Carleton Alum Named Rising Star for Climate Policy Leadership
Clausell Stokes, a Carleton College graduate, was recently named one of Trellis’ 30 Under 30 Rising Stars for his leadership in advancing climate solutions. His career has focused on climate policy, agricultural resilience and sustainable practices that protect communities and economies.
Clausell currently serves as manager of federal policy at Ceres, where he has co-organized more than 200 business-lawmaker engagements representing companies with a combined $750 billion in annual revenue. His efforts have helped secure climate investments in landmark legislation including the Inflation Reduction Act and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
In 2023, Clausell took the lead on Ceres’ agriculture policy advocacy through its Climate-Smart and Healthy Soils Working Group, convening more than 40 meetings with corporate leaders, members of Congress, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the White House. His work supports voluntary climate-smart agricultural incentives that strengthen supply chains, reduce emissions and build resilience.
“For me, it starts with something existential,” says Clausell. “I have always wanted to fight for a meaningful cause and build a legacy that endures beyond my lifetime for the benefit of my family, community and society.”
My long-term focus is on bridging divides to create durable, equitable solutions that safeguard communities, economies and ecosystems
At Carleton, he studied the connections between climate change, environment and public health, gaining international experience with businesses investing in wind energy projects in Berlin and supporting public health, deforestation and waste management initiatives in Addis Ababa.
“Those experiences revealed climate change as a challenge that touches every layer of society and became the mission I knew was worthy of dedicating my life to solving,” Clausell says.
Among his achievements, Clausell is especially proud of co-founding Businesses for Sustainable and Resilient Agriculture, a Ceres working group that unites more than 20 major corporations, including McDonald’s, Nestlé and Keurig Dr Pepper. Together, they advocate for soil health restoration, biodiversity protection and voluntary conservation programs. He also played a leading role in private-sector advocacy that contributed to passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, earning recognition from the Biden administration.
“Leadership is as much about cultivating the right environment as setting the right direction,” says Clausell. “My community continues to push me to think bigger, act bolder and approach climate work with empathy, precision and purpose.”
Looking ahead, Clausell is committed to embedding regenerative agriculture and nature-based solutions in U.S. climate policy.
“I aim to make these solutions permanent fixtures, resilient to political shifts,” he says. “Ultimately, my long-term focus is on bridging divides between farmers, retailers, investors and policymakers to create durable, equitable solutions that safeguard communities, economies and ecosystems for generations to come.”