Environmental Scientist | Strategist | Author

Meet Mike Dieterich

Mike Dieterich is an environmental scientist, strategist, and author with more than 20 years of experience connecting energy, water, infrastructure, and organizational strategy to deliver measurable results.

His experience spans Fortune 500 companies, municipalities, government agencies, and public infrastructure. His work connects science, finance, technology, and operations to identify opportunities, optimize investments, improve performance, and strengthen long-term resilience.

Author of Decarbonization That Works: From Targets to Results, Mike brings a practical philosophy to complex challenges:

Meet people where they are. Build on what works. Scale what succeeds.

How I Solve Problems

I approach complex problems as opportunities, like a Rubik’s cube. Every move changes what’s possible somewhere else. Energy, water, infrastructure, operations, and risk work the same way.

I first gather information to understand the bigger picture and the individual pieces, spotting relationships that go unnoticed. I prioritize the opportunities and work out the sequence, then execute with your team to put the strategy into practice. We verify the results and scale what works.

That’s how strategic thinking becomes a systematic approach to solving problems and making opportunities real.

Advisory and Leadership Experience

Global Network for Zero
Advisor
Supports technical innovation and efficiencies in its net zero certification platform.
Work on Climate
Expert and Office Hours advisor
Sustainova
Sustainability expert offering advisory and consultancy through Sustainova
The Explorers Club
Sustainability Committee member

Previous Board and Public Service

Montgomery County, Maryland
Former Building Performance Improvement Board member · 2022–2024
Advised on the development of building energy performance standards.
Association of Energy Engineers National Capital Chapter
Former board member · 2019–2023
DMV Net-Zero Energy Coalition
Leadership committee experience

From natural systems to organizational systems

Growing up between a corn field and a cow pasture, I spent nights stargazing and days exploring the outdoors. Watching the Blue Planet series with David Attenborough and experiencing the outdoors with the Scouts fostered a passion for the natural world.

My academic journey followed with a degree in Environmental Science; researching in unique ecosystems, including sulfur caves in Mexico, and an NSF Fellowship focused on human impact in the Adirondack wilderness.

I shifted from natural systems to human built systems. My work has spanned federal buildings, infrastructure, construction, healthcare, corporate operations, energy systems, and carbon markets. Reducing gigatons of emissions and saving millions of dollars.

My journey involves the science, the physical assets, the operating realities, and the executive decisions required to turn ambition into measurable results. This uncommon perspective inspires transformation.

Sharing insights at the UN and US Congress, through TEDx talks, presentations, and workshops.

My mission is to foster resilient, sustainable, innovative solutions for global impact.