California Green Business Network
As Co-Executive Director of the California Green Business Network, Lacey Raak serves communities throughout the State of California supporting community-level economic development and a sustainable and environmentally-responsive business sector.
Lacey began her career at the City of Monterey, supporting sustainable transportation and the development of their first Climate Action Plan. She then worked for 12 years in Higher Education Sustainability as the Director of Sustainability at UC Santa Cruz and CSU Monterey Bay, where she developed and supported innovative initiatives, integrated sustainability into long-term plans and policies and helped build a culture of sustainability within an institutional setting. She wrote the City of Seaside’s Municipal Plastic Ordinance in her role as founding Chair of the Seaside Environmental Commission.
Lacey holds a Master’s Degree in International Environmental Policy and Bachelor’s Degree in Global Studies. She recently completed a Chief Sustainability Officer credential from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was 2010 Fulbright Researcher in Indonesia.
Originally from Minnesota, Lacey now enjoys exploring the California Coast with her husband, 2 young kids and dog! She finds peace getting her hands dirty in the garden and laughing at all the crazy bits of life that shouldn’t be taken too seriously.
