Lawrence Nussbaum
  • About
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  • Resume
  • About
  • Projects
  • Resume
  RESUME       
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QUALIFICATIONS
Masters Degree from Yale School of Forestry and Env Studies

Leadership implementing third-party certification initiatives and ethical sourcing projects in agriculture, natural resources, land management, building and manufacturing.

Expertise facilitating multi-stakeholder partnerships and  leading community engagement strategies.  

Track record of successful, creative cause-based marketing and communications campaigns, including national media coverage and personal appearances. 

Lifelong interest and passion for sustainability with thorough knowledge of impact areas, industry trends, methodologies​. 
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Filming "Sal's Journey", Washington State
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Sustainability Workshop, Aguas Zarcas, Costa Rica
 HIGHLIGHTS 
Co-founded and directed two community-based NGOs, raising over $4m of funding and building multi-stakeholder partnerships. 

​Early leader in development of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification along with other eco-labeling and market-based conservation strategies.

Pioneered the regional 'Salmon-Safe' watershed friendly certification and labeling program for Pacific Northwest food, wine,  land management, and corporate sustainability. 

Led sustainability strategy, community engagement, and business development for successful Bay Area roll-out of large ($20m+)  organic food delivery service. 

Implemented  multiple client projects and certification efforts in 
food and agriculture, textiles, mining/minerals, biofuels, building and interiors, and consumer products. 
  
EDUCATION

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​Yale University, New Haven, CT
School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, 
Masters of Science  in Social Ecology and Environmental Management, May 1997
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University of Vermont, Burlington, VT
Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies, May 1994

​School for International Training (SIT)
Amazon Studies,  Para, Brazil
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Cacao Sourcing, Belize
WORK HISTORY
Environmental Innovations, Santa Cruz, CA
Senior Consultant, January 2018- Present


Client lead for government and institution sustainability projects addressing  waste, water, energy, climate change, planning,  pollution prevention, and procurement concerns.  Contracted with Bay Area Counties (San Mateo,  Solano, and Alameda) to implement stakeholder led Green Business Certification Programs;  providing complete sales, marketing, data tracking solutions, and Green Business consulting services for multiple sectors -  food, restaurant, medical, auto service, construction, landscape, lodging, office, landscape.   Developed standards, trainings, and project development for the statewide California Green Business Network. 

Sustainable-Source, Oakland, CA
Consultant,  January 2016 – Present


Independent consultant promoting supply-chain transparency, impact reduction, and related communication strategies in the food and agriculture sectors.  Convened multi-stakeholder working groups on ethical sourcing and sustainability metrics in specialty coffee and chocolate and produced the largest consumer education program in North America on sustainable cocoa at the Northwest Chocolate Festival and related Chocolate Makers Conference, Seattle.   Implemented sustainability planning for emerging legal cannabis companies to exceed regulatory requirements and achieve measurable water, waste, GHG reduction goals.  Developed ‘regenerative’ supply chain project for agricultural commodities and rainforest conservation in Bahia, Brazil. Presented at several national conferences and guest lecture at Stanford University.


​SCS Global Services (Scientific Certification Systems), Emeryville, CA 
Marketing and Communications Manager,  Sept 2013 – Nov 2015


Implemented business development, client services, and communication strategies with corporate clients to increase the success of international certification, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and sustainable supply-chain programs for businesses across a variety of sectors including food and agriculture, textiles, mining/minerals, biofuels, building and interiors, and consumer products.  Launched new transparency and disclosure initiatives, including Environmental Product Declarations (EDPs), Health Product Declarations (HPDs), and Conflict Minerals Reporting (Dodd Frank Act, Sec 1502).

Clients included Signet Jewelers, 3M Company, Novelis, Steelcase Furnishings, TetraPak, PGF Biofuels, DelMonte, others.


​The Open Label Project, Redwood City, CA   
Director of Content Strategy,  Feb 2013 – Present 

Developed strategic partnerships, incentive programs, and community engagement strategies for businesses and NGOs to contribute to Open Label (theopenlabel.com), 
a mobile scanning app, database, and web platform for crowd-sourced reviews of consumer products focused on environmental and social sustainability. Partners included Google, Environmental Working Group, Consumers Union, NonGMO Project, and others. OpenLabel was acquired by Buycott in Q1 2016. 


Eating With the Seasons / Full Circle Farm, San Francisco, CA
Business Development and Community Engagement Manager,  Sept 2011 – Sept 2013

Team lead for launching organic farm-to-table delivery service throughout Bay Area.  Led sales efforts through health and wellness partnerships with corporate clients included Google, Tesla, Yahoo, Oracle, Adobe, Yelp, Zynga, Shutterfly and others.  Developed company-wide sustainable sourcing guidelines and implemented sustainability initiatives, including an innovative food-waste program. Produced web-based communications content and  led sales and marketing strategies resulting in 100% growth in new member subscriptions.  

Stewardship Partners, Seattle, WA
Program Director,  June 2003 – March 2011

Oversaw deliverables for multiple sustainability programs with total budget of $1.5m/year; managed work plans, staff, consultants, program development and evaluation. Raised and managed over $4 million in grant funding.

Developed the Salmon-Safe certification program for “watershed friendly” agriculture, commercial development, and corporate campus management throughout the Pacific Northwest, resulting in 200+ client businesses, measurable water quality and habitat improvement, and national recognition and media coverage.  Clients included Nike, Whole Foods, REI, University of Washington, Port of Seattle, Wilcox Dairy,  Draper Valley Farms, and many others. 

Led multiple cross-sector collaborative watershed projects with diverse partners in the tourism, food and agriculture, wood products, and land development sectors,  partnering with federal agencies, local governments and private interests  to meet water quality and habitat improvement goals while promoting sustainable business opportunities.  Projects received national recognition, including the “White House Award for Collaborative Conservation”.  Pioneered employee sponsored "adopt a buffer" watershed restoration program with area companies, including Starbucks, Microsoft, and Boeing.

Supervised all Stewardship Partners communications, marketing, and PR, including including technical documents, marketing materials, and media production as well as PR activities resulting in extensive media coverage in web-based, print, radio, and TV outlets (including several personal appearances).


Northwest Natural Resource Group, Port Townsend, WA
Program Director, Jan 1997 – Nov 2002 

Co-founded NNRG, fundraising from private and public foundations; oversaw project deliverables, managed staff and contractors, served as the on-record spokesperson.

Partnered with the Rainforest Alliance in launching the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) accredited SmartWood Program in Washington State and British Columbia and facilitated growth of the nascent certified wood products marketplace and US Green Building Council's LEED certification.   Clients included the Department of Defense Fort Lewis Army Base,  City of Seattle Cedar River Watershed, Columbia Plywood, Timfor Forest Concession, British Columbia, others, 

Pioneered early stage innovations in forest-based carbon credits for Greenhouse Gas (GHG) mitigation, as well as water quality credit trading, and other ecosystem service markets.  
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Developed training and accreditation program for minority harvesters of Non-Timber Forest Products (floral greens, mushrooms, medicinal plants, etc.) for entry into international markets.


Buyer Be Fair: The Promise of Eco-labeling  (KCTS Public Television),  Seattle, WA 
Associate Producer,  Oct 2002 – May 2003

Conducted extensive research, story boarding, planning, and production assistance for feature length television documentary about global environmental labeling initiatives. Managed international film shoot, conducted on-camera interviews, provided editorial assistance, created concurrent educational programming, and spoke at screening events and workshops.

FORMATIVE EXPERIENCES
Yale Urban Resources Initiative, Service Learning Lead,
 New Haven, CT 1997
Yale SFES, Research Assistant, "Environmental Quality & Recreation Demand in Caribbean Coral Reefs"
,  Roatan, Honduras 1997
WA Dept of Natural Resources, Community Forestry Associate, Quilcene WA 1995
Raedeke Associates, Wildlife Researcher, Spotted Owl Team, Seattle, WA 1994
Dabob Oyster Farm,   Dabob Bay, WA 1994
Fishing Vessel Indiana (Salmon Purse Seiner), Port Townsend, WA, 1994 
Abundant Life Seed Foundation,  Part-time Farm Hand, Port Townsend WA, 1993-1996
Sound Experience aboard the Schooner Adventuress, LeadershipTraining, Port Townsend, WA, 1993 (Board Member, 2001-2004)
UN ‘Earth Summit’, Student Representative, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 1992
Teaching Assistant, University of Vermont, International Environmental Studies. Dr. Stephanie Kaza. 1992
Green Mountain Club, Mt Mansfield Ranger/Naturalist, Stowe, VT 1991-1992 (featured in Vermont Life, Fall 1992)
Zoologist/Author Bernd Heinrich, Caretaker & Research Assistant, Richmond VT 1990-1992
Immersion Research, "Amazon Settlers And The Great Frontier",  Para, Brazil, under advisorship of Dr. Christopher Uhl.  UPenn. 1990.
Campaign to Elect Mark Epstein to Congress, 5th Congressional District, Long Island, NY,  Staffer, 1990.
Greenpeace International, New York, NY, Campaigner,  1989.


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