Team Q&A: Natalie Orner – Client Success Representative

Connecting with others is essential to Natalie Orner. Whether it’s through her work as a yoga instructor or as our Client Success Representative, Orner is here to help connect our clients to a clean energy tomorrow. Join us in formally welcoming Natalie to the Virtual Peaker team!

How did your previous life prepare you for Virtual Peaker?

First and foremost, I’ve always had a deep respect for the natural world around me. Growing up in Vermont, I had many opportunities to enjoy wildlife, gorgeous scenery, and the outdoors in general. Doing work that helps to maintain the beauty of our planet for future generations is important to me. During my time studying at Yale University, I had the chance to meet other individuals who also aspired to improve the world around them. It was awesome to tie together my passion for helping others with my love of learning. This mindset of working towards a greater good has always driven me forward.

In 2020, I co-founded a yoga non-profit in CT called Elm City Yogis, with the goal of making physical and mental wellness more accessible to all. Building relationships with teachers, students, and other community members allowed me to witness first-hand the joys of watching an organization grow from an idea into a network of change-makers. In 2022, I decided it was time for a change. Although I’d never imagined myself in the utility space, when I heard about the work in clean energy Virtual Peaker was doing I knew I had to be involved! Being a member of a tight-knit team with big goals for the future has been a dream come true.

Tell us about your role at Virtual Peaker.

I am a Client Success Representative. My primary goals are to provide friendly, informative, and helpful support to our clients as they use the Virtual Peaker platform. I work as a subject matter expert to assist in educating our clients, troubleshooting any issues that arise, and advocating for our clients’ needs in general. It has been exciting to watch our product grow and improve over time. Our clients are making many innovative and valuable contributions within the clean energy space, and I love to aid in that process.

I couldn’t succeed in my role if it were not for the other amazing people on the Virtual Peaker team. Since day one, I have appreciated the collaborative and good-natured attitude that everyone brings to the table. Within our leadership, our policies, and my daily interactions with other team members, I consistently see the positive impact that arises from a culture of respect and commitment to excellence.

How do you personally engage in sustainability efforts?

Living mindfully and reducing my consumption are both very important to me. I feel that in a culture that emphasizes using material things to improve one’s life, it’s important to push back by finding and creating value in alternative ways. I do my best to avoid purchasing things I don’t need, which has been great for my health and keeping my life clutter-free. Instead, I prefer to invest in causes I care about, my health, and experiences with people that I love.

I also prefer to make things on my own rather than purchase them. There are so many products that can be recreated naturally or items that can be recycled and repurposed. Rather than buying cheap, single-use, environmentally toxic products, it can be way more fun and sustainable to meet a need by creating something myself!

What can you tell us about yourself?

As an avid knitter, I love all things wooly and warm. In my free time, I’m usually working to make cozy wearables for myself and my loved ones. I also enjoy hiking; it’s great to get outside, breathe fresh air, and enjoy the presence of other living things. Sometimes on my treks, I try my hand at a bit of wildlife photography. Lastly, anyone who knows me well knows that I love reading. Often, you can find me curled up with a cup of tea and a good book. One day, I would love the chance to write a novel myself. I’m optimistic to see what the future brings!

About The Author

Bill is a serial entrepreneur with a PhD from UC Berkeley in Controls and Artificial Intelligence and 10 years of experience with high performance residential energy management and connected appliances. He was previously at GE as an Advanced Systems Engineer in the Connected Home Software Group, but left that role in May 2014 to pursue entrepreneurship full time.

Bill grew up in Louisville and returned with his family in 2010 after a long stint in the San Francisco Bay Area. He loves Louisville and is working to make it a better and more attractive city for high tech startups.

More About Bill