Seventeen years ago, I came to the San Francisco Bay Area with a passion for places—natural landscapes, farms and ranches, and cities and towns. I also had a passion for public policy and a firm belief that policies, plans, and funding decisions—when done right—can ensure we treat the places we live, work, and play in ways that create a sustainable, equitable, and thriving metropolitan region of which everyone can be proud. When I came to the Bay Area, I was so very lucky to join Greenbelt Alliance, an organization that fit my passions perfectly, as its Field Director. In 2008, I was honored and humbled with the opportunity to become the leader of Greenbelt Alliance.
I saw being Greenbelt Alliance’s CEO as a dream job, and it has been the most amazing professional experience I could have ever imagined. Now, after all these years, it is time for me to start another adventure.
In a few weeks, I will be joining the staff of the Energy Foundation. The Energy Foundation, based here in San Francisco, promotes the transition to a sustainable energy future. The Energy Foundation is a partnership of leading foundations that operates primarily as a grant-maker. I will be taking on a new role within the foundation—Program Director, Public Engagement. In this role, I will be charged with advancing strategies and activities across the nation that will result in a broad-based, durable network of stakeholders that supports energy efficiency, renewables, and other strategies that accelerate the transition to a clean energy economy. Just a quick scan of the news and it’s clear that there are few things more important today than advancing clean energy and reducing our carbon impact. I consider myself extremely lucky that I will be working at the heart of this effort.
While I am incredibly excited about this new challenge, leaving Greenbelt Alliance is extraordinarily hard. Leading Greenbelt Alliance still is a dream job in my mind but, again, it is time for me to take on a new challenge. I will be at Greenbelt Alliance through mid-February. After that, I am going to enjoy being an enthusiastic supporter of Greenbelt Alliance as the organization continues to work, in ways nobody else can, to shape the rules that govern growth here in the Bay Area.
I want to thank everyone who has helped me make this experience simply incredible.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Madsen, CEO
A Note from Anu Natarajan, Board Chair of Greenbelt Alliance
I want to congratulate Jeremy on his new opportunity to work with the Energy Foundation–it is a job that is tailor-made to fit his skills and passion. The Energy Foundation is lucky to have him join their team.
Jeremy has ably led Greenbelt Alliance for these last 10 years. While he will truly be missed, Greenbelt Alliance is fortunate to have a resilient and talented staff team and an amazing group of individuals that form our Board of Directors. This team will lead Greenbelt Alliance through this transition, and even though we will feel Jeremy’s absence, I am confident in saying that our important work for this incredible region will go on without missing a beat.
In the coming weeks, we will bring on an interim CEO to help us steer Greenbelt Alliance on the clear course that Jeremy, the rest of the staff, and the Board have set for the organization. In the coming months, after a thorough search, we will announce our new CEO. I firmly believe that, as we navigate our way through this transition and into the future, Greenbelt Alliance will be just as strong, if not stronger, than it is today.
Thank you all for your support of Greenbelt Alliance and our critical work for the San Francisco Bay Area.
