A Lighthouse on the Hill: Grounded, Intentional, Unmistakable
This week, we spoke to Nicholas Stewart. Legislative Fellow for the Committee on Natural Resources.
Can you tell me about your career path that you’ve taken that’s led you to where you are now?
I am an Environmental Geologist and Urban Planner with a passion for Reparative Planning, and right now, I am honored to serve as a Clean Energy and Innovation Congressional Fellow with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF). It is a path I never could have imagined for my younger self—mainly because these opportunities were not on my radar back then.
I grew up in Montego Bay, Jamaica, where the most visible career ambitions around me at the time were in agriculture or tourism. Like many of my peers, I envisioned a path diverging from that norm—at one point, I dreamed of becoming a forensic pathologist, a rare but needed profession on the island. But during my sophomore year at the University of South Florida, that vision started to shift.
After years of researching neurodegenerative diseases investing into actualizing my goal of becoming a pathologist it was experiencing the devastating impact of Hurricane Irma—a storm that felt different despite my island upbringing—I began to see environmental vulnerability and justice in a new light.
I did a complete 180 from studying Integrative Animal Biology to Geology, immersing myself in global water issues: conducting ecotoxicology research with Aboriginal communities in Australia, studying schistosomiasis in Dakar, Senegal, and working on NSF-WASH bio-digester projects in Cape Coast, Ghana, and Tampa, Florida.
My hard-science training revealed how technical research often misses the lived realities of communities. That disconnect drew me toward planning. As a student, I organized as a NextGen Climate Fellow and co-authored a successful petition to expand social science education in my university’s core curriculum.
Urban planners are often called the poets of policy—blending analytical tools with creative vision to shape the future of cities, much like poets use language to imagine new worlds. My work has since spanned water policy in the Great Lakes, research with the Flint Water Lab, and clean energy initiatives in Massachusetts focused on supporting women- and minority-owned businesses in the contracting space. I co-founded the Jumbos Community Fridge and Food Pantry and helped build a food solutions coalition—initiatives rooted in equity, mutual aid, and collective care. I have also critically assessed reparative planning frameworks and developed a speculative case study exploring what reparations for black immigrant and black undocumented people might look like.
I never imagined myself working in federal government—again, largely due to a lack of exposure to it as a career path. But at Tufts University, I began to see how deeply science, planning, and policy are connected across municipal, state, and federal levels. Being selected as a CBCF Fellow has been transformative, it gave me the opportunity to merge my career history and now see a career reflected for me here.
The program places experts in Congressional offices and then with relevant committees. During my first six months, I trained and practiced in Rep. Joe Neguse’s office, working with some of the most knowledgeable minds on the hill. I felt equipped, inspired, and seen. I now serve on the House Natural Resources Committee, where I am inspired by a commitment to the work and people around me.
Which specific policy areas or legislative issues are you most passionate about, and how do you stay informed and engaged in those areas?
I developed a deep appreciation for the role of appropriations and budgeting legislation, particularly during my time at the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center. There, I helped channel resources into clean energy initiatives for underserved communities, learning firsthand how budget and appropriations processes can steer resources toward meaningful, equitable projects. This experience sparked my interest in energy and commerce, revealing their essential influence on both economic and environmental outcomes.
Tackling complex societal challenges requires a blend of policy, hard science, and social science. Through my work in environmental policy, clean energy, and community engagement, I have learned that the most effective solutions come from combining technical expertise with a deep understanding of human behavior.
Social science plays a crucial role in creating better policies. In my work, I focus on engaging communities in clean energy projects to ensure that policies are both effective and well-received. Collaborating with communities to develop policies that are informed by both data and real-world experiences is a key priority. Immigration policy is deeply connected to my personal journey, so finding fair, humane solutions is essential. These have been foundational to my passion about reparative planning, which addresses past inequities and promotes inclusive urban development. By combining policy analysis, research, community input, and budget planning, we can develop practical solutions to today’s complex issues.
I stay informed through various sources, such as Politico, VICE Media, Vogue Business, The Cut, Catalyst Journal, Down to Earth, American Affairs Journal, connecting to the space around the DMV through service as well as grassroots advocates and cultural influences like the music of Chronixx, which help me stay intoned to diverse realities. Also, taking advantage of the Congressional Research Services they are like google scholar but for the hill.
What advice would you give to individuals who aspire to work on Capitol Hill?
As I share this, I am also thinking about the voices I have encountered along the way—people who have poured into me since I got here. I remember one person saying, “You chose to be here.” At the time, I was overwhelmed, sitting in that Longworth Dunkin, feeling more called out than comforted. But they were right—I did choose to be here. And while my feelings were valid, their words gently nudged me back to my “why”—a quiet reminder of the purpose that brought me here in the first place.
The Hill has its own language and rhythm—its own kind of folklore—and it is easy to feel pulled into adapting to it. But another voice here gave me a piece of advice that stuck with me: “Practice knowing who you are.” They said it while casually beating me in a game of Connect Four during one of my coffee chats (yes, that is a thing I do). That reminder, simple as it was, became a compass. Because the truth is, it will not always feel easy—but by staying grounded in who you are, you slowly become a lighthouse on the Hill—steady, intentional, and unmistakably yourself.
Lately, something I have found myself saying often is run your own race. Success is not just about how quickly you achieve something—it is about how intentionally you move through your path, and how you treat the people around you along the way. As the saying goes, “The race is not to the swift, but to those who endure to the end.” It is a reminder to move with purpose, not pressure—to measure progress by impact, not just pace. That is what will sustain you here, your ability to bring those skills, vibes, and expertise that are true to you, so lean into that.
What do you believe sets Capitol Hill apart as a unique work environment, and how do you navigate its challenges in your everyday work?
Time is what sets it apart as a unique work environment, it waits for no one.
The Hill is this ever-changing ecosystem, you can feel like you have a lot yet no time at all. Time moves differently here. These spaces reshape themselves every few months, every year, every term. And somehow, in just a few months, it can feel like years have both passed and been peeled away.
That is one of the unique and challenging things about this work environment.
Time becomes a precious commodity on the Hill—something you have to treat with care. Being intentional with it matters, whether it is in the work you take on, the communities you nurture, or the goals you are working to bring to life. Every moment counts, so use it with purpose.
The way I navigate all of this always brings me back to that mantra: run your own race. I lean on the support of my incredible work team and my CBCF cohort, and I make time to read. Lately, I revisited a favorite—Dr. Maya Angelou’s “Wouldn’t Take Nothing for My Journey Now.” One quote that really stayed with me this time was: “Since time is the one immaterial object which we cannot influence—neither speed up nor slow down, add to nor diminish—it is an imponderably valuable gift.”
Word association, what is the first word that comes to mind for each of these?
Policy – Insomnia
Networking – 360°
Writing Skills – Narrator
Working on the Hill – Espresso
Leadership Connect – Community
