About our guests

Sara Kane, our first guest, has worked in the environmental field for 18 years. She had positions at the Sarasota Bay Estuary Program and Mote Marine Laboratory. Graduated from University of South Florida and has a Masters in Global Sustainability with a concentration in water. She manages the sustainability program for Sarasota County. This program is in the University of Florida/IFAS Extension & Sustainability department. She oversees sustainability improvements within government operations and the efforts to create a sustainable community across Sarasota County.

Sara’s responsibilities include promoting energy efficiency, green building practices, renewable energy, electric vehicles, and waste reduction strategies in the county and to residents and businesses; resiliency and climate planning; and grant management.

Alia Garrett is the sustainability program’s outreach coordinator for Sarasota County, in the University of Florida/IFAS Extension & Sustainability department. Graduated with a master’s degree in Global Sustainability from the University of South Florida. She is responsible for education and outreach projects to encourage sustainability actions in the community.

She leads planning and implementation efforts for sustainability events and workshops and supports efforts to create a sustainable community across Sarasota County. Previously she worked as Energy Program Specialist for Sarasota Housing Authority and helped establish the non-profit Turn the Tide for Tarpon.

 Listen to the show archives as we discuss solving the energy burden for undeserved community members and local nonprofit in Sarasota.