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Catherine Paquette

Business Analyst

Global Energy Management and Sustainability (GEMS)

Catherine Paquette is an analyst on the Global Energy Management and Sustainability (GEMS) team.  As a recent graduate of Carnegie Mellon University, she hopes to bring creativity and new ideas to Cisco, while also learning everything she can about energy-efficiency and sustainability.  She is currently helping to develop lighting and HVAC projects for the EnergyOps Program, Cisco’s four-year initiative to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions across its operations, as well as working on new, energy-efficient guidelines for our buildings and communications strategies to amplify Cisco's sustainability initiatives.

Catherine had the opportunity to intern for the GEMS team in San Jose during the summer of 2013.  Her project was to develop a global standard for lighting controls, standardizing the way we turn the lights off and on in different Cisco space types.  By using better lighting controls, we can reduce our energy consumption (and energy costs!), which reduces our impact on the planet and makes good business sense for Cisco.  Her recommendations are now being rolled out across Cisco buildings around the world.

At Carnegie Mellon University, Catherine’s interdisciplinary degree was in architecture and environmental studies.  She focused her coursework on how architects and facilities managers can make buildings more sustainable, and was a teaching assistant for third-year architecture students. In addition, Catherine helped one of her professors develop and write about her research on energy-efficient lighting upgrades for office buildings. While pursuing her undergraduate degree, Catherine set aside time to be a part of the track and cross-country teams and was voted captain of both sports her junior and senior year.

Catherine now works out of Cisco’s Research Triangle Park campus and lives in Durham, North Carolina.  Outside of work, she enjoys going for runs in the Duke forest, exploring her new home state, reading classic novels, and spending time with her friends.

Articles

Connected Bees Coming to Cisco’s Research Triangle Park Campus

Research Triangle Park (RTP) in North Carolina is Cisco’s second largest campus in the U.S. after our headquarters in San Jose, California. RTP is a growing campus in a regional innovation hub, surrounded by leading research universities and clean technology ventures. This makes RTP an excellent pla…

Cisco Employees are Earth Aware, Making a Positive Impact on the Planet

We may not always remember to “stop and smell the roses,” but slowing down and appreciating the natural beauty all around us can serve as a reminder of lucky we are to call planet Earth our home. Last month, employees around the world came together to do just that; celebrating Earth Day throug…

Cisco Opens New Solar Facility to Power San Jose Campus

Today, I attended the opening of Cisco’s new solar energy facility in Blythe, California. This facility, built by NRG Energy, Inc., will generate renewable power for use at our San Jose headquarters. Though we have already installed approximately 2.7 megawatts of solar at our sites in Texas, Massach…

A Look Back at Cisco’s Recent Sustainability Accomplishments

2016 was a momentous year for Cisco and the world. We made key acquisitions, sponsored the Olympic Games in Rio, and continued to evolve our business to meet customers’ changing needs. It was also Cisco CEO Chuck Robbins’ first full year at the head of the company, and in the 2016 Corporate So…

EPA Recognizes Cisco As Green Power Partner of the Year

Yesterday, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) presented Cisco Systems with a Green Power Partner of the Year award. The Green Power Leadership Awards recognize Green Power Partners for their leadership, overall renewables strategy, and impact on the green power market. Cisco Systems was on…

Cisco Corporate Social Responsibility Receives Golden Peacock Award

Cisco’s commitment to making the world a better place is paying off; on February 5, 2016, Cisco sent two representatives to accept the Golden Peacock Award for Corporate Social Responsibility. This is the second year Cisco has received recognition from this organization, and the first time we’ve won…

Cisco Joins Prestigious Sustainability Organization

I am excited to announce that Cisco has joined The Climate Registry, a North American nonprofit organization that sets standards for calculating, verifying, and reporting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Our membership in The Climate Registry provides Cisco with the opportunity to share best practice…