Ari Matusiak – The Climate and Economic Case for Electrifying Everything

Ari is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Purpose Venture Group, a social impact advisory firm, and incubator that builds community-centered ventures to address climate and economic inequality. He has almost a decade of executive leadership and operational experience in renewable energy and household electrification.

Ari served in the Obama White House as Special Assistant to the President and Director of Private Sector Engagement. He focused on economic policy related to jobs and competitiveness and oversaw the relationship between the Administration and the private sector. He is Co-Founder and Chairman of Young Invincibles; a national nonprofit focused on delivering economic opportunity to young adults.

Earlier in his career, he was the senior executive responsible for strategy and impact investing at the Rhode Island Foundation, one of the country’s oldest and largest community foundations. His efforts resulted in over $1 billion of affordable housing and thousands of new, local jobs. In addition, Ari was a fellow at the Beeck Center for Social Impact and Innovation at Georgetown University. He graduated cum laude and as a Public Interest Law Scholar from Georgetown University Law Center, and is a magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Brown University. He lives with his wife, two daughters, and puppy in Southern California.