Leeds School of Business MBA alumna Jenny Gerson is currently the Senior Director of Energy and Environmental Management at Zayo Group Holdings, a company that听 Her responsibilities include cost mitigation through energy management and environmental compliance at Zayo鈥檚 facilities.
鈥淚n my current role, I like that the opportunities are endless and that anything I do has an impact,鈥� Jenny says, 鈥渂ut the challenge is deciding what to focus on. The key is to bite off something small rather than trying to take on more than you can handle. I struggle with trying to do too much at once.鈥�
An additional role that Jenny Gerson has taken on at Zayo is managing the company鈥檚 green teams - groups of employees who are passionate about different issues - located in Boulder, Denver and Tulsa offices. These teams have created events and projects for causes such as waste and energy reduction, and this is just one of the many ways Zayo is working to make a difference.听
Careers in Sustainability
For those currently pursuing a similar career path, it is important to remember that persistence is essential to your success.
鈥淚f you want to work in sustainability, there may not be positions open, but you can always create one yourself,鈥� Gerson says. 鈥淵ou have to be persistent, gain the trust of your company, and once you show them value, you can move into a full time role as I have.鈥�
Jenny also emphasized the importance of communication skills.
鈥淐ommunication is key - be able to communicate what sustainability is to a variety of people and convince them that it matters.鈥�
Leeds MBA Experience
When asked about the best part of Leeds鈥� MBA program, Gerson highlighted the relationships she developed:
鈥淚 think the network that it provided both from professors and from my classmates was the most beneficial part of the program鈥� Jenny says.
The network that students build while at Leeds is enduring and extremely valuable as they progress through their careers. Students maintain contact with their peers and professors long after their time at Leeds, continuing to watch each other learn and grow throughout their professional lifetime.听
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To learn more about sustainability careers, read our articles on alumi Tim Weiss and Amir Abouzalam. For the latest updates on research, events and CESR articles, sign up for our .听
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