About Us
Gaia-Force is pledging to upskill 1 million college graduates & enable them to join the green workforce by 2034
Mission
Accelerate the environmental sustainability workforce by upskilling college students and graduates through 360-degree coaching, providing tangible technical skills and work experience
Vision
Gaia-force aspires in becoming the preeminent portal for green workforce by upskilling and landing green jobs for college students and graduates. Through the sustained effort of Gaia-force, these students will become the frontline of the green economy. The Gaia-force graduate will meet the demand for green jobs, reduce the gap in skilled green jobs and accelerate progress towards net zero and other climate goals
Team
Founder
Nagashree Manwatkar, Founder of Gaia-Force, has 20 years of experience working in the Green Building Space. She has pivoted her career from architecture into her passion for renewable energy business operations. She is a coach for the UC Davis MBA students, USC students and fellows at EDF Climate Corp. At Tesla, Inc. she led cross-functional teams in: Business Development, Supply Chain Management, Product Management, New Market Entry and Business Operations. From her experience at EDF Climate Corp and UC Davis Graduate School of Management, Nagashree strongly believes in providing solutions-based learning. Her decade of knowledge from designing green building strategies through Net Zero Energy Building and LEED Certified Buildings adds to the gamut of varied industry experience where green strategies are used throughout the real world.
Board Members
Narinder S. Bansal is a professor of environmental studies, geography, and global studies at Ohlone College. He has been in the education field for over 20 years. He has also recently taken on the position of Sustainability and Resiliency Officer for the college district. He earned his Associate of Arts in Liberal Studies and transferred to Cal State Hayward (now Cal State East Bay) where he went on to complete a bachelor’s in environmental studies (emphasis in land use development and management), a Cartography and GIS Certificate Program, and a Master’s in Geography (emphasis in environmental resource management). His master’s thesis was focused on the impact of “Low Income Energy Assistance Programs, in the Wake of Electric Utility Deregulation”. Narinder is passionate about helping students achieve their full potential, he is known for his dynamic teaching style and ability to connect with students on a personal level. His classes are challenging, but also engaging and fun.
Max Gade has over a decade of experience driving environmental impact, with a background spanning hydrogeology, finance, and corporate sustainability. He is currently a Sustainability Strategy Director at PepsiCo, and has also led initiatives to integrate sustainability principles into business processes with the Sustainable Investing team. Holding an MBA from The University of Texas at Austin and an M.S. in Earth Sciences from Syracuse University, Max has dedicated his career to championing positive environmental change while simultaneously ensuring sustainable, long-term business growth.