Staff Spotlight: Carina Larson, Senior Office and Administrative Specialist
Carina Larson grew up in Jordan, Minnesota, about 45 minutes southwest of the Twin Cities. Prior to joining CEE, she held jobs in the hospitality industry, a medical cannabis dispensary, and a nonprofit that helps individuals with substance use disorders achieve sobriety.
“I decided not to go to college right away after high school — I was working and taking some classes to figure out what I wanted to do,” Larson said. "When I saw the job opening at CEE, I was actually taking a class called Intro to Energy and the Environment. It was really weird — it seemed to line up a little too well!”
After interviewing, Larson felt a connection to the organization’s purpose and mission. “The focus on achieving a carbon neutral future with community and equity at the forefront resonated with me,” she said. “It felt like somewhere I could feel good about what I was doing.”
According to Larson, planning and pulling off CEE’s November 2024 all-staff meeting with her colleagues is one of her proudest recent accomplishments. Due to the organization’s rapid growth in recent years, Larson and the team were tasked with finding a brand-new venue for 2024, a tall order with a staff of over 200.
“Trying to find a venue that had everything we needed was a big challenge,” Larson said. “We'd find one that looked perfect, then we’d find out it only allowed 180 people when we needed 200. It was like a puzzle and that’s fun to me.”
As senior office and administrative specialist, Larson’s other responsibilities include assisting the coordination of internal project kickoff and close-out meetings, managing CEE’s weekly bank deposits, and working with the accounting team to reconcile checks, expenses, business reply mail, and postage.
“It makes me feel very fulfilled to do work that is integral to others being able to do their jobs well — from our staff who are conducting cutting edge research projects, to those working with legislators to advance clean energy policy, and everyone in between,” Larson said. “At the core, being able to help people is what I enjoy most.”