Bethany Patten

Bethany Patten is the inaugural Executive Director of MIT’s Climate Policy Center and a Senior Lecturer at the MIT Sloan School of Management, focusing on translating academic research into actionable climate policy and sustainable business strategies. She holds an MBA from MIT Sloan, an MPA from Harvard Kennedy School, and a BA from Boston College.

Her research emphasizes ethical political engagement, bridging academia with policymakers and business leaders. She co-founded the MIT Climate Pathways Project, leveraging the En-ROADS simulator to engage over 12,000 global decision-makers. She teaches courses like the Sustainable Business Lab (S-Lab) and contributes to MIT Sloan’s Executive Education programs.

Active in academic governance, she sits on the Sloan Faculty DEI Committee and Climate Policy Working Group. Her community roles include leadership in the Environmental League of Massachusetts and Boston’s Bay Village Neighborhood Association.