Climate Corps Spotlight: Rebekah Lee

The Climate Corps team would like to highlight our partners at Pierce College and recent Climate Corps alumni, Rebekah Lee, from our inaugural BEACON Fellowship cohort.

Based in Lakewood, Washington, Pierce College is committed to building a more sustainable and resilient future through campus operations, environmental stewardship, and long-term institutional planning. As a BEACON host site, Pierce College partnered with SEI’s Climate Corps program to expand its sustainability efforts, and create meaningful opportunities for professionals entering the climate workforce.

Dr. Kristen Curiale, District Director of Facilities & Operations at Pierce College, highlights the power of this collaboration: “Participation in the Climate Corps program supports the college’s ongoing investment in sustainability, innovation, and institutional resilience. The program has helped strengthen our sustainability initiatives and build capacity to support long-term environmental stewardship.”

As a BEACON Fellow at Pierce College, Alumni Rebekah Lee supported projects that advanced both campus sustainability goals and statewide climate initiatives. During her fellowship, she contributed to advancing Clean Buildings Performance Standards (CBPS) compliance, refrigerant management compliance efforts, launching an organic waste management program, and securing a grant for an EV charging site design study.

                           From Fellow to Leader: BEACON Fellowship alumni Rebekah Lee, who was recently
                                                          hired as the District Energy Manager at Pierce College.

Recognizing the value of her achievements, Pierce College didn't hesitate to hire her full-time as their new District Energy Manager, where she now leads environmental compliance initiatives, sustainability projects, and energy management efforts across the district.

"It is incredibly rewarding to be able to follow through on the projects and initiatives that I started during my fellowship," Rebekah shared. "I am so grateful to be able to work with the same team who has guided my professional development over the past year."

For Rebekah, the fellowship was an opportunity to grow beyond her previous experience and develop skills she hadn’t expected: "The BEACON fellowship pushed me to grow professionally in skills I had not anticipated. The variety of experiences and responsibilities made me more resilient and flexible, and gave me confidence in my problem-solving abilities."

Her continued work at Pierce College reflects the lasting impact of investing in sustainability talent creating opportunities for emerging professionals while helping organizations advance meaningful climate action.