With two decades of experience as a solutions-oriented advocate and specialist regarding climate, clean energy and nature-related policies, practices and investments, Sue serves as Climate Finance Advisor to Christiana Figueres at Global Optimism. In this role, she works to drive ambition of the UN-convened Net Zero Asset Owner Alliance, helps guide implementation of the Finance Sector Deforestation Action Initiative, catalyzes action to scale investment in climate solutions globally, and supports implementation of The Climate Pledge – a leadership opportunity for companies committed to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040.
Sue previously served as co-lead of the COP26 High Level Champions Finance Team, where she worked to catalyze finance sector uptake of robust commitments and actions aligned with achieving net zero emissions. She also served as Vice President of Climate & Energy at Ceres, where she helped lead the development and implementation of Climate Action 100+ geared toward mobilizing private sector action consistent with limiting global temperature rise to no more than 1.5C.
Before joining Ceres, Sue served as Vice President and Massachusetts Advocacy Center Director at the Conservation Law Foundation where she spearheaded efforts to secure some of the strongest climate and clean energy policies in the U.S., including groundbreaking science-based bioenergy carbon accounting standards, and led a litigation team that secured the shut-down of several aging coal plants. Sue also previously worked as an intellectual property litigation attorney in Silicon Valley and Boston, and has taught Climate Law as adjunct faculty at Boston College Law School.
