In the final Career Speaker Series for the Spring 2025 semester, host Erik Milde, had an opportunity to sit down with Andre Little, Val Danidk Evans, Miguel Maysonet, and Kara Gravinese to discuss career transitions in the sustainable world. The panelists emphasized that careers in sustainability often follow diverse, non-linear paths and aren’t limited to roles with “sustainability” in the title. They shared how impactful work can happen across various positions by recognizing where sustainability intersects with other functions and advocating for ethical, responsible choices. The Jenkins MBA Business Sustainability curriculum was credited with deepening their understanding and helping them apply sustainable principles across business disciplines. A key takeaway was the value of curiosity and initiative—there’s no single roadmap, but staying open, asking questions, and championing sustainability in any role can make a difference.
Panelists:
Kara Gravinese: Kara has been with the NC Electric Cooperatives for 4 years as an Innovation and Business Development Analyst, where she researches and deploys beneficial electrification and sustainable technologies that bring business value to the cooperatives. Kara graduated from NC State with her MBA, concentrating in Innovation and Marketing Management and a graduate certificate in Renewable Energy Assessment and Development. At NC State, she furthered sustainability in business, working as a Business Sustainability Collaborative student associate and B Corp Clinic peer coach. Before graduate school, Kara worked for 10+ years in the nonprofit sector, growing organizations and driving positive change in digital marketing, development, and program management.
Miguel Maysonet III: From pizza delivery to operations management, an MBA, and advocacy for people with disabilities, Miguel’s journey has been anything but linear. A pivotal moment sparked a deeper focus on education, leading to a passion for sustainability and social impact. With experience in environmental labs, community outreach, and business-driven sustainability, he has woven together advocacy and leadership to drive meaningful change. Each twist and turn has shaped his path, reinforcing a commitment to making a difference—one zigzag at a time.
Andre Little: With an MBA and MAC, he transitioned from corporate taxation to management consulting, bringing a focused, collaborative, and servant leadership approach to organizational transformation. Passionate about business sustainability, mentorship, and analytics-driven finance and accounting, he is always eager to connect with like-minded leaders committed to delivering quality client service and driving meaningful change. Andre is also the first student to graduate with the Business Sustainability Certificate.
Val Evans: Val is a versatile business generalist with expertise in strategic marketing, brand and product management, data analytics, digital innovation, and business transformation. Passionate about solving complex business challenges, optimizing processes, and developing sustainable solutions that drive meaningful outcomes. Energized by collaborative, dynamic projects with multiple moving parts, Val brings logic and simplicity to complexity. With experience across consumer packaged goods, agriculture, healthcare, retail, entertainment, and recreational power equipment in both B2C and B2B environments, Val is committed to innovation, inclusion, and impactful problem-solving.
Key Career Advice:
- Sustainability careers are often non-linear and not confined to specific job titles.
- Many roles overlap with sustainability in practice.
- Advocating for ethical and responsible decisions can drive change from any position.
- The Jenkins MBA Business Sustainability Certificate supports cross-functional sustainability understanding.
- Curiosity and initiative are more important than a fixed set of certifications.
- Sustainability spans sectors, offering broad opportunities regardless of background.
- Staying informed and engaged helps professionals become sustainability advocates.
