Name: Bela Bogdanovic
Title: Chief of Staff
Employer: Dig Energy
City/Town of Residence:
Boston, MA
BA Global Studies & Chinese, University of Vermont
Why did you decide to work in the renewable/clean/clean energy industry?
I've always wanted to work somewhere that aligned with my values, but I sort of stumbled into climate tech. After college, I went straight to grad school to study International Development. Pretty quickly, I realized I wanted to work at a nonprofit or some type of government agency where I could make an impact. A few months post-grad school, I was working at a nonprofit in Boston when I found out about an opportunity at a venture firm. I had previously interned for the CEO, and when I expressed my concerns about the lack of impact I might have in the private sector, she politely told me I had a lot to learn and invited me to meet her team. This opportunity gave me a front-row seat to the inner workings of a firm investing in climate tech and healthcare, and it introduced me to Dulcie, who is now my boss.
What interested you in working at your current employer?
Dulcie and I worked together closely on founder programs at a venture firm, so when I had the chance to work with her again, I jumped at the opportunity. I also wanted to work in a challenging environment that would push the limits of my abilities and force me to constantly learn and grow.
Describe the work you do in more detail.
I work closely with the CEO, Dulcie, on all things investor/board relations, internal and external stakeholder management, GTM strategy, gov relations, and all the other miscellaneous operations that go into running a early stage startup. Tactically, that translates into building a lot of decks, drafting comms, preparing materials and briefings for internal/external meetings, and being a sounding board for Dulcie, while making sure the cleaning crew comes every other week and the engineering team never runs out of diet cokes.
What do you believe is the most pressing challenge that lies ahead for the clean energy industry in the state?
New Hampshire, and New England as a whole, overwhelming rely on heating fuel to stay warm. Navigating the transition to clean, affordable HVAC solutions will require cooperation from a variety of stakeholders across the public and private sectors, who often have competing priorities. Finding a common language and recentering the conversation around the economic opportunities that the energy transition can bring to all Granite Staters will be crucial.
What advice would you give to someone that is new to the industry or fresh out of college?
1) Read and talk to as many people you can. For climate specific news I subscribe to Axios, Heatmap, and Canary Media. I also read a variety of other newsletters -- New York Times Morning and Dealbook, Bloomberg Open & Close, and the Washington Post 7. You'd be surprised to see how much overlap there is between climate and other world/national news, and even if there isn't overlap, reading the news helps you develop a POV and deeper understanding of current events.
2) Don't be afraid to put yourself out there or ask someone to clarify something if you don't understand it -- most of the time someone else will have the same question!
What do you like to do when you aren't working?
I love a long walk, either with a friend (in person or on the phone), or while listening to a podcast. I also love hot yoga and pilates. The rest of my non working hours are spent trying out different restaurants and bars in the Boston area.
Fun Facts:
Coffee or Tea? And how do you take it?
Iced tea, black
Fave NH Restaurant?
Fave Musician/Band/Music genre?
Taylor Swift or EDM
Fav Recreational activity?
Long walks (ideally on a hot, sunny day)
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