Email: cassidysbook@gmail.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassidybook/

Cassidy Book holds a Bachelor of Science in Communications from Ohio University, with a concentration in Business and Consulting, where she graduated summa cum laude. She brings applied experience at the intersection of energy systems, community engagement, and public institutions. Most recently, Cassidy served as the Director of Community Relations at Geenex Power, leading stakeholder engagement and external communications for utility-scale solar, BESS, and small modular reactor energy projects across multiple states, with a focus on rural and agricultural communities. Her work emphasized coalition building, facilitating in-field relationships, and adapting communications for residents, landowners, and local officials.

Previously, Cassidy worked in renewable energy operations and organizational change, and served as a Research Analyst at Ohio University's Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service, where she evaluated programs supporting small businesses and nonprofits across Appalachia. Her research interests include community engagement in infrastructure development, energy policy communication, institutional trust, local governance, and workforce development. At Loyola, Cassidy is working on a Sloan Foundation project to assess the administrative burdens for the clean energy workforce.

Email: cchimbanda@luc.edu

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/carolinachimbanda/

Carolina Chimbanda is a fourth-year Environmental Policy student at Loyola University Chicago. Her academic and professional interests focus on environmental justice, policy, and sustainable development. She serves on the Executive Committee of the Sierra Club Illinois—Chicago Group, where she co-chairs the State Lobby Team, leading volunteer training and legislative advocacy. Her research interests include national versus international energy systems and strategies for building efficient, equitable renewable energy markets.

Email: melinas5302@gmail.com
LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/melina-slone/

Melina Slone holds a BA in Environment with a specialization in GIS from the University of Michigan, and a certificate in Sustainable Business through the Erb Institute. She is currently working at a climate tech company in Chicago, focused on software for renewable energy credits and other environmental commodities. During her time as an undergrad, she studied renewable energy in Iceland and geology and field ecology on the big Island of Hawai’i. Her research interests include understanding the incentives for siting and expanding renewable energy projects, as well as optimizing their integration into the grid.

Email: dstadie@luc.edu

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/d-austin-stadie/

D. Austin Stadie holds a B.A. in Environmental Policy from Loyola University Chicago. He is currently pursuing an M.S. in Environmental Science & Sustainability at Loyola's School of Environmental Sustainability. Before his graduate studies, Austin gained experience working with Loyola's Urban Agriculture program and aquaponics systems, cultivating his interest in sustainable food production. For his graduate research, Austin investigates how businesses perceive, frame, and discuss energy policy, and how these choices vary across Illinois' partisan geography. The broader goal of his work is to assess the potential for businesses to build consensus and influence policy outcomes on contentious political issues, using the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) as a case study. His research interests include American politics, environmental policy, public opinion, as well as political behavior and strategy.