Profiles

MEET JARED ROBBINS (MAES '13)

• Master of Arts in Environmental Studies, Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs - Cleveland State University
• B.S., Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami (FL)

When did you graduate from Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs?
2013

Where are you currently residing?
Cleveland, Ohio

Where are you from?
Beachwood, Ohio

Current Employment:
Position Title/Place of Employment: Senior Consultant, BrownFlynn
Job Duties: As a corporate sustainability and governance consultant, I provide environmental, social, and governance (ESG) advisory services to Fortune 500 companies. This includes development and management support of sustainability strategies and goals; implementation of sustainability governance mechanisms; stakeholder engagement and sustainability communications; and sustainability education.

Volunteer Experience:
I serve on the alumni board of City Year Cleveland and just completed a stint as a board member for the Cleveland Young Professional Senate. Additionally, I serve on the City Club of Cleveland's Sustainability Committee and Cleveland 2030 District's Marketing Committee. I currently also have the honor of chairing the Corporate ESG Subcommittee of the City of Cleveland's Climate Action Plan (CAP).

Why did you decide to attend Levin?
After moving back to Cleveland to complete a year of national service through City Year, I fell in love with both the city and the people here. Upon deciding that I did not wish to go back to coral reef sciences, I turned to my next passion: the nexus of the built and natural environments. With the Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs' prestigious urban planning program, incredible faculty, and holistic, cross-functional environmental studies - it wasn't a hard decision!

How did your experience at Levin influence your career path?
My background has been a set of puzzle pieces glued together by the Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs. My undergraduate degree in marine biology equipped me with an understanding of environmental systems and the scientific method. My City Year experience taught me how to communicate with people with empathy, conflict resolution, and a glimpse into perspectives, neighborhoods, and cultures different from my own. My experience at Levin taught me how to utilize these skills in tandem - how to understand and communicate in a meaningful way. In addition to an incredible amount of knowledge, I learned how the engineer sees the world, how the lawyer sees the world, and how the regulator sees the world. Intimate awareness of these different perspectives has helped me countless times in my career.

What is your favorite Levin memory?
During my tenure, the CSU American Planning Association hosted "The Neighborhood" at Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs. From the "garage door" at the CSU APA office, we would serve baked goods, coffee, tea, and cocoa before the 6 p.m. classes once a week. The idea was to create a space for conversation--a Public Square within the College. We always had a great turn out and fantastic conversations. Shout out to Dr. Mikelbank for continually supporting us!

What piece of advice do you have for current Levin graduate students?
Embrace your colleagues. Whether MUPD, MAES, MPA, MSUS, Ph.D., etc., reach out to, hang out with, and enjoy your colleagues at Levin. Not only will you make friends for life--but no matter your path--you will happen upon these people time and again throughout your career. 

What inspires you about Northeast Ohio? Why?
The Midwestern hospitality and Rust Belt work ethic.

Who is your hero and why?
Two heroes: my bosses, Barb Brown and Margie Flynn. They created an incredibly successful sustainability consulting business at a time when sustainability was a foreign language to most. Barb and Margie are the most incredible mentors, teachers, and role models you can imagine.