PROFILE
Progressive leader in policies related to Climate, Energy, Environment and Ecological Economics, with legislative credentials at the forefront of enlightened policies to drive global environmental responsibility while proactively enhancing U.S. competitiveness.
Seasoned business professional, with broad experience in both consulting and executive roles and critical expertise in the arenas of corporate responsibility: transparency, diversity, sustainability and philanthropy.
Dynamic communicator, with extensive experience speaking and writing to diverse audiences worldwide, with the proven ability to convey highly technical concepts to both lay and expert stakeholders.
Visionary strategist, with a well-established track record as an early-adopter and effective advocate for environmental, economic, business and political trends at the national and international level.
Responsible world citizen, with a clear commitment to social justice and economic health in the developing world, coupled with the innate ability to build bridges of understanding across cultures.
CAREER DETAILS
1996 To Present – Independent Consultant
Responsibilities/accomplishments
- Nominated by the U.S. EPA for their Global Climate Protection Award for 2007
- Provides specialized consultation services encompassing strategic planning, futures scenario design, organizational development, marketing and communications.
- Singlehandedly recruited more than 50 Fortune 500/100 corporations to reduce their green house gases and commit to contractual targets. A sampling includes a variety of business sectors; Raytheon, United Technologies, Target, Tyson's Foods, CitiGroup, Sun MicroSystems, HSBC Bank, Johnson Controls, Coors, Roche, Staples.
- Organized 30 of the world's leading solar manufacturers (BP, Sanyo, Sharp, etc.) installers and integrators into the Solar Alliance; built a consensus around the 4 policy goals needed to expand solar in the states; engaged 10 state governments to commit to solar expansion through specific policy changes; hosted the first solar briefing for the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners.
- Developed a strategic plan for the country's oldest and most respected certification program for ‘green builders'; defined a sales & marketing plan and began implementation by pursuing two states and one major city to include certification as a requirement for state and local green building projects and retrofits.; designed criteria and a plan for international expansion; did a Board of Directors analysis and made recommendations for expansion, incentivizing participation, and increased financial support.
- Worked with the Department of Energy and the Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) industries to develop an educational communications effort with utilities and the public about the cost/benefits of concentrating solar power (CSP) generation.
- Serves on the Board of Mohawk Paper
- Serves on the Board of Wilder Hill New Energy Global Innovation Index Fund. It was the first global renewable energy index fund.
- Served as an Advisor on Risk & Responsibility & Climate to the Board of National Grid one of the largest top ten utilities recognized for Corporate Social Responsibility leadership
- Initiated the Artemis Project which identified the economic and medicinal value of biological diversity in the United States.
- Served as the Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the U.S. Commission for the U.N. – a non-profit group dedicated to educating the American people about the workings of the United Nations.
- Founding Member of Project Vote Smart – a voter education non-profit
- Previous Non-Profit Board Service included, but not limited to: Union of Concerned Scientists, The Committee for the National Institutes for the Environment, The Global Assembly of Women, Parliamentarians for Global Action *Conference Chair), International Institute for Ecological Economics, the Renewable Energy Policy Project
- Current Non-Profit Involvement - Board of Trustees of the American Solar Energy Society, the Climate Institute, TERI (Indian), and the Center for Resource Solutions.
2000 to 2002
Export-Import Bank Advisor on Renewable Energy Policy. Provided creative leadership on policy design to encourage development of renewable energy, assist sustainable growth in developing countries and foster collaborative ventures.
Senior Vice President - Econergy International Corporation – A multi-service consulting firm that provides sustainable design, engineering, financial and policy support to clients around the world. Secured an EPA contract for greenhouse gas reductions in the U.S.
1998 to 1999
Author & Lecturer Was the only American former elected official to be selected to contribute a chapter (on American consumption) to the book, "The Planetary Interest". The Rockefeller Foundation provided a grant to do a lecture tour to major cities around the U.S. and share insights about the issues that transcend nationalism.
1992-1995
Presidential Appointee- President Bill Clinton - Competitiveness Policy Council – a 12 member business-dominated council focused on enhancing U.S. productivity and consumer savings. Ms. Schneider had co-founded, with former CEO of Hew lit Packard, John Young, the Congressional Competitiveness Caucus. It hosted monthly invitations to CEOs to share recommendations with the Congress about government policies would enhance their sector's competitive advantage.
1991 to 1996
Co-Founder & Senior Vice President Energia Global – an energy efficiency and renewable energy development company exporting services and technology to Central and South America. Developed a market research plan that included identifying bi-lingual engineers, currency and technology accessibility and identifying relevant foreign government agencies. Was instrumental in forming a joint venture with the former President of Costa Rica and in securing support from the Inter-American Development Bank for energy infrastructure work in Nicaragua & El Salvador. The company had a ten year exit strategy which it successfully executed in its sale to one of the world's largest (at that time) renewable energy companies.
1991 to Spring Semester
Distinguished Fellow - John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. Taught Leadership and Public Policy. Worked on Harvard's biotechnology task force focused on bridging the university and business sectors. Provided leadership training seminars at Brown University, American University, Rutgers, the University of Southern California, Salve Regina College and Muskingham College.
1980-1990
United States House of Representatives, Washington, D.C.
Accomplishments include, but not limited to;
- U.S. Representative (R-R.I.) Was the first woman ever elected to a major political office in Rhode Island; the first Republican in decades and in a district where the registration was 15 to one, democrats to republicans. One of the youngest members in Congress. Served on the Science, Research and Technology Committee, The Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee and the Select Committee on Aging.
- Authored and successfully passed into law many energy, environmental, international, health and gender-equity pieces of legislation.
- The first Appliance Efficiency Standards Act that led to the Energy Star rating system.
- Indoor Air Pollution Ban Act – which resulted in the EPA office of Indoor Air
- The Least Cost Utility Planning Act,
- The Demand-Side Management Act and the
- International Treaty on Biodiversity which President Ronald Regan signed.
- Authored the first and, to date, the only revenue neutral Global Warming Prevention Act -- a comprehensive bill that established a least-cost energy planning process throughout the federal government that would reduce green house gases while reducing costs to taxpayers.
- WOMEN'S ISSUES : Played a key role in developing the Economic Equity Act and the Pension Equity Act which initiated reforms related to pay equity, child care, pension reform, vocational education and infant mortality. Served on the Executive Committee of the Congressional Caucus on Women's Issues.
- Served in leadership positions in the Congressional Clearinghouse on the Future, The Northeast/Midwest Coalition and the New England Caucus
- Emmy Recipient – Her concern over deteriorating U.S./Soviet relations resulted in the first live and unedited satellite television transmission between Members of Congress and Members of the Supreme Soviet. The series emphasized the commonalities we had with our Cold War enemies at a time when the President was referring to them as the ‘Evil Empire'. This 5 part series of "Capitol to Capitol" was carried on ABC. With a Democratic House colleague, she conceived the program, raised the funds for a pilot, produced a 5 part series and starred in the segment on The Environment.
- As a Member of Congress, co-founded and was the co-chair of the Congressional Competitiveness Caucus which was the largest bi-cameral caucus in Congress. Along with John Young, then CEO of Hew lit Packard, she crafted a report calling for 10 legislative measures to improve the U.S. competitive position in the world. Under her leadership and working closely with the business community, all 10 measures were passed into law; (including access to global technologies, workplace training, science & math education)
- Authored and passed legislation enforcing a moratorium on Stripped Bass fishing
1979
TV Producer and Host
Produced and hosted a weekly TV program on the NBC affiliate in Providence R.I. She assembled business and labor leaders to discuss differences and resolve them on the air; explained, and her guest demonstrated the workings of acupuncture; illustrated the connection between human health and the health of the environment by documenting the practice of dumping wastes into the bay, the effect on shell fishing, and the resultant impact on human health – one of the highest cancer death rates in the country.
1978
First ran for the U.S. Congress
Despite having no prior experience in campaigns, succeeded in securing 48% of the vote.
1976 to 1977
Federal Coordinator of the Coastal Zone Management Program
1975 to 1977
Co-Founder & First Executive Director - the Conservation Law Foundation of R.I.
Co-Founder of the Rhode Island Committee on Energy
Both were non-profit organizations dedicated to protecting the environment and the public health. Successfully stopped many projects that threatened the public interest.
Addendum
International
- Conceived and co-produced the first live and unedited satellite television transmission between Members of Congress and Members of the Supreme Soviet in an Emmy winning series on ABC's Nightline.
- Since leaving Congress, represented the U.S. unofficially in many high level forums where I was asked to deliver a speech. Usually, I was the only American or often the only representative from the industrialized world. Some examples include;
- the World Health Organization's Meeting in Egypt on Women and Health:
- keynote at the 1995 Pan Asian Conference in the Philippines, on Climate Change, etc.
- Keynote in French to the Agence Francaise pour la Matrise de l'Energie
- Keynote at the International Workshop on Comparative Analysis Methodologies for New Energy Technologies in Toronto, Canada
- Keynote at the IEA/OECD Conference on Technology Policy for Sustainable Development, Netherlands
- Provided values-based leadership training to diplomats and government officials from 25 different developing nations gathered in Amman, Jordan. This was under the auspices of the United Nations Leadership Academy, during the 9/11 U.S. crisis.
- Interacted with Heads of State both as a member of Congress, and afterward. Topics focused on climate change, energy and the environment, ecological economics and women.
- Briefed Margaret Thatcher on Climate Change in 1989;
- Was part of a BBC special with Prince Charles and Al Gore, on Climate Change
- Met with President Arias of Costa Rica about planning for post Central American conflict;
- Initiated a meeting with President Moi of Kenya about one of his prisoners and human rights violations Invited to discuss Middle East tensions with the former Prime Minister of Jordan, after my presentation during the 9/11 crisis in the U.S.
- Briefed Margaret Thatcher on Climate Change in 1989;
- The only American invited to contribute to a book about our global challenges, "The Planetary Interest." The other contributors were foreign ministers or parliamentarians from 15 other nations. My chapter focused on U.S. consumption patterns. The Rockefeller Foundation later provided a grant to speak to the Councils of Foreign Relations around the U.S. to ‘awaken some understanding of the U.S.'s role in an increasingly interconnected world'.
- Served as the founding Co-Chair of the United States Committee for the United Nations Development Program. A voluntary initiative to again awaken Americans to our role in the world.
- Traveled to 52 countries and studied French, Spanish and Mandarin
MEDIA EXPOSURE
- Co-anchored the Clarence Thomas Senate Hearings for CNN
- Performed countless interviews with ABC, CBS, NBC, etc.
- Produced a hosted a weekly public affairs program on the NBC affiliate in Rhode Island
- Received an Emmy for the ABC series "Capitol to Capitol".
- Authored articles in numerous publications ranging from EPA Journal and the Environmental Law Reporter to the Christian Science Monitor and the Cousteau Society's ‘Calypso Log'.
- Contributed chapters in Robert Redford's Greenhouse Glasnost and to ‘In Search of Environmental Excellence' by Bruce Paisecki and Peter Asmus