Presidian Blog

In recent weeks, the new Biden Administration has brought a wave of activity around climate to Capitol Hill. It’s an exciting time, and for many of us who are deeply concerned about climate change, it feels like a long-awaited tipping point to finally transform big ideas into action. It’s also a great time to notice …

We can all make a meaningful difference when it comes to striving towards racial equity and justice; sometimes it just means we need to be more intentional. Hear from Laura Clise, social entrepreneur, and Founder and CEO of Intentionalist, on how investing in small businesses in our communities and supporting local businesses of color can …

As a new term begins, we are proud to welcome the next group of Presidians entering our MBA, Dual Degree, and MPA programs. PGS is in the unique position of being able to attract students who are passionate about creating a more sustainable and equitable future. Please meet a few of these gifted and inspiring …

With a western New Year comes a new group of students entering the Presidio Graduate School community. The celebration of the New Year, whenever it may occur, often brings ideas of new hope, new beginnings, and the arrival of a fresh-learned perspective from the journey of the past year. The current winter season of the …

Last year, Presidio Graduate School (PGS) announced its Initiative for Equity & Social Justice with a mission to leverage the PGS student body, faculty, and partnerships to collaborate and create thought leadership, research, and programs on equity and social justice. While we could not have predicted the events of 2020, much of which put racial …

Big business and environmentalists are often pitted against each other. While distrust and resentment may often exist between the two groups, there is actually an abundance of win-win solutions that improve financial performance through better environmental practices—many of which have been demonstrated in these uncertain times. The old Milton Friedman adage states that “the social …

We are observing that sustainability and impact professionals are starting to address racial justice as a part of their work more consistently. Today, we hear from guest blogger Alice Korngold, author, thought leader and President & CEO of Korngold Consulting, who shares her perspectives on why racial equity is fundamental to achieving sustainability. The 2030 …

There are few topics that almost instantaneously provoke such strong and unyielding emotions as a discussion about race and racism. Venues where such conversations would have been considered “inappropriate” and off-limits in previous years are now forced to create space AND facilitate conversations about inequality, racism, and institutional oppression. However, many are finding conversations about …

I recently had the pleasure of sitting down and speaking with Melynnie Rizvi who is Deputy General Counsel and Senior Director of Employment, Inclusion, and Impact at SurveyMonkey. Melynnie holds a powerful role which includes leading both diversity and sustainability. We talked about her journey in this work and some of the important things she …

We regularly interview Presidio Graduate School alumni to learn how they are applying their degrees to address sustainability and social justice challenges in their lives and work. We recently caught up with Bay Area locals Tessa Rudnick (MPA, 2011) and Chance Cutrano (MPA, 2019) on their respective campaign trails. Tessa was most recently the IT …