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I work at the intersection of conservation, innovation, and markets, using technology and…
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Conservation, connections, and the year ahead
Conservation, connections, and the year ahead
I wrote this reflection in mid-December. And of course, given how crazy things have been, it’s taken me a full month to…
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Carolyn Mansfield duPont reposted thisCarolyn Mansfield duPont reposted thisFor the water wonks out there: some great roles have been popping up lately. Sharing in case anyone is looking for their next opportunity 💧 🌾 Director, US Agriculture — Winrock International 🤝 Partnership Advisor, Water & Resilience — The Nature Conservancy 🏔️ Watersheds Senior Project Manager — Bonneville Environmental Foundation 🔬 Senior Research Specialist, Nature-Based Solutions — Pacific Institute 🌿 Manager, Nature & Water — Trellis Group Links in the comments!
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Carolyn Mansfield duPont shared thisWelcome aboard Barrett! The Lens team is lucky to have you 🌲 🛰️ 🙌Carolyn Mansfield duPont shared thisI’m thrilled to share that I’ve joined the team at Upstream Tech! I’m incredibly grateful for the 11 years I spent in the solar industry. During that time, I learned a lot, built friendships and professional relationships that I’ll always value. As I begin this new chapter, I’m excited to meet new people, explore new markets, and continue growing along the way. Looking forward to what’s ahead!
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Carolyn Mansfield duPont reposted thisCarolyn Mansfield duPont reposted thisWhat does it take to monitor thousands of acres of restored wetlands, streams, and forests without an army of people on the ground? For Westervelt Ecological Services, the answer lies in smarter remote monitoring. Before Lens, imagery from contracted aerial flights could take weeks or even months to receive. Now, they can pull the imagery they need the same day it's requested. This means consistent oversight of their restoration projects, ensuring their commitments are met. Accessible satellite imagery is only part of the story. With portfolio-wide analysis in Lens, Westervelt's sustainability team can easily analyze high-quality carbon data that validates their strong standing as a carbon-positive company. Sam Blumenfeld, Sustainability & Policy Analyst, shared, "Westervelt is in the strong minority of companies that can claim they are carbon positive, and Lens provides the data to make that claim." Read the full story to see how Westervelt is scaling their stewardship with Lens 👇 https://lnkd.in/efum9NGG
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Carolyn Mansfield duPont reposted thisCarolyn Mansfield duPont reposted thisWe're proud to share that Upstream Tech is partnering with the Colorado State Land Board to support their stewardship and conservation work across Colorado's trust lands. The State Land Board manages over 2.8 million acres across the state, and keeping tabs on such a vast area through in-person visits alone is a real challenge. Our remote monitoring platform, Lens, will help State Land Board staff and district managers monitor their portfolio more frequently and systematically using geospatial data. As Mindy Gottsegen, Stewardship and Ecosystem Services Manager at the State Land Board, shared: "We're eager to improve staff effectiveness and efficiency to achieve better stewardship and revenue outcomes for our trust beneficiaries going forward." Read more about the partnership here: https://lnkd.in/egtw3RAH
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Carolyn Mansfield duPont shared thisOur sales team is #hiring again! Looking for an Account Executive to help us continue to grow Lens, our remote monitoring platform, with customers across government, conservation, utilities, and beyond. See below & send good folks our way!👇Carolyn Mansfield duPont shared thisThe Lens team is growing! We're looking for an Account Executive to help expand the reach and impact of our remote monitoring platform across North America. You'd be joining a remote-first, mission-driven team with hundreds of industry-leading customers already on board and serious momentum as we expand into new markets and AI-powered use cases. We're looking for a driven sales professional with 3+ years of quota-carrying experience, ideally with a background in SaaS, government sales, land conservation, or natural resource management. 📍 Remote (US or Canada) 💰 Competitive OTE, uncapped commission, and equity ➕ Great benefits (4+ weeks of PTO, health, dental, the works) Read the full job description and apply 👉 https://lnkd.in/e_jh8Rbv Know someone who'd be a great fit? Tag them in the comments! ⬇️
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Carolyn Mansfield duPont shared thisWe're #hiring! Looking for an enterprise account exec to join our HydroForecast team, ideally with experience/knowledge in energy markets and/or water management. Please send good folks our way! 👇Carolyn Mansfield duPont shared thisJoin our team! We're looking for an Account Executive to help us bring AI-powered streamflow forecasting to more hydropower operators and water managers across North America. You'd be joining a remote-first, mission-driven team (a few of 'em featured below!) with a strong existing book, an uncapped commission structure, and customers like Brookfield, Ontario Power Generation, and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation already in the fold. We're looking for a driven sales professional with experience in energy or water resources and enterprise sales. 📍 Remote 💰 Strong comp package, uncapped commission, and equity ➕ Great benefits (4+ weeks of PTO, health, dental, the works) Read the full job description 👉 https://lnkd.in/gDrXzuEE
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Carolyn Mansfield duPont reposted thisCarolyn Mansfield duPont reposted thisWith Lens, local governments can spot property changes and quantify new assessed value before ever sending someone into the field. 🛰️ ✅ After Washington County, CO received a $400,000+ quote for an aerial flyover, they decided to put Lens to the test. County Assessor Hali Thompson used Lens to identify 23 new buildings across her 2,500-square-mile jurisdiction, adding over $𝟯 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 in new assessed property value and generating roughly $𝟱𝟱,𝟬𝟬𝟬 in direct revenue for the county. Not to mention she 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝟭𝟴𝟬 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲. Lens aggregates dozens of up-to-date imagery sources and analysis tools under one roof, making it easy for Thompson to review a parcel from her office, compare it against historical data, measure building footprints, and decide whether a visit is actually needed. 🛰️ Check out the imagery below showing the level of clarity satellite imagery can provide while tracking property changes. (Imagery: © USDA Farm Service Agency 2019 / © AIRBUS DS 2024) This is what modernized assessment workflows can look like: efficient, accurate, and grounded in defensible data. 👉 Read Washington County's full story: https://lnkd.in/eUyk2Xt9
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Carolyn Mansfield duPont shared thisNext month, I'll have been at Upstream Tech for 7 years. One of the best parts of being part of a growing company is all the different hats you get to wear if you stick around long enough. Of all the hats, my favorite has been helping our team connect with customers, deepen relationships, and deliver great products and services. So I'm thrilled that my latest adventure is shifting roles to Chief Commercial Officer, reflecting our focus on growth and momentum across both our products, Lens and HydroForecast. I'm so lucky to work with such a fantastic team and excited for everything that we have in the works for 2026 and beyond. And yes, I am apparently now the type of parent that makes my kids stop at every hydropower facility we come across - pictured below, Rumford Falls on the Androscoggin last week during a northern New England adventure. ❄️ 🌊
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Carolyn Mansfield duPont reposted thisCarolyn Mansfield duPont reposted thisWhen historic atmospheric rivers slammed the Pacific Northwest in December 2025, water managers had no margin for error. Accurate, consistent forecasts made the difference. HydroForecast gave operators across the PNW like Tacoma Power, Seattle City Light, and Evolugen up to 10 days of advance warning before peak flows arrived—4 days earlier than the industry standard forecast—delivering forecasts up to 75% more accurate than traditional models. That lead time meant the difference between reactive crisis management and confident, coordinated decision-making with flood control authorities and downstream communities. Swipe through to see how it played out. And if you want the full story, our latest case study link is linked in the comments. 👇 #AtmosphericRivers
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Love this picture and was so sad to miss the gathering! Glad you got a beautiful day.
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Carolyn Mansfield duPont liked thisWe're thrilled to have Barrett join our team! 🥳Carolyn Mansfield duPont liked thisI’m thrilled to share that I’ve joined the team at Upstream Tech! I’m incredibly grateful for the 11 years I spent in the solar industry. During that time, I learned a lot, built friendships and professional relationships that I’ll always value. As I begin this new chapter, I’m excited to meet new people, explore new markets, and continue growing along the way. Looking forward to what’s ahead!
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Carolyn Mansfield duPont reacted on thisCarolyn Mansfield duPont reacted on this🎉 Congratulations to Hannah Larkin, Excel Academy Charter Schools new Chief Operating Officer. We are excited to include Hannah in our growing roster of charter school leaders whom we’ve placed over the past 19+ years. We know Hannah will make a lasting impact on Excel's students, families, and communities across Boston and Rhode Island.
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Carolyn Mansfield duPont reacted on thisCarolyn Mansfield duPont reacted on thisExactly 10 years ago this week, I graduated from Harvard Kennedy School. Last week, I was back in Boston for my 10-year reunion. A reunion is a strange and beautiful portal. You see the people you knew in one chapter, now living entirely different chapters. You revisit the streets, classrooms, friendships and versions of yourself that shaped you. And you get to ask: what has the last decade taught me? Here are three lessons I’m sitting with: 1️⃣ The heartbreaks stay with you, but they also sharpen your gratitude. Over the last decade, I’ve had moments that broke my heart, stretched my identity and forced me to rebuild. Job losses, relationship breakdowns and seasons of feeling lost. Looking back, some of those moments now feel like divine intervention and redirection. Painful at the time, clarifying in hindsight. They gave me a deeper appreciation for the ordinary things that are not ordinary at all: a healthy relationship, a peaceful home, meaningful work, friends who feel like family, and a life that feels like mine. 2️⃣ What you remember most is the people, not the content. My time in the classroom was formative. My professors were brilliant, and the intellectual environment challenged my thinking. But what truly changed my world was the people: the friendships, late-night conversations, and moments of feeling both inspired and overwhelmed together. I met some of my dearest friends at Harvard University, and we walked through one of the most intense and expansive chapters of our lives together. Many classmates have since gone on to build companies, write books, win Pulitzer Prizes, serve in government, create change and raise children. It has been beautiful to witness. But what inspired me most last weekend was not learning about their shiny new titles. It was realising that they still carry the same spirit I remember: the curiosity, humility, kindness, playfulness and fire. We have all evolved, but the best parts of people remain. Albeit with a few extra white hairs and wrinkles. 3️⃣ The world will try to put you in a box, but keep expanding anyway. One of the greatest acts of rebellion is refusing to reduce yourself. You can be serious and silly. Ambitious and content. Strategic and spiritual. Intellectual and embodied. Professional and deeply human. Most things are not either/or. They are both/and. The last decade has taught me to make more room for nuance, complexity and becoming. Walking around campus brought back so many versions of myself: the younger May itching to move to California, the optimistic May, and the May who didn’t yet know what was coming. Maybe that is what a reunion really offers: the chance to honour every version of yourself that helped you get here. 💛 A huge thanks to everyone who made our reunion so special. It was a gift to reconnect, reminisce and remember the magic of the chapter in Boston. Here’s to stepping into the next decade with even more courage, curiosity and heart.
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Carolyn Mansfield duPont reacted on thisThe first wave of community solar is officially live and delivering savings! As adoption grows, the experience has got to get better for subscribers. Dual billing is creating unnecessary friction and drop-off, and there��s a clear path forward with Utility Consolidated Billing + Net Crediting that makes participation easier and the program more stable. Would love to see more voices in clean energy support this push. Sign-on letter is in the comments!Carolyn Mansfield duPont reacted on thisYesterday in Las Vegas, NM, we celebrated 48.4 MW of new community solar! The first 8 projects in the New Mexico community solar program are officially live and bringing subscribers savings. It’s a big step forward for a program that’s meant to make energy savings more accessible to more people. As things scale up, one thing is becoming clear - dual billing is not the right fit for long-term success. Luckily, there’s a straightforward fix already adopted in the majority of community solar programs in the rest of the US that will improve the subscriber experience and make the New Mexico program more stable for years to come: Utility Consolidated Billing (UCB) with Net Crediting. Right now, subscribers still get two separate bills: one from their utility and one from their community solar provider. It’s confusing, easy to miss, and for some people, unmanageable entirely. We’ve seen firsthand how, in other states, when billing is streamlined through UCB with Net Crediting, participation gets easier and people tend to stick with the program longer. That means less friction, fewer dropped enrollments, and greater program stability. We’re asking the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission to adopt Utility Consolidated Billing with Net Crediting for community solar. If you work in clean energy—developer, asset owner, provider, advocate—we’d really appreciate your support. Please note that Solstice has set up a letter for signatures, and the link is in the comments. https://lnkd.in/gHGicuMbCommunity solar finally gains momentum in New Mexico, offers lessons for expansionCommunity solar finally gains momentum in New Mexico, offers lessons for expansion
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Carolyn Mansfield duPont reacted on thisCarolyn Mansfield duPont reacted on thisFor the water wonks out there: some great roles have been popping up lately. Sharing in case anyone is looking for their next opportunity 💧 🌾 Director, US Agriculture — Winrock International 🤝 Partnership Advisor, Water & Resilience — The Nature Conservancy 🏔️ Watersheds Senior Project Manager — Bonneville Environmental Foundation 🔬 Senior Research Specialist, Nature-Based Solutions — Pacific Institute 🌿 Manager, Nature & Water — Trellis Group Links in the comments!
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Carolyn Mansfield duPont reacted on thisIt was such an honor to attend a gala to accept Fast Company's award recognizing the work of The Next California last week - none of which would be possible without Rebecca Kaufman, Pete Nelson, the rest of the AgLaunch team, Noel Didla, Marcus A. Coleman, Ph.D., Shawn Peebles, Delta Harvest, Delta Dirt Distillery, Matthew Robinson, Charity Hallman, MPA, and so many more incredible partners. It was equally thrilling to get to share a bit (see video below) about market uses for invasive species and the clutch made from invasive iguana - thank you INVERSA Leathers!Carolyn Mansfield duPont reacted on thisIn March, Fast Company magazine named World Wildlife Fund’s Next California initiative as one of its Most Innovative Companies in 2026. The project, which addresses growing uncertainty in domestic food production, is led by Julia Kurnik, our Senior Director of Innovation Startups. She was recently honored at Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies Summit and Gala at The Glasshouse in NYC. While there, she was interviewed about her work (below) and had a chance to show off a purse made from invasive iguana. That was no accident. Julia also leads our work to reduce the impact of invasive species by harnessing market forces to create innovative products like her bag. Want to learn more? Check out her new report on invasive species: https://lnkd.in/eVJ3HrWG. And don’t forget to take a look at our Next California project: https://lnkd.in/gkjuRQ6j.
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Carolyn Mansfield duPont liked thisCarolyn Mansfield duPont liked thisIt took us two years to grow from $10mm to $100mm in ARR and 15 months to reach $200mm. Nine months later, we crossed $300mm. Vanta’s growth rate increased each of the past four quarters – compounding really is the eighth wonder of the world! “But wait,” you might be thinking. “How does a software company founded before 2022 increase its growth rate?” Narrative violation! Trust is the defining problem of the AI era. AI winners build trust with their customers and the market. We founded Vanta to help businesses earn and prove trust. 60% of the companies on the Forbes AI 50 are Vanta customers. While many started small (Cursor at two employees; Decagon three days after company incorporation; the list goes on), they’ve grown large with Vanta: the combined market cap of Vanta’s customers on the Forbes AI 50 is $560bn. AI shifted how companies approach trust: from point-in-time checks to continuous monitoring and verification. For years, teams proved trust during once-a-year audits littered with screenshots and obtuse documentation, and their customers accepted static PDFs. That era is over. Building trust now requires sharing real-time data with customers, partners, and auditors. GitHub Copilot’s launch triggered a wave of security questionnaires that could have stymied the product. Vanta’s questionnaire automation and Trust Center gave GitHub a scalable customer assurance program to support rapid AI adoption. The Github team delivered high-quality, human-in-the-loop responses to 93% of inbound questionnaires in six months – six months ahead of their own plan. AI inside of Vanta’s products saves teams time and reduces risk. Samsara's team was managing 820 controls across ten frameworks as new frameworks and customer requirements added more controls. The Vanta Agent consolidated the sprawl into a common controls framework, which their Security Compliance Manager Elizabeth Walker described as "truly, like having a 24/7 GRC engineer on our team." We’re seeing AI companies use compliance and trust as differentiators, cutting through the noise. Pinpoint Applicant Tracking System sells AI recruiting software into European enterprises, some of the world’s most skeptical buyers. They needed to evolve their compliance baseline (SOC 2, ISO 27001) to build trust with AI skeptics, so they rolled out Vanta, completed ISO 42001 readiness in under three months, and used their framework trifecta to show they’ve invested more than their competitors in managing AI risk. The throughline across 16,000 Vanta customers: AI is raising the stakes for trust, and the companies that build trust grow faster. Finally, anything worth doing takes a village: thank you to our customers, past and present, for being demanding in the best ways. Without your time and feedback, we wouldn't have this opportunity. Thank you to Vanta’ns, past and present, for trusting us with your time and careers. It remains the privilege of my career to hold a megaphone to your work.
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Upstream Tech
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Board Member
MIT Sloan Sustainability Initiative
- 5 years 4 months
Publications
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Green Bonds and Land Conservation: A New Investment Landscape?
Stanford Social Innovation Review
See publicationGreen bonds are experiencing explosive growth, but are they a useful new financing tool to bridge conservation funding shortfalls or just the latest chapter in greenwashing?
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Financing Climate Resilience in Boston: Engaging and Incentivizing Developers and Private Property Owners
See publicationThis paper explores how the City of Boston and related stakeholders can engage and incentivize developers and property owners to invest in climate resilience measures on privately-owned land and buildings. The paper outlines possible financial and non-financial incentives. For financial incentives, the paper explores 11 potential new revenue streams to finance these investments. The paper also discusses ways to leverage these revenue streams with outside capital through a green bond or…
This paper explores how the City of Boston and related stakeholders can engage and incentivize developers and property owners to invest in climate resilience measures on privately-owned land and buildings. The paper outlines possible financial and non-financial incentives. For financial incentives, the paper explores 11 potential new revenue streams to finance these investments. The paper also discusses ways to leverage these revenue streams with outside capital through a green bond or environmental impact bond, as well as mechanisms for deploying financing to developers and property owners, such as a revolving loan fund.
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Green Bonds and Land Conservation: The Evolution of a New Financing Tool
Harvard Kennedy School
See publicationThis paper examines the current and potential future use of green bonds for financing sustainable land use and conservation projects around the world. The paper draws on interviews with land conservation practitioners, bond issuers, investors, and financial analysts, as well as analysis of two case studies in China and Massachusetts. The paper summarizes the key insights from this community of experts, and lays out a series of steps that will be required before green bonds can develop into a…
This paper examines the current and potential future use of green bonds for financing sustainable land use and conservation projects around the world. The paper draws on interviews with land conservation practitioners, bond issuers, investors, and financial analysts, as well as analysis of two case studies in China and Massachusetts. The paper summarizes the key insights from this community of experts, and lays out a series of steps that will be required before green bonds can develop into a significant and reliable tool in the conservation finance toolkit. The authors find that projects linked to water and storm water management may be investment "sweet spots" for green bonds and land conservation.
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