Sustainability is too ambiguous. Our podcast defines it.
Jay Siegel & Scott Breen started the Sustainability Defined podcast out of their shared passions for the environment, good conversation, and – of course – bad jokes. Since meeting at a DC happy hour in Spring 2016, the operation has grown from a spreadsheet of personal sustainability contacts to an acclaimed podcast that's downloaded in over 100 countries, included on course curricula at universities across the US, and regularly listed as one of GreenBiz’s top sustainability podcasts.
Currently, Nethra & Cecilia co-host the podcast - We hope you dig it!
Voices
Nethra Rajendran
Nethra is a storyteller, sustainability strategist, and self-proclaimed climate chef passionate about building community and humanizing climate conversations. She is the Co-Chair of Programming for DC Climate Week, curating immersive events that unite thousands of changemakers. Formerly Corporate Sustainability Manager at GreenBiz, she led content strategy for major conferences and founded the company’s first AAPI employee resource group.
Combining her love for sustainability and food, Nethra earned a diploma in Plant-Based Culinary Arts from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. Through her project, Lucky Three Eats, she hosts supper clubs and climate cafes that explore how food can nourish both people and planet in NYC and beyond.
Cecilia Rios
Cecilia is a passionate advocate for the planet, currently pursuing her Master of Science in Environment and Sustainability Management at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business. As a Student Consultant for Zero Waste Solutions, Inc., she’s led waste audits and developed food waste prevention programs at DCA and IAD airports.
Driven by a deep commitment to tackling the “wicked problem” of climate change, Cecilia brings both strategic thinking and heart to everything she does. She earned her B.A. in Environmental Science from Baylor University (Sic ’Em!), with minors in Earth Science and Business Administration. When she’s not diving into sustainability work, you can find her on a hiking trail—Sedona, Arizona is her favorite adventure so far.
Founders
Jay Siegel
Jay is an urbanist, an environmentalist, and (occasionally) a humorist. Focusing his career on financial and environmental sustainability, Jay is driven by communicating the “big picture” of sustainability to spur action towards a more resilient future. He likes live music and the feeling of importance he gets when hearing his own voice through a podcast.
Jay received his B.A. from the University of Michigan (Go Blue!) and his Master's of Urban Planning from Cornell University.
Scott Breen
Scott is Vice President of Sustainability at the Can Manufacturers Institute, which represents U.S. metal can manufacturers and their suppliers. He is often described as a "funny Spock" with his combination of logic and jokes. He enjoys college hoops and bike riding everywhere, as well as jogging around Washington, D.C. picking up aluminum beverage cans to recycle as he runs.
Scott received his B.A. from Georgetown University and his J.D./M.P.A. from Indiana University.
Research
Taylor Price
Taylor (she/her) is the Senior Manager for Global Sustainability at Aptar where she works to support sustainability in all areas. Within this role, she focuses on sustainability communication, engaging stakeholders on sustainability and ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) topics, and helps set company strategy. When she is not saving the world at her 9-to-5, she is listening to podcasts, eating at local restaurants, or drinking a latte. She is also, not so secretly, obsessed with sea turtles.
Taylor received her B.A. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her Master of Environmental Management (MEM) degree from Duke University. (Yes, there is a lot of college basketball to watch in her house!)
Adrienne Breen
Adrienne holds a Master’s degree from Northwestern University in English Education. She is a former middle and high school language arts/English teacher for the Chicago Public Schools. She also has an extensive background in educational sales and currently freelances for an educational editorial development house. Adrienne is honored to serves as a trusted researcher and text editor for our podcasts.
She lives in suburban Chicago and is proud to be the LMITW. Extra points if you can figure out what the LMITW acronym means given that Adrienne happens to be Scott's mom!
Audio
Keaton Butler
Keaton is an audio engineer, musician, and unwavering advocate for pineapple on pizza. Her interest in sustainability and the environment grew out of childhood camping trips and partnering with her dad on the podcast, “How to Stop Climate Change". Keaton is also a co-founder of Audio Snack, a custom music and jingle house specializing in made-to-order music for podcasts and videos. When she's not playing cello, guitar, or fronting one of her three bands, Keaton is playing cello, guitar, or fronting one of her three bands.
Design
Lisa Pesok
Lisa is a mechanical engineer and designer, passionate about sustainability and podcasts! As a native New Yorker, she's curious about the urban landscape and architecture around her, so she's almost always looking up and blending in with the tourists...with a 99% chance there's a podcast going off in her headphones (and a super high chance that it's Sustainability Defined).
Lisa received her B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Stony Brook University
Jay Siegel & Scott Breen