Cassie Etter-Wenzel
Today we’re highlighting JET alumn Cassie Etter-Wenzel, (Akita 2013- 2015).
I taught at two middle schools and was lucky to have excellent students, passionate, dedicated teachers, and a community that welcomed me at every opportunity. When it was time for me to leave, each class made me cards of their favorite memories together, some of the art students made a drawing of us, teachers left me well-wishes, and the other JETs greeted me at the bus station to send me off. I will always remember how much of a community we created together and how memorable my last weeks were in spring-time Akita as a result of two years of many memorable moments together.
I joined JET as an ALT immediately after finishing my undergraduate degree in international relations and history, eager to experience the world I had spent years studying. Japan, with its long history and my 3 years of Japanese, felt like the perfect place to begin that journey. Living in Akita, I gained more than just teaching experience -- I saw how deeply energy security and resilience mattered to the people of Tohoku, especially in the wake of 3/11. That experience helped shape my curiosity about energy policy and its central place in growing communities and economies.
When I returned to the US, I sought opportunities to learn and contribute more to the energy field. Over the next five years I worked at the US Department of Energy under the Obama Administration on International affairs and the World Resources Institute on greenhouse gas accounting and clean energy deployment, where I was able to continue engaging with Japan through various government ministries.
Ultimately, I decided that I needed to deepen my energy and climate knowledge, so I moved to the UK for an MSc in Environmental Economics at LSE. After the course ended, amidst some COVID uncertainty, I moved to Paris to work at the International Energy Agency on the Clean Energy Ministerial. From here I was able to work at the forefront of energy multilateralism, helping to shape collaborations between major economies like the UK, US, and Japan. After a few years I came to another realization: much of our energy transition conversation focuses on innovation and accelerating pace, there isn't enough attention on affordability, particularly in OECD countries like Japan, the UK, and the US. To help solve this problem, I pivoted to research and am now in the second year of my DPhil (PhD) at Oxford looking at affordability of net-zero policies and how to make the energy transition fairer for low-income households.
These experiences have taught me a few things:
1. Follow your curiosity: JET gives you a unique perspective and can help you form your passions, even if indirectly. Being curious helps you explore new areas, and ensures youre always interested and happy with what you're doing. And if no one is working in your passion area, figure out how to make the space exist!
2. Don’t be afraid to pivot: My path has taken me to three countries, government, higher education, international organizations, and more. There is no such thing as a straight line career, so take the risk and go for the job that excites you!
3. Leverage the JET Community: When I moved to the UK, I got in contact with the Akita JETs who lived in London. They helped me navigate a new city, make friends, and remember all of the wonderful memories from my JET days. Stay connected!
Are you a JET alum with a story to share? Get in touch to be featured in an upcoming Senpai Spotlight.
