, their guests, or their employers. The views expressed by the podcast host and their guests are their own and do not reflect the opinions of their employers. By listening to this podcast, the listener is not entering into an attorney-client relationship or any other relationship with the host or their guests.

Welcome to Green Collar Careers.

I'm Jose Almanzar - environmental attorney, former environmental scientist, and someone who has spent 20+ years building a career at the intersection of law, science, and purpose.

This podcast exists for one reason: too many professionals feel pulled toward environmental or climate work but don't know how to make the move without starting over. I built this to change that.

Each episode I sit down with people who have built meaningful careers in this space - attorneys, scientists, communicators, engineers, and career changers - to hear how they got there, what they learned, and what they'd tell someone just starting out.

You don't need to start over. You need to reposition.

This 5-minute clip gives you a preview of what to expect.

Subscribe so you don't miss an episode.

About Jose Almanzar:Environmental attorney at Holland & Knight LLP, former environmental scientist, and host of Green Collar Careers. Born in the Dominican Republic, raised in New York City, and committed to helping professionals find their place in the environmental and climate space.