Venture – Staff

Cassie Schuttrumpf
Program Manager

Cassie has worked with SecondMuse, an adminstrator of Venture For ClimateTech in partnership with NextCorps, across various projects, carrying out program management level work. Her work involves both the research and development, fundraising, and relationship building efforts for go-to-market strategies and market entry projects with frame up stage founders at Venture For ClimateTech. Her educational background entails a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies, and a Masters degree from Vermont Law School in Environmental Law and Policy. She’s worked in both the corporate and nonprofit sectors of sustainability and is passionate about discovering the most impactful ways to progress  both environmental and social justice efforts.

Scott Meyers is the program manager for Venture For ClimateTech where he plans, coordinates, and executes the day-to-day programming and curriculum. Scott formerly worked for Dandelion Energy, a residential geothermal heat pump installer in the Hudson Valley area, as a Subcontractor Coordinator. He has also served as a Community Organizer for SunCommon, a solar B-corporation. After college, he worked as a Team Leader with Americorps NCCC, where his team worked to serve frontline communities in a variety of ways around the country.

Scott was born and raised in Leroy, New York, and graduated from SUNY Brockport in 2017. He now lives in Rochester, New York. He is a prominent member of the Rochester community, having co-founded The Rochester Sunrise Movement Hub, a local climate justice advocacy group.

Climate is important to Scott because he believes in leaving things in a better state than when you found them. He feels that if these changes are not addressed in an equitable way, many other concerns will remain unaddressed. Scott is particularly enthusiastic about reducing global reliance on fossil fuels by mass electrification combined with grid diversity when it comes to climate technologies.

Scott’s favorite entrepreneur is Kathy Hannun of Dandelion Energy; she is a strong woman in a male-dominated industry, who served as a terrific role model for Scott.

Scott’s Favorite Movement Leader?

Bernie Sanders / AOC / Ilhan Omar / New Wave Politics / Playing the long game / Ultimately AOC Ilhan Omar

What do you do for fun? 

Scott enjoys traveling and being outdoors, he is also passionate about activism. He recently took a road trip out to Moab Utah with two of his friends to camp.

Favorite Food?

Lasagna. Even a bad lasagna tastes good. 

What’s your Favorite Book?

The Ministry for Future / Our national parks by John Muir. “National parks are such a treasure.” 

Daily podcasts

Up First NPR, NYT The Daily, Throughline.  Following Ted Talks / Movement leaders / How I Built This / Understanding movement leaders.

In his role as New Venture Specialist, Devin works to recruit, develop, and support the growth of early stage ClimateTech startups both inside and outside of the Venture for ClimateTech program. In addition, he works broadly to support NextCorps’ programs and strategic initiatives with regards to generating greater program integration within the NextCorps ecosystem.

Prior to working for NextCorps, Devin served as an information analyst at the Center for Emerging and Innovative Sciences at the University of Rochester, where he worked to support and grow the optics and photonics cluster in Rochester.

Devin is a graduate of the University of Rochester, where he completed his bachelor’s degree in political science and economics, as well as completing the Take Five Scholars program in which he investigated the political, economic, cultural, philosophical, and religious development of Southeast Asia, with a particular focus on China.

Jackie brings immense experience in supporting and growing innovation ecosystems, from Canada to Argentina, as well as her own journey as a successful entrepreneur. She was founder and CEO of Revolar Instinct Personal Safety Device, an app-enabled wearable technology that lets trusted contacts know your GPS location and if you need help — at the click of a button. While leading the company, she became one of the first Latinas to raise millions from well-respected investors like Foundry Group. After selling and exiting Revolar, she became the Regional Director for the Americas for Techstars, where she led fully remote multicultural teams and provided coaching and support to a diverse group of entrepreneurs.