User:Ahsoka Dillard/Melanie Nakagawa

Melanie Nakagawa
Melanie Nakagawa
Education	Brown University (BA); American University School of International Service (MIA); American University Washington College of Law (JD)
Occupation	chief sustainability officer
Employer	Microsoft Corp

Melanie Nakagawa is an American attorney, former government official, and the current chief sustainability officer for Microsoft Corp. Her career began in Washington, D.C. as a part of various energy projects from the U.S. Department of State to the National Security Council. In 2023, Nakagawa was identified as a leader in the climate crisis.^[1]^[2]

Early life and education

Melanie Nakagawa attended Brown University. Nakagawa has a law degree as well as a masters in international affairs from American University, Washington, DC.^[3]^[4]

Career

Nakagawa's career began as Energy and Environment Counsel on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee for Chairman John F. Kerry.^[2] She reviewed issues of energy security, climate change, and environmental issues as well as developed policy recommendations and drafted legislation. Afterwards, she followed Secretary Kerry as a part of his Policy Planning Staff in the United States Department of State.^[5] In this role, she continued her policy development, noting in one instance that the REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) would be a good investment for USAID projects. She highlighted that gender was tied closely to these initiatives, where the impacts of climate change are compounded by inequity for many women.^[6]

Microsoft chief sustainability officer

Nakagawa joined Microsoft as their chief sustainability office in January 2023.^[7]^[2]

Selected awards

Publications

Nakagawa, Melanie. "The Millennium Challenge Account: A Critical Look at the Newly Focused Development Approach and its Potential Impact on the U.S Agency for International Development." Sustainable Development Law & Policy, Fall 2005, 13-19, 76-77.

References

^ Boudreau, Catherine. "Women in Climate Leadership: Meet 10 leaders who refuse to let the climate crisis go unchecked". Business Insider. Retrieved 2024-08-16.
^ ^a ^b ^c Slavin, Terry; Luckhurst, Karen (2023-03-07). "Twenty-five trailblazing women leading the fight against climate change". Reuters. Retrieved 2024-08-16.
^ "Melanie Nakagawa, Michael Marino". The New York Times. 2012-05-27. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-07-22.
^ "Melanie Nakagawa". Columbia | School of International and Public Affairs. Retrieved 2024-08-16.
^ "Nakagawa, Melanie". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
^ Borenstein, Donald (2014-05-30). "Melanie Nakagawa on Integrating Gender Into REDD+ at the Department of State and USAID". New Security Beat. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
^ Stiffler, Lisa (2022-12-15). "Microsoft's new chief sustainability officer will draw on skills from White House, VC and law background". GeekWire. Retrieved 2024-08-16.