Claire van Zuiden is a Partner at California Strategies & Advocacy where she works with clients to attain their sustainability, advanced transportation, and environmental goals and objectives. Van Zuiden incorporates her technical and political background and expertise, communication and connection skills, and strong writing and messaging to provide clients with a strategic and comprehensive solution to resolve complex issues across varying environmental and energy fields.
Van Zuiden is a leading advocate for advanced technology programs, regulations, legislation, and budget allocations. Since joining the firm nearly thirteen years ago, she has helped align the client’s technologies and priorities with California’s environmental and economic goals. She has shaped funding programs that provide key incentives and secured hundreds of millions in grants and incentives in California. Additionally, van Zuiden has led and executed multiple events with high-level executives and top government officials throughout California.
Van Zuiden specializes in:
- Developing successful strategies to grow and finance clean technology companies
- Advocating for environmental, transportation, and energy policy and programs
- Creating tailored communication strategies
- Identifying and pursuing incentive opportunities
- Developing incentive programs
- Securing grants to deploy advanced technologies, including advanced transportation and infrastructure, renewable energy, and water
- Leading events with top government officials throughout California
Prior to joining California Strategies, van Zuiden worked for Conservation Strategy Group (CSG), a Sacramento-based lobbying and consulting firm specializing in environmental and natural resources strategy. Following CSG, she began managing the CPV Consortium, a global, non-profit Concentrator Photovoltaic (CPV) industry organization. As the Executive Director, she orchestrated full-day educational workshops and media events in conjunction with worldwide solar conferences and spoke on behalf of the CPV industry at conferences around the world. Van Zuiden helped ensure that there are a single industry voice and an accurate understanding of audiences worldwide.
Van Zuiden earned a Master of Environmental Science and Policy from Columbia University and was President of her graduate program and the Associate Director of the Columbia University Earth Summit. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of California Davis, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa.
She is a Senior Fellow for the Millennial Policy Initiative for Climate Change and Energy, the Co-Chair of the Board for New Leaders Council – Sacramento, and a volunteer for the Sacramento Tree Foundation.
She lives in Sacramento with her husband, son, and three chickens.