Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly Sarber.
Kelly, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
A 2nd generation native of California, born on Coronado Island. My Father was in the SEAL Teams and my Mother has been in Real Estate for over 40 years in Coronado. Grew up with 2 brothers, Brant and Kurt and a little sister Molly. Lifelong horse and dog lover, I developed a strong psychic and intuitive practice. Attended Coronado Schools then Bishops for High School.
Started doing commercials and was recruited by Second City Improv group for sketch comedy. Transferred to UCLA from UCSD and graduated with degrees in Economics and Political Science while doing stand-up comedy at The Improv and Comedy Store in Los Angeles. Hired by LA Olympic Committee to manage Torch Relay’s organization across the US then went to graduate school in Boulder at Univ of Colorado for MBA in finance.
Recruited by a large conglomerate after graduation and relocated to the east coast in the garbage business. Became very successful in developing large environmental projects so started my own firm in 1990 focused on siting large trash, composting, recycling and sludge projects in NY City and across the nation. Came back to California because I forgot to get married. Had a baby girl, McKenzy who is my greatest accomplishment.
Invited to attend Harvard Business School for an advanced finance degree, gaining a network of best friends throughout the world. Nationally known as an expert in waste to energy, wastewater, water and renewable energy with over $2 Billion in projects developed throughout the US. Today, I continue to work in energy and the environmental nexus while also being on the board of Tech Coast Angels helping start-ups get financed and grow their businesses.
Now single, I am an avid watergirl — most weekends find me racing sailboats at Coronado or San Diego Yacht Clubs or surfing in my boat off Point Loma.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Being a girl in the garbage business had its moments. Trash has been my love, sludge my hobby, but it isn’t an easy business. In New York City, my projects were very successful which was considered an anomaly. Because I became a threat, the joke was that I was the only surfer chick in the mafia (which wasn’t true).
I have almost always been the only girl in the conference room at meetings, landfills, compost sites, anaerobic digesters or wastewater treatment plants so I have had to be very good as a developer or investor. I recently pivoted to work in the renewable energy industry because developing utility-scale solar and battery projects has symmetry with my skill set — again not many women in that industry either so I may not always choose the easiest path.
I have not had a lot of luck in love. But I am a hopeful romantic and keep the faith that there may be a possibility for me to find a great partner who desires a girl with a mind for business and a bod for surfing. Generally, I wake up every morning with a positive attitude and surround myself with laughter, new ideas and a lot of energy. I am lucky that my daughter, McKenzy is also my best friend and my goal now is to assist her in becoming all that she wants to be in her life as she moves through high school. San Diego continues to change a lot and I hope that we can adopt more strategies towards sustainability like the other cities that I work within California.
Strategic Management – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am CEO/President of Strategic Management Group, an environmental consulting company with a proven reputation in revenue growth, business development and deal origination for waste, wastewater, water and renewable energy projects. I have developed projects across the nation totaling over two billion in cumulative asset value – many still operate today. A project that I worked on and love in San Diego is the San Dieguito Wetlands project next to Del Mar sponsored by Southern California Edison and SDG&E where we restored hundreds of acres of wetland habitat that was desperately needed in the region.
I am considered an industry pioneer in using political campaign tactics to support environmental project development, I am a regularly sourced expert by national media and featured in the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. I am an expert on all regulatory, finance, permitting, media and public acceptance processes for complicated projects. I am known for innovative project delivery approaches including Public-Private Partnerships with a lot of success stories where municipalities were able to collect host fees while creating sustainability projects with a focus on creating renewable energy from waste feedstocks.
Private equity and venture capital companies tend to seek me out to manage due diligence, business development, organic growth and roll-ups. Specialties: Business Development, Controversial project siting, politics, crisis management, media, public affairs, marketing, start-up business development, finance, operations, acquisitions, mergers, deal vetting, infrastructure and transportation by rail or truck. Currently, I am an angel investor in California, leading deals for Tech Coast Angels and I am a board member of our local TCA chapter.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
In my business career, it was probably during my sand for trash project where I traded San Diego’s trash for pristine white sand from my Arizona landfill that was placed on North County beaches for beach replenishment. Studied by the California Coastal Commission with experts from Scripps Oceanographers, I was able to truck solid waste from San Diego for disposal then cleaned the trucks out to bring back white sand perfect for our beaches. Scientists called it one of the best ideas for beach replenishment for the region because it mimicked natural processes and didn’t cost anything because it was a backhaul.
In my comedy life, it was probably when my screenplays started winning large contests and I sold several — I was invited to attend HBO”s large comedy festival in Aspen to participate as a comic writer and producer.
Contact Info:
- Address: 642 Margarita Ave Coronado, CA
- Website: Linked in is best
- Phone: 7606135994
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: kelly_sarber
- Twitter: @KellySarber
- Other: techcoastangels.com
Image Credit:
Michael Spengler
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
