Judge Doug Nazarian of the Appellate Court of Maryland speaks with his former law clerk, Kat O’Konski, about career paths in state government and state energy regulation. Together, they discuss Judge Nazarian’s past experience regulating utilities as Chair of the Maryland Public Service Commission and his path to the bench, offering unique insights for law students and professionals alike.

• Appellate Court of Maryland - Read about the structure and role of the court.
• Maryland Public Service Commission - Learn about the Maryland Public Service Commission, including the current commissioners.
• Judicial Clerkship Guide - Check out this guide to state court judicial clerkships.
• National Association of Regulatory Utilities (NARUC) Careers - Learn about career opportunities in public service commissions.

In this episode of Recharged with the State Impact Center, Tiernaur Anderson (the Center's former Digital Media Manager) sits down with Director of Storytelling and Engagement at Project Drawdown Matt Scott. Matt shares his personal journey into climate storytelling, inspired by his own life experiences. This episode discusses the transformative role of storytelling in advancing climate solutions and how Project Drawdown’s initiative, Drawdown’s Neighborhood, uses personal narratives to inspire action. Matt emphasizes the importance of uplifting underrepresented voices in the climate space, highlighting stories from Black, Indigenous, and queer communities. This episode also explores how storytelling can empower decision-makers and influence climate policy, especially at the community level.

Legal professionals and advocates will find valuable insights on how they can approach climate justice issues in a way that centers both community voices and actionable policy outcomes. A key takeaway of this episode is that individuals’ stories can be powerful tools in shaping climate policy.

Matt Scott - Visit Project Drawdown’s website to learn more about Matt Scott and his work.

Project Drawdown - Visit Project Drawdown’s website to learn more about their work.

Drawdowns Neighborhood - Learn more about Project Drawdown’s short documentary series, Drawdowns Neighborhood, hosted by Matt Scott.

Pattrn - Learn more about the Weather Channel’s streaming network Pattrn, which Matt discusses during the episode.

Drawdowns Neighborhood San Francisco Bay Area video series - Watch Project Drawdown’s full video series of stories from San Francisco Bay Area climate heroes.

Drawdown, The Book - Check out Project Drawdown’s book on climate solutions.

Global Solutions Diary - Learn more about Project Drawdown’s Global Solutions Diary and how you can get involved and share your story.

What is a State Attorney General - Learn more about State Attorneys General, written by Tiernaur Anderson.

• Neel Dhanesha - Visit Neel Dhanesha’s website to learn more about his work
• Tik Root - Visit Tik Root’s website to learn more about his work
• Spark Bird - Learn more about the Spark Bird and how it helps fuel a passion for bird watching
• Coastal Erosion in Louisiana - Read more on the coastal erosion issue in Louisiana that sparked Neel’s interest in Environmental Journalism
• Citizen Science - Learn how everyday people can make an impact on climate research and other environmental issues
• Held v. State of Montana - Read up on the youth led climate case and other similar actions being taken
• Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) - Learn more about the climate investment the Biden administration made through the Inflation Reduction Act
• Previous episodes of Recharged - Listen to past episodes of Recharged with the State Impact Center