As one of its earliest staff members, Communications Manager Andrea Shapiro has seen the DLC nearly triple in size since 2016, all the while keeping her colleagues and DLC’s stakeholders well informed of the development and deployment of new policies, research and events. A self-described “stickler for grammar, formatting and consistency,” Andrea coordinates the DLC’s marketing and communications efforts, manages the DLC brand, and contributes to the website – responsibilities that mesh with her love of the written word. She has shepherded the DLC through two website redesigns and is often the last set of eyes on technical requirements, blog posts, whitepapers, and other resources the DLC publishes.

Drawn to the nonprofit sector where she can contribute to causes she cares about, Andrea’s passion for environmental issues and strategies to mitigate climate change brought her to the DLC. She finds most rewarding the opportunity to collaborate with others passionate about and working toward common goals. She also appreciates that DLC has an actionable approach to improving lighting and energy efficiency, taking into account the needs of multiple stakeholders – an approach she regards as essential for creating real change.

When she’s not thinking about how to better provide information to the DLC’s many stakeholders, Andrea engages in an array of hobbies that involve working with her hands, including knitting, sewing, embroidery, and pottery. She is also interested in local, sustainable agriculture and has volunteered with World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) in Alabama, as well as at her local farmers market. While she’s currently limited to pots on her back porch, Andrea aspires to have a full-fledged backyard garden someday “complete with chickens!”