Therese Miranda-Blackney is Senior Director of Innovation at LevelTen Energy. Therese joined the team in July 2021 as Director of Buyer Solutions, and moved into her current role in August 2022. To celebrate her time with us and contributions to LevelTen’s mission, we wanted to get to know her a little bit better.
Does LevelTen’s mission resonate with you? If so, why?
Absolutely! I've spent my whole career focused on fighting climate change through the deployment of clean energy. LevelTen's platform helps accelerate that deployment by making it easier to get renewable energy transactions done. I joined LevelTen because I saw so much potential for the software the company is building to help address the problems I saw every day in my former role working at a utility.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I get to work across a whole bunch of different teams and ideas. No two days are exactly the same, and there's always something new happening. I love having the opportunity to think about high-level strategy, but then also turn those ideas into tactical plans to move a new concept forward into becoming an actual product. The clean energy world is full of complexity, so I’m constantly learning something new — it's one of the things that's kept me in this industry for over a decade.
What do you think is the best perk or benefit LTE offers?
The location of our Seattle office is amazing. We're just a few steps from Lake Union and a great waterside bike path. Having the ability to easily bike-commute means I get to start and end my days with some fresh air and beautiful views — it’s so much better than fighting through rush hour in my car.
What’s your favorite LTE moment/memory?
We've had a few chances to get the whole company together since I started, and it's always amazing to see everyone in person and marvel at how much we've grown since the last time we were able to be together.
What’s your favorite thing to do outside of work?
I have a four-year-old daughter, so we spend a lot of time on the weekends exploring new playgrounds and low-key hikes.
Any hidden talents you’d like to share?
One of my hobbies is canning. My dad's family is from India, and my grandmother has handed down some of her pickle and chutney recipes to my mom and me. This summer, my daughter helped me make tomato chutney for the first time — I love keeping that tradition alive for another generation. We also make a ton of jam: if you come visit, I’ll probably try to send you home with a jar!
What did you do before joining LevelTen?
I used to work for Puget Sound Energy, an electric and gas utility in the Seattle area. I had a number of different roles, but they were all focused on how to take new ideas and integrate them into a business that has been around for over 145 years. My time at PSE taught me so much about everything that goes into keeping the lights on and the grid operational. It gave me a whole new respect for the complexity that comes along with deploying new energy technologies.
What made you want to work in the renewable energy/climate tech sector?
I took a college survey class that talked about climate change and clean energy that made me view climate change as an existential threat for the first time. Before that class, I was certain that the one concentration I wouldn't be choosing for my major was energy and environment, but I've never looked back.
Interested in working at LevelTen? Explore our open roles on our Careers page! We look forward to hearing from you.
