We make an impact.
Our Work
Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition
The Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition is made up of more than 200 businesses and organizations representing the state’s environmental, clean technology, consumer, and faith communities. As a founding member of the Clean Jobs Coalition working for NRDC, Nick Magrisso helped lead the coalition to successful passage of the groundbreaking Future Energy Jobs Act, bipartisan legislation that is projected to yield $12-15 billion in new private investments of renewable energy and energy efficiency projects while creating tens of thousands clean energy jobs across the State of Illinois. Nick continues to work with the Coalition to accelerate clean energy markets.
In The Media
Crain's Chicago Business
National Public Radio
Midwest Energy News
Energy Foundation
For nearly three decades, Energy Foundation has been investing in grantees and partnerships through their philanthropy to transform global energy markets to ensure a clean, healthy, prosperous future. Energy Foundation provides support to grantees to educate policymakers and the general public about the health and economic benefits of a clean energy economy. Nick advises Energy Foundation’s Midwest Campaign and Policy Directors on their state-specific programmatic, policy, and philanthropic engagements in Illinois.
Civitas Public Affairs Group
Prior to starting Optimal Strategies, Nick worked for Civitas Public Affairs Group, one of the fastest growing, bipartisan D.C.-based public affairs firms in the country. The founders of Civitas Public Affairs successfully led the marriage equality movement and the firm continues its work on behalf of the public interest to build and manage advocacy campaigns that address some of the most pressing political and societal issues of our time. At Civitas, Nick led and managed clean energy coalitions, helped reform insurance laws in Illinois to support working families, and supported efforts to advance voter-rights in Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York.
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
NRDC is one of the largest and most highly regarded environmental not-for-profits in the United States. Nick served as NRDC’s Midwest Legislative Director where he led legislative strategy and statehouse advocacy campaigns for climate and clean energy-related policies in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio, and Missouri. In addition to serving as NRDC’s primary advocate in Illinois, Nick also led coalition building efforts with other environmental organizations, business leaders, consumer protection groups, and other key stakeholders across the Midwest, advised media and communication strategies, and policy development.
In The Media
Natural Resource Defense Council
Champaign News-Gazette
St. Louis Dispatch