Letter from SEI's Executive Director: Why a Strategic Plan and Why Now?
The impacts of climate change are here. Every year, our planet experiences increasingly catastrophic events, where people least responsible for climate pollution experience the greatest impacts. The need for innovation, education, and building resilience is greater than ever. With 25 years of experience as a leader and strategic partner in creating climate careers pathways in education and workforce development, SEI is in the privileged and unique position to respond to requests to advise similar programs developing nationwide.
In the next decade, thousands of environmental jobs will be created, driven by new climate policies and commitments. The volume of people needing to be educated and trained in sustainable practices will have a transformative impact on our planet, and SEI is eager to support and steer this transformation and build leaders to accelerate climate solutions.
To be in the strongest position to fulfill this mission, SEI has spent much of the last year undergoing a reorganization, affirming our vision, mission, and core values, while learning from the communities we partner with and serve. With the support of our insightful board and incredible staff, SEI is growing our impacts nationally while keeping our focus local to each project, and investing in the leadership skills and diversification of our staff.
The creation of this three-year strategic plan reflects the national scale of our programs while responding to the dynamics of our regional initiatives. We’re expanding thoughtfully by doing the work of mindful listening, and then responding appropriately. For example, we have deeply rooted advisory committees in the Northeast and Southeast, and previously worked with a local committee in the Pacific Northwest before launching our Climate Corps program in Oregon and Washington.
In 2023, I traveled around the country to see firsthand our key regions of growth and to meet with our partners. In the coming years, I will continue to engage with and invest in those connections while building relationships with local and national climate leaders. Our vision of a resilient future where all communities thrive is possible only through collaboration. The priorities laid out in the plan reflect that approach and inspire us to continue to evolve and meet that need in an impactful and meaningful way.
With hopefulness,
Cyane Dandridge
Executive Director, SEI
In the next decade, thousands of environmental jobs will be created, driven by new climate policies and commitments. The volume of people needing to be educated and trained in sustainable practices will have a transformative impact on our planet, and SEI is eager to support and steer this transformation and build leaders to accelerate climate solutions.
To be in the strongest position to fulfill this mission, SEI has spent much of the last year undergoing a reorganization, affirming our vision, mission, and core values, while learning from the communities we partner with and serve. With the support of our insightful board and incredible staff, SEI is growing our impacts nationally while keeping our focus local to each project, and investing in the leadership skills and diversification of our staff.
The creation of this three-year strategic plan reflects the national scale of our programs while responding to the dynamics of our regional initiatives. We’re expanding thoughtfully by doing the work of mindful listening, and then responding appropriately. For example, we have deeply rooted advisory committees in the Northeast and Southeast, and previously worked with a local committee in the Pacific Northwest before launching our Climate Corps program in Oregon and Washington.
In 2023, I traveled around the country to see firsthand our key regions of growth and to meet with our partners. In the coming years, I will continue to engage with and invest in those connections while building relationships with local and national climate leaders. Our vision of a resilient future where all communities thrive is possible only through collaboration. The priorities laid out in the plan reflect that approach and inspire us to continue to evolve and meet that need in an impactful and meaningful way.
With hopefulness,
Cyane Dandridge
Executive Director, SEI
Our Core Values
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We are committed to impact. We focus on what matters to the communities we serve and set goals and track progress to hold ourselves accountable.
We are networkers and collaborators. We engage with partners and funders to implement our programs and accelerate solutions at the speed and scale our changing climate demands. We are inclusive and just. We work to realize equity and inclusion within our organization and in our work, considering climate justice in our programs and creating an internal culture where we can bring our whole selves to work. We are always learning. We mentor and develop our team members and learn from our mistakes and successes. We are a safe place to innovate and are not afraid to fail. We are one team. We collaborate efficiently across geographies and teams in service of our mission, with trust and transparency at the heart of our organization. |
Strategic Priorities
