About Dakota

"Today's students do not fit any particular mold, and I believe education policies should be modernized to take into account the needs of students who wish to prepare for universities, the workforce, entrepreneurship, and beyond. Dropout rates and mental health challenges continue to persist in academic institutions across the United States, and I see an opportunity to bring a fresh perspective with modern insights to the table."

Dakota Stormer was born in Houston, Texas, and has been a resident of Texas for 24 years. He grew up in Magnolia, Texas, and graduated as valedictorian from Magnolia West High School. After graduation, Dakota moved to Austin, Texas, and majored in chemical engineering at the University of Texas at Austin with specializations in environmental engineering and alternative energy. Dakota then attended Johns Hopkins University part-time for a master’s degree in energy policy and climate while also working as a Health, Safety, Security, and Environmental Advisor for an energy company in Houston.

Dakota currently serves as the chairman of the student board for the Johns Hopkins University Energy Policy and Climate program, while also serving as a leader of a grassroots network of over 2000 energy industry employees tackling the energy transition. He is also the co-founder and CEO of Technicology, L.L.C. and Footprint L.L.C, and is a well known environmental activist on social media. He has founded four organizations and served on the board of over ten community and educational associations across the United States, including Global Environmental Brigades and a Keep Texas Beautiful affiliate. Within these roles, Dakota has lead numerous successful sustainability campaigns, including a food waste reduction campaign, a carbon emissions reduction campaign, and an energy efficiency campaign that received state-wide recognition from the Texas Environmental Excellence Awards. Aside from leadership and activism, Dakota has also worked on multiple innovation projects, including the solar tracking project that eventually won Shell Ideas360, an international innovation competition. He has been featured multiple times in the Houston Chronicle and was nominated for Forbes Under 30.

Dakota seeks to bring a fresh perspective to the HCC board of trustees. More information can be found on his candidate page, but a few key points from his platform are:

• Enhancing workforce development
• Reducing dropout rates
• Fighting student hunger
• Boosting entrepreneurship
• Ending cycle of corruption

"As a recent student, I've experienced multiple forms of education. I've taken classes online and in person at community colleges and universities. I've also seen the challenges of starting your own business, and I believe my fresh perspective and recent experiences can help bring insights to the table. These perspectives will help our board of trustees make informed decisions in the best interest of the students of today and tomorrow."

“There is a sense of ownership and responsibility that comes with playing a role in an organization. When I am a part of an organization, I take pride in watching it grow to achieve more and leave its mark, consistently striving for continuous improvement. Building an organization into something bigger than yourself can sometimes feel daunting, frustrating, and even emotionally challenging – but the end result, the impact on society, can be indescribably rewarding. My goal is to help businesses and organizations become more sustainable and stand out as leaders in the fight against climate change.”