Christopher Cortazo Rosas

Christopher Cortazo Rosas (he/him) serves as the CRM & Data Management Associate at MHET. With a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Vassar College, he uses his technical and data skills to build processes and automations that optimize MHET’s systems, improve workflows, make their programs more impactful, and make reporting more powerful and accessible. 

Before joining MHET, Christopher developed his technical and data-focused skills through roles as a MakerSpace Intern and a Software Engineering Fellow. In those roles, he supported digital tools, maintained documentation, streamlined workflows, and built web applications and database-backed systems, experiences that helped with his interest in applying technology for community impact. 

Christopher is motivated by the belief that clean, affordable energy and community-led energy systems should be accessible to all, and he is committed to supporting underserved communities through technology and optimized systems. He seeks to combine technology, thoughtful system design, and empathy to create meaningful impact in local communities. Outside of work, he enjoys playing video games (primarily single-player but some multiplayer too), exploring anime and online videos, listening to music, and following WWE.  

Sarah Homet

Sarah Homet (she/her) comes to MHET with a background in community-based program support, social impact communications, and grassroots arts and culture work. She holds a B.S. in Sociology with a minor in Media Studies from Virginia Commonwealth University, as well as certifications in OSHA10 and as a BPI Building Analyst Technician. Before joining MHET, Sarah served as Program Assistant at Communities for Local Power, coordinating the Empower Kingston program, a renewable energy mentorship connecting residents with green career pathways in the trades.

Previously, Sarah worked as a Senior Content Strategist and Project Manager at Whole Whale, a B-corp digital marketing agency, where she led national campaigns for nonprofit clients. Her desire for direct, place-based impact inspired her shift to local work. She has since engaged with neighborhood arts and third-space initiatives through the DIY music scene and her work at Graveside Variety in Woodstock, a grassroots music venue that brought community members of all ages together to make music and learn from one another.

Sarah’s commitment to community care is rooted in her upbringing in Romania and Hungary in the 1990s, where she volunteered alongside her parents from an early age. Her volunteer work has also included music therapy and education for refugee youth. Outside of work, Sarah is a musician who plays guitar and bass, sings, and writes songs with her partner. She also enjoys hiking, gardening, reading, and traveling.

Felice Dong

Felice Dong (she/her) serves as a Project Coordinator at MHET. A recent Yale University graduate with a B.S. in Statistics and Data Science, she brings experience in data analytics, community engagement, and project management. Before joining MHET, Felice worked as a data research assistant and academic mentor, serving first-generation and low-income students as well as incarcerated students through the Yale Prison Education Initiative. She also worked at Freedom Reads, a nonprofit that brings books and libraries into prisons. 

Felice is excited to bring her skills and commitment to equity to MHET, where she looks forward to connecting with and supporting local communities with empathy and care in working towards a sustainable and equitable environmental future. Outside of work, Felice is an avid music listener, horror movie fanatic, and mediocre tennis player.

Jess Davis

Jess Davis (they/she) brings nearly two decades working in and for environmental and social-justice focused nonprofit organizations including Housing Works in NYC, Woodstock Farm Sanctuary and Wild Earth in High Falls, NY. Jess is passionate about LGBTQ+ rights, housing and climate justice, and is inspired to weave these threads of experience into the role of Administrative & HR Manager to uplift the work of the MHET team and its connected communities.

Jess holds a B.A. in Liberal Arts from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA, where they spent their formative years bike-commuting across all corners of the city of brotherly love. Jess lives with partner James and their dog Monday in High Falls, and enjoys birdwatching, backpacking, and foraging all over the beautiful Hudson Valley.

Manasi Gupta

Manasi (she/ her) serves as a Program Manager for the HELP Program, bringing her passion for driving innovative solutions to enable the energy transition. Manasi holds an MPA in Environmental Sciences and Policy from Columbia SIPA and 8+ years of experience developing and executing projects in clean mobility, renewable energy and tech. Over the past few years she has worked with Google, Ourbus, Fram Energy as well as the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities leveraging wide ranging skills in grant management, policy research, strategy development and program management to drive community focused impact. In her most recent role, she helped Ourbus launch their first ever pilot of electric buses for their intercity bus operation in India. At Fram Energy, she secured over $250K in Department of Energy Funding while focusing the organization’s efforts on affordable housing and renters in disadvantaged communities. While at Google, she led a digital literacy initiative reaching over 60,000 new internet users in rural India and managed customer facing programs across seven product areas. Manasi is excited about bringing these skills to drive access to energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions for low income communities in the Mid-Hudson region. Outside of work, Manasi enjoys being outdoors, live music (ask her about her favorite jazz gig in the city!) and exploring new cuisines. She also volunteers with GreenHomeNYC, organizing events and programming for emerging sustainability professionals. 

Erin Jaramillo

Erin Jaramillo (she/they) attended SUNY New Paltz, where she majored in Spanish, Latin American & Caribbean studies and Women’s Gender and Sexuality studies. She grew up on the east end of Long Island, where she learned to appreciate and help preserve the fragile waters, threatened wildlife and sacred native habitats. 

Erin has had a rewarding career as a bilingual patient advocate in the field of reproductive health and justice in which the fight for bodily sovereignty has been at the center of her work, while connecting folks to tangible resources that shape their futures. 

Within her role of Community Engagement Coordinator at MHET, Erin brings a compassionate, humanistic and energetic approach within community outreach efforts. She weaves together her commitment and passion for immigration rights, environmental justice and working class solidarity.

Erin is motivated and inspired by MHET’s mission to empower community energy ownership among the marginalized communities most impacted by climate change that make up the Hudson Valley.  

In Erin’s free time, she loves cooking, swimming, spending time with her partner and kitties and talking your ear off about birthwork. 

John Garay

John Garay (he/him) has had an impactful career in nonprofit organizations serving healthcare and the arts. He has designed and launched transformative educational programs with curriculum on environmentalism, Native American history/culture, a Spanish-language thread, and more. John has substantial experience in outreach and communications, having founded a unique intimate tour company in NYC and helping to launch startups, including a “Secret Hotel” project in Dutchess County.

John’s connection to his mother’s Native American heritage (Quechua) has given him a deep reverence for nature and indigenous wisdom. While working at a small hospital just a couple of blocks from the World Trade Center on the tragic day of 9/11, John contributed and learned how community comes together to lift each other up in all circumstances. That experience had a profound impact on his life and informs his sense of service and giving to this day. As the Bilingual Community Coordinator for MHET, he uses his passion and skills for the mission of environmental justice and sustainable energy transition, with a strong focus on helping underrepresented communities. Outside of work, John enjoys travel, art (of all kinds), and quality time spent with his family.

Tirzah Thomas

Tirzah Thomas (she/her) serves MHET as a Senior Development Associate. Her background in philanthropy equips her to effectively identify potential funders and communicate MHET’s goals and strategies to a wide variety of stakeholders. She’s looking forward to connecting with local communities and assisting MHET in achieving their fundraising goals.

Tirzah recently graduated from Bard College with a B.A. in Sociology and Africana studies where she served as a student leader on campus. Outside of work, Tirzah enjoys reading and visiting museums.

Kyra Shassberger

Kyra Shassberger (she/her) serves as the Director of Communications and Systems at MHET, where she combines her extensive background in marketing, communications, and sustainability to advocate for environmental justice and clean energy solutions. With a passion for sustainability and social impact, she is dedicated to effectively communicating complex sustainability goals and initiatives in ways that inspire action and resonate with a diverse range of stakeholders, from local communities to business leaders. Kyra is driven by her belief in the power of advocacy to create meaningful change. She actively works to amplify the voices of underrepresented communities in the clean energy movement, ensuring that equity and accessibility are central to MHET’s initiatives. Her expertise allows her to bridge the gap between sustainability efforts and public support, empowering local communities to engage with and benefit from the organization’s transformative work. Outside of work, Kyra enjoys crafting, thrifting, and repairing watches.

Emily Mauro

Emily Mauro comes to MHET with a B.S. in Community Health Education and a background of 10 years in energy and sustainability efforts. She is most interested in work that explores and addresses the relationship between systemic discrimination and health disparities within disinvested communities. She is currently pursuing an Advanced Certificate in Public Administration at the City University of New York (CUNY) to deepen her understanding of the policy landscape in the US. Prior to MHET, she was building healthy, energy efficient strawbale homes for low-income individuals on a Community Land Trust. Emily has experience installing solar panels on residential homes, creating and implementing sustainability coursebooks and programs, and has experience writing grant proposals for small-scale renewable energy projects. In her free time, you can find Emily in her garden, enjoying live music, or camping in the mountains.