People with a purpose

Paul Ghiz is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Clearyst° Inc. Prior to co-founding Clearyst°, Paul spent 25 years as an impact software entrepreneur serving the enterprise nonprofit and corporate social responsibility sectors driving billions in donations for worthy causes around the world. His company DonorDrive was acquired in 2018 where he helped achieve his parent EngageSmart's 2021 IPO (NYSE: ESMT).

Paul grew up in the natural beauty of West Virginia where charity and service were modeled by his parents. He graduated with a BFA from Miami University in Ohio and started his entrepreneurial career designing digital strategies and content management systems for the E.W. Scripps Company. In 1997, he founded Global Cloud to grow missions worldwide with its flagship fundraising and engagement platform DonorDrive. Paul's passion for people, technology, and environment inspired the founding of Clearyst°, where he currently leads a world-class team.

Paul is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Clearyst Inc. and Green Business Bureau, a Trustee for Frank Melville Memorial Foundation, as well as an Advisor to Stony Brook University’s Center for Innovation. Paul's family lives in the New York area.

Why is ESG important to you? I’ve been personally influenced by the effects of environmental health damages caused by an industrial disaster. I believe everyone should do their part to help provide a safe and clean environment. In business, I’ve seen firsthand that aligning the values and purpose of your workforce provides a strong culture and catalyst for outsized growth and impact.

Fun fact(s)? Paul's grandfather was friends with Sam Snead, one of the greatest golfers of all time. On special occasions with live music, Paul has been known to delight a crowd joining in and playing the spoons.

Chris Robinson is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Clearyst° Inc. Prior to co-founding Clearyst°, Chris was an M&A investment banker for Goldman Sachs at both the global headquarters in New York City and Dallas, where he executed 20 transactions representing more than $30bn of enterprise value across various sectors including technology, consumer, industrials, and financial services.

Chris is an accomplished leader with international experience. As a former Marine Corps Officer, F/A-18 fighter pilot, and instructor, he spent more than a decade leading diverse teams of all sizes in various high-stakes environments around the globe. This experience has given Chris a unique perspective on dealing with uncertainty and solving problems with limited resources and information. He enjoys finding ways to create alignment across various stakeholder groups and creating value through sustained high performance.

Chris holds a Bachelor of Science in Management and Political Science from Boston College where he was in the Honors Program, and obtained an MBA at The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. Chris completed the Veteran-in-Residence program with Bunker Labs. He is on the Board of Directors of Clearyst Inc., Green Business Bureau, and 51 Vets, a nonprofit focused on providing career transition services and mentorship to military veterans from the special forces and fighter pilot communities. Chris resides in Dallas, TX with his wife, four children, and two dogs.

Why is ESG important to you? For me, founding Clearyst was an amazing opportunity to create lasting value through serving a higher purpose and blending mission with business together. As a father, I feel a personal calling to leave the world a better and more sustainable place for my four children.

Fun fact(s)? Chris flew the flyover for game 1 of the World Series in 2013, where the St. Louis Cardinals visited the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

As Clearyst's Head of Operations, Kari oversees strategy execution, business operations, and performance management for Clearyst° and its operating companies. With nearly two decades of cross-functional experience, she leverages her deep expertise in business operations, customer experience, technology, and software product development to achieve operational excellence through meaningful impact and results.

Kari is known for her pragmatic approach, delivering simple solutions to complex problems while helping align organizations to drive rapid growth. She is dedicated to helping scale growing companies through innovation, strategy, insight, and organizational transformation. A true believer in the value of authentic and collaborative leadership, Kari empowers teams to reach successful outcomes.

Kari lives in the Kansas City metro area with her dog, Finn. She enjoys spending time at the lake, visiting her family farm, catching her favorite bands in concert, and hosting dinner parties where she gets to pretend to be a BBQ pitmaster.

Why is ESG important to you? I grew up on a farm in rural Kansas, where I learned firsthand the significance of land and wildlife conservation from my father and the importance and influence of community from my small-town upbringing. Carrying those lessons learned from childhood, I continue to be an avid conservationist and a true believer in driving community advocacy through mentorship and volunteerism.

Fun fact? Kari used to be a DJ. She loves to talk music and dominates at music trivia.

Krissana is a passionate People Ops leader in tech, redefining how employees of all levels are valued, elevated, and seen. With her 10+ years of experience, she has had the privilege of building People Ops functions from the ground up, and influencing powerful, undeniable cultures.

Always having people in mind, she prides herself in perfecting the employee experience. This starts with Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (and yes, Clearyst° takes it seriously). Krissana leads Clearyst° in this way by asking tough questions, driving inclusive hiring practices, and creating spaces for employees to bring their entire selves to work.

Krissana lives just outside of Boston with her husband, daughter, cat, dog, and chickens. She loves to spend time outside gardening, fishing, canoeing, photographing nature, and exploring different local state forests.

Why is ESG important to you? I have been surrounded by nature my entire life. My favorite place on Earth is the Adirondack mountains where I learned to fish, canoe, sail, make fires, and above all, take care of the land while doing it. While living in Costa Rica I learned the damaging effects of pollution, seeing mounds of plastic bottles and trash on even the most remote, beautiful beaches. At home I was raised to treat everyone fairly, lend a hand to people in need, and to show compassion. These experiences on top of many others have shaped who I am today, and is why ESG will always be an important part of my life.

Fun fact? Krissana has a strong intrinsic drive to help folx in need. For example, she likes to collect hotel shampoos and soaps and donate them to local homeless people when she travels.

As Director of Sustainability for Clearyst°, Jamie leads sustainability across Clearyst° operations, products, and supply chain. In her role, Jamie ensures regulatory compliance, ESG policy and reporting, and oversees the portfolio of sustainability projects. She drives our sustainability culture and embeds sustainability into our processes and decision making throughout the organization.

Jamie is a driven and dynamic leader focused on creating a functional and profitable intersection between nature and business, a goal that she’s repeatedly been able to achieve working in collaboration with multiple high-profile companies and schools such as Oakley, Red Bull, LA Marathon, Martis Valley Education Foundation, Tahoe Truckee Unified School District, Truckee Venture, and Clearyst°. She works closely with businesses, large and small, to develop targeted sustainability strategies that encompass all areas of ESG. She has experience mapping to the ESG frameworks, including GRI, SASB, and TCFD. From working with Red Bull as National Sports Marketing Manager and Director of Sustainability to founding her own consulting firm, Canopy Strategies, and cleantech company, Powerzoa, her history of success speaks to her passion for sustainability and her ability to exceed expectations.

Why is ESG important to you? ****My deep connection to nature comes through years of participation in outdoor sports like kayaking and skiing. I also believe that nature is the anecdote to many of the challenges we face in the world today. Sustainability practices for businesses are the most powerful way to protect nature. I’m proud to be a part of the movement.

Fun Fact? Jamie was World Champion in Freestyle Kayaking and the First female Red Bull Athlete in North America.

Chip Daley is a Strategic Finance Senior Associate at Clearyst° Inc., focused on business development, M&A execution, and other strategic business initiatives. Prior to joining Clearyst°, Chip was an Analyst at JP Morgan providing structured debt financing solutions to companies throughout the middle market.

Chip is an analytical, creative problem solver with a focus on translating qualitative and quantitative data into actionable insights to drive decision making processes. His experience working with CEOs & Founders at JP Morgan, alongside a serial entrepreneur in college, as well as his volunteer work in the startup community has provided him with a unique perspective on what is most important to creating value at scale.

Chip holds a B.A. in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from the University of Pennsylvania. He currently volunteers as a content writer at Startup Boston, an organization focused on connecting, educating, and celebrating the New England startup community, and is a proud participant in the Pan Mass Challenge, the country’s largest athletic fundraiser, since 2015. Chip now resides in Portland, OR where he enjoys riding his bike, hiking, trail running, camping as well as exploring the local food and coffee scene.

Why is ESG important to you? It’s simple - I care deeply about our planet and the people on it. Working in a space where I have the opportunity to help companies meet their ESG imperatives allows me as an individual to have a much larger impact, accelerating the fight against climate change, aspiring towards equitable and equal opportunity for all, and holding decision makers accountable to have a positive impact.

Fun fact(s)? I sang in a comedy acapella group in college, dressing up as the yellow teletubby for a majority of our performances.