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How to Find your Inner Climate Leader

Leadership can take several forms, as Embracing Resiliency keynote Rob Fleming explained.

Over the past few years, we’ve seen natural disasters manifesting as climate change from Hurricane to Katrina to Hurricane Sandy and the 2020 wildfires. Watching these events can make us feel helpless. But, you can create an impact on the climate crisis in a variety of forms.

How can you lead in the fight against the climate crisis?

Sure, you can be a CEO or start your own organization as an entrepreneur. However, being a leader takes many forms, with various risk levels from low to high.

Rob Fleming, Founding Director, Master of Science in Sustainable Design Program of Thomas Jefferson University gave a keynote about this topic during our Embracing Resiliency 2020 Virtual Symposium.

You could be a potential leader, donate, or volunteer as a low-risk leadership activity. Or, you could “vote with your dollar” in a green lifestyle.

You could try to create change from within an organization. It’s often low risk and low reward. (Editor’s note – I can attest to this, after discovering our employer was throwing away our recycling in 2008. After gathering a list of reasons why it would be good for the company and ready to march over to the CFO, I got shut down by my direct boss from even presenting it.)

You could work in a for-profit or non-profit as a leader, either as an executive or as a team member. Additionally, you could work within the government in sustainability.

Watch Rob’s full keynote here:

Want to learn more about how to be an inner leader? The Sustainability Leadership Certificate at Thomas Jefferson University prepares forward-thinking professionals to design and deliver sustainability initiatives in their current or future organizations. 

Find out more about this innovative program:

Cover Photo by Kiana Bosman on Unsplash


Julie Hancher

Julie Hancher is the co-founder and Executive Director of Green Philly, an independent media organization making sustainability accessible, affordable and actionable. Since launching Green Philly in 2008, she has grown it from a passion project into a leading voice for local climate storytelling, pairing impactful journalism with community events and experiences. Julie is a frequent speaker on climate, media innovation and the future of local journalism, and is the creator of SustainPHL and EcoFair. Outside of Green Philly, you can find her hiking, biking, traveling, or exploring Philadelphia.

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