A passionate believer in finding ways to support healthy rivers, promote biodiversity and decarbonize the grid, Gia Schneider has spent more than 20 years working in the energy industry. Inspired at a young age by their father, an inventor of novel renewable energy technologies, Gia co-founded Natel Energy in 2009 with her brother, Abe Schneider. Natel delivers high-performance FishSafe turbine and plant designs informed by industry-leading CFD modeling and analysis.

Gia previously served as a partner at EKO Asset Management Partners, and held past roles at Credit Suisse, where she established the energy trading desk and carbon emissions desk and led commodity-focused work at Constellation Energy and Accenture.  

Schneider has been recognised as one of the 75 most influential people in hydropower, and in 2022 was selected as a Grist “Fixer,” an honor given to the top 50 emerging climate and sustainability leaders; she has also been recognised by the U.S. Department of Energy as a Clean Energy Champion and is an Unreasonable Fellowship recipient.

Schneider received Chemical Engineering and Economics degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and currently serves as a board member of the Fresh Water Trust and World Wildlife Fund National Council.  

Schneider enjoys surfing, kiting, and cooking with family and friends. Schneider lives in California with her husband and daughter.

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