MESM 2026
Pronouns: he/him
Bio
Nic DeStephano is motivated to leverage environmental science to inform climate adaptation plans that better respond to industry-specific challenges, improve resilience, and drive positive social and environmental outcomes. Nic graduated from Georgetown University in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Marketing and Management, Leadership, and Innovation. At Georgetown, Nic managed a non-profit coffee shop and served on the board of directors helping redistribute profits back to students. In addition to a healthy caffeine habit, this experience gave him an appreciation for the complexity of food service supply chains.
Pursuing his interest in business model innovation and sustainable food technology, Nic worked as a lead account manager at Instacart. There, Nic owned the strategic partnership with Unilever, launched new product features, and coached two other account managers. Building on this last-mile lens, Nic also volunteered on an organic farm in San Francisco and doubled-back to Georgetown for a Sustainable Business certificate in 2023.
As he gained work experience across grocery technology, digital strategy, and food service and deepened his involvement in local agriculture, Nic's interest in climate change mitigation became a professional imperative. At Bren, Nic is eager to graduate from environmental advocate to scientifically-grounded leader in responsible business management, corporate decarbonization, and sustainable food systems.