Krystal Marx Named Executive Director of SEM Collaborative

Collaborative to Benefit from Proven Nonprofit Leader with Extensive Experience in Volunteer Engagement and Building Strategic Partnerships

The Strategic Energy Management (SEM) Collaborative (SEMC) is pleased to announce the appointment of Krystal Marx as Executive Director. Marx brings extensive nonprofit leadership experience, with a proven track record of transforming organizations through strategic growth, stakeholder engagement, and innovative coalition building.

About Krystal Marx

Krystal Marx is a dynamic, results-oriented leader dedicated to community empowerment and mission-driven organizational excellence. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated an exceptional ability to build coalitions, foster collaborative relationships across diverse stakeholder groups, and guide organizations through periods of significant transformation.

Most recently, Marx served as Executive Director at Real Change Homelessness Empowerment Project in Seattle, where she led comprehensive program alignment, championed anti-oppression initiatives, and secured $190,000 in rapid funding within three weeks during a critical fiscal period.

Prior to Real Change, Marx served as the inaugural Executive Director of Seattle Pride from October 2019 to November 2022, where she transformed a volunteer-run organization into a professionally staffed operation with sustainable infrastructure.

Marx's additional experience includes serving as Vice President of Business Operations for the Seattle Seawolves and Director of Operations for the Washington State Democrats. She also served as City Councilmember and Deputy Mayor for the City of Burien from 2018 to 2021, where she provided strategic leadership on policy development, budget management, and community engagement initiatives.

Marx is particularly drawn to the strategic energy management (SEM) field because she sees the critical need for large corporate sectors to be involved in energy management and environmental sustainability. While new to the SEM industry specifically, her extensive experience in nonprofit leadership, coalition building, and member engagement positions her to effectively serve SEMC's diverse community and membership base across the energy efficiency sector.

Standout Skills for SEMC Leadership

The SEMC Board and hiring task force selected Marx following a comprehensive search process that included multiple interview rounds, reference checks, and thorough background verification. Marx matched our ideal candidate with a score of 86/100 after her first interview alone, and showed particular strength in areas critical to SEMC's success as it moves to a new stage of organizational development and support for the SEM community:

• Strategic Thinking and Planning: Marx has consistently demonstrated the ability to assess organizational systems, identify quick wins, and develop realistic growth plans that balance immediate needs with long-term sustainability.

• Stakeholder Management and Partnership Building: With experience working across all sides of the political spectrum and managing relationships with diverse community groups, corporate partners, government entities, and volunteers, Marx understands the importance of identifying mutual benefits and communicating results effectively.

• Volunteer Management: Marx has extensive experience recruiting, engaging, and retaining volunteers, recognizing that volunteers thrive when their time is respected, their contributions are valued, and they receive both public and private recognition for their efforts.

• Change Management: Marx has successfully guided multiple organizations through significant transitions, from building professional infrastructure in grassroots organizations to navigating funding challenges and maintaining mission focus during periods of uncertainty.

• Communication and Public Presence: Marx is comfortable serving as the public face of an organization, engaging with media, and representing organizational interests to diverse audiences. She has created comprehensive communication strategies including newsletters reaching over 10,000 community members.

Looking Ahead

In her interviews with the SEMC search committee, Marx articulated a thoughtful approach to her first six months in the role. She emphasized the importance of building strong relationships with board members, volunteers, and SEMC members; assessing current systems for consistency and accessibility; identifying quick wins for member and SEM community engagement; and developing a realistic growth plan informed by those who have been involved with the organization. She understands the importance of maintaining SEMC's collaborative culture and sense of community while supporting the organization's evolution from a grassroots industry collaborative into a mature, professionally managed organization.

About SEMC

The Strategic Energy Management Collaborative (SEMC) is a member-driven organization dedicated to accelerating the adoption of Strategic Energy Management (SEM) by energy efficiency programs and energy end users, while enhancing the effectiveness of SEM offerings across North America. SEMC provides leadership, strategic direction, and resources to advance the implementation of SEM practices that help organizations systematically identify and reduce energy waste through continuous improvement frameworks.

Marx officially began her role as Executive Director on December 9^th, 2025.