I’m so happy to have you here with us at Bend Climate Collective.
I started this group over two and a half years ago after noticing a missing opportunity for climate professionals to meet, connect, and engage with one another. We began as the Central Oregon Climate Tech Meet-Up and have been gathering monthly ever since.
Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of meeting so many inspiring climate practitioners and facilitating meaningful connections across our community. Together, we’ve celebrated joyful job transitions, navigated tough conversations around policy, and discussed everything “climate” in between. It’s been a true pleasure to get to know the Bend climate community, and now, with our new website, mission, vision, brand, and name, I’m thrilled to take this next step forward with you. Our ultimate goal is to preserve and strengthen the powerful network we’ve already built while turning Bend into a destination for climate action, progress, and innovation.
What makes Bend so special to me is its unique urban-rural connection: a lively city surrounded by the high desert’s natural beauty. Our landscape performs so many ecosystem services from storing carbon, replenishing fresh water systems, providing resources for renewable energy production, sustaining biodiversity, offering land for regenerative food production, and so much more. And while we face growing climate risks like wildfires each year, we continue to choose this place for its quality of life and deep climate potential. I feel incredibly lucky to call Bend home and to devote my career to climate progress, which is why I’m so passionate about expanding these opportunities and helping Central Oregon grow into the climate hub it’s meant to be.
A special thanks to my steering committee members, Dani Sangster, Matthew Aghai, and Zachary Price, who joined me in late 2024 to help formalize this group. From navigating LLC formation to lively debates about the word “commerce” in our mission statement, it’s been a joy to work with each of them.
And to our incredible designers, Karen Christoph and Madeline Pickering: thank you for sticking with me through name changes, picky logo tweaks, questionable design feedback, and more. I truly appreciate all the time and care you put into helping Bend Climate Collective put its best foot forward.
Finally, thank you to the entire community who has helped shape it into what it is today. I’m so excited for what’s ahead and can’t wait to share a drink with the many new faces who will join us on this journey.
Sustainably yours,
Annie