The Butterfly Effect Founder, Cari A. Harris Appointed to the Maryland Comptroller’s Climate Advisory Council

Cari A. Harris, MS, PMP — Founder & CEO of The Butterfly Effect and lead of the Greater Baltimore Climate Initiative — has been appointed to the Climate Advisory Council for the Office of the Comptroller of Maryland.

Image Details: Cari Harris and Comptroller Brooke Lierman in Annapolis at the Advisory Board kickoff reception on January 12th, 2026

This appointment positions Cari among a select group of subject matter experts, professionals, and advocates tasked with helping Maryland lead nationally in climate resilience and sustainability.

What the Climate Advisory Council Does

The Climate Advisory Council advises the Comptroller’s Office on strategies to:

• Increase consideration of climate change and sustainability in state procurement

• Assess and reflect the true cost of climate change to Maryland

• Align economic and fiscal policy with climate resilience priorities

• Strengthen Maryland’s position as a national climate leader

Each Advisory Council meets quarterly and serves a two-year term, providing strategic insight, community feedback, and partnership opportunities to inform agency priorities and initiatives.

Why This Matters

For Cari, this appointment is not symbolic — it is aligned with years of hands-on work at the intersection of climate, economic development, procurement, and community impact.

Through The Butterfly Effect and the Greater Baltimore Climate Initiative, she has:

• Convened public agencies, private sector leaders, and community advocates

• Advanced equitable procurement pipelines for small and minority-owned businesses

• Supported implementation readiness around federal and state climate funding

• Designed ESG-forward strategy frameworks for institutions navigating sustainability mandates

Now, that work moves upstream — into policy implementation oversight and statewide economic alignment.

From Community Implementation to Statewide Policy

Cari’s leadership has consistently focused on one core principle:

Climate strategy must be operational, not theoretical.

Whether managing development of Justice40-aligned transparency tools, advising on public project budgets of up to $20M, designing cohort-based procurement programs in Maryland, or convening regional climate professionals and community members, her work bridges systems and execution.

Her appointment to the Climate Advisory Council creates an opportunity to:

• Bring grounded, practitioner-informed insights into state fiscal conversations

• Elevate community-driven perspectives in procurement reform

• Connect sustainability goals to real-world implementation capacity

A Maryland Moment

Maryland has long positioned itself as a climate-forward state. With increasing pressure on procurement systems, infrastructure investment, and resilience funding, fiscal leadership is central to long-term success.

Cari’s appointment reflects a growing recognition that:

Climate resilience is not just environmental policy — it is economic policy.

And the work of aligning budgets, procurement systems, and sustainability outcomes requires voices who understand both strategy and execution.

Looking Ahead

As she begins her term, Cari remains committed to:

• Optimizing community benefits

• Advancing equitable climate investment

• Bridging government, business, and community ecosystems

• Ensuring fiscal systems support long-term sustainability outcomes

This appointment marks another step in The Butterfly Effect’s broader mission:

Small changes. Big impact. Quality execution.

We look forward to contributing to Maryland’s next chapter in climate leadership.

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For partnership inquiries or to learn more about The Butterfly Effect’s climate and sustainability innovation work, visit tbeffect.co.