About Us

Graham Richard served as mayor of Fort Wayne, Indiana, from 2000 to 2008, following a 20-year career in business, as principle of Graham Richard & Associates and partner in Ruffolo Richard LLC. As mayor, Graham put his knowledge of best business practices to work, turning Fort Wayne city government into a lean, customer-focused organization and saving taxpayers more than $31 million while improving city services. An expert in the application of Lean Six Sigma management principles to eliminate waste in production and process, Graham launched a number of initiatives to save energy and create jobs, and received national awards for technology leadership for promoting high-speed broadband deployment and applications.

In 2007, he was named “Government Leader of the Year” by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. A Brookings Institution Non-Resident Senior Fellow, Graham received an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Indiana University and earned a B.A. from Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. Graham was a founding board member of the Clean Economy Network, which merged with AEE.

Woolf was appointed in June 2007 by Governor O’Malley to lead the Maryland Energy Administration in promoting affordable, reliable and clean energy. In this role, he helped enact and implement an ambitious set of energy reforms, including the EmPOWER Maryland Act which seeks a 15 percent reduction in peak demand and overall electricity consumption, a 20 percent renewable energy standard, and a 25 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

Woolf, who has just completed his second year as chair of the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), was previously the director of the National Governors Association’s Natural Resources Committee, which works to shape federal policy on energy, agriculture, the environment, and natural resources. Woolf also served as counsel to the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, working on energy and environment issues, including renewable and rural energy.

Woolf received his B.A. magna cum laude from Tufts University and Pembroke College, Oxford University. He earned a Masters of Public Administration and Public Policy and a J.D. from the University of Virginia.

Steve Chadima leads AEE’s efforts to promote the advanced energy industry in California, and provides strategic direction for AEE’s communications, marketing, and online activities nationally.

A serial entrepreneur with nearly 30 years experience in advanced energy and technology, Chadima began his career as a manager of a Portland, Oregon-based non-profit corporation, providing services and financial incentives for energy conservation, solar and alternative energy to residents, schools and businesses. Since that time, he has been involved with a wide variety of technology start-ups through his work at tech incubator Idealab and several of its companies including, most recently, UberMedia. Prior to UberMedia, Chadima served as vice president of external affairs for Suntech Power Holdings, where he led public policy, investor relations and corporate communications in the United States.

In addition, Chadima served two terms as chairman of the board of directors of the Solar Alliance, an association of the leading PV manufacturers, integrators and financiers working with states to adopt cost-effective solar policies and programs. He was also on the board of the Large-scale Solar Association (LSA), which focuses on federal and state policies that affect utility-scale solar installations. Earlier in his career, he worked for the Regis McKenna marketing agency and the Congressional Budget Office. Chadima earned his BA from UC Irvine and MBA from Stanford University.

Lisa Frantzis is leading initiatives to convene advanced energy executives, utility leaders, and other high-level stakeholders to accelerate the market adoption of advanced energy technology and define the roadmap for the Utility of the Future.

Frantzis has served as Managing Director in the Energy Practice at Navigant since 2002, responsible for the renewable and distributed energy business. Prior to Navigant, she consulted at Arthur D. Little for 23 years in energy efficiency and clean energy. Over her 30 years of consulting experience, she has led energy resource potential and program options for international government agencies; renewable portfolio standard compliance, integration strategies and procurement support for utility companies; business strategy and M&A support for clean energy manufacturers and private-sector firms; and due diligence for financial firms considering clean energy investments.

Frantzis is on the Board of Directors of the New England Clean Energy Council (NECEC), which is a partner organization of AEE, and the Board of Directors of the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA). She was also on the Board of Directors of the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) for four years.

Liz Gilchrist is responsible for managing operations for AEE. Liz most recently served as Deputy Executive Director of the Clean Economy Network (CEN). As a full-time fundraiser based in Washington, DC, for more than 17 years, she raised millions of dollars in major and planned gifts for major national nonprofit organizations. Previously, Liz worked for more than 13 years as a poverty and civil rights lawyer in Mississippi, primarily as a federal litigator.

Liz serves as a member of the national Boards of Directors of Greenpeace Fund and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Liz is also a member of the ACLU of Virginia Board of Directors and the State Council of Virginia NOW. She received her J.D. degree from Emory University and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of North Carolina with degrees in Sociology and Political Science.

Robert Keough is responsible for internal and external communications and media relations.

A communications professional with nearly 30 years' experience in journalism, government, and public issues, Bob served as Assistant Secretary for Communications and Public Affairs in the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) under Governor Deval Patrick and Secretary Ian Bowles. At EEA, he was responsible for reports and publications, policy announcements, media outreach, crisis response, and social media for six state agencies and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, a quasi-public entity that provides support for advanced energy companies. Coverage of Massachusetts's nation-leading energy reforms appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, Time magazine, Boston Globe, Boston Herald, Associated Press, National Public Radio, New England Cable News, and numerous local network affiliate television stations.

Before entering state service in 2007, Bob was editor of Commonwealth, a quarterly magazine of politics, ideas, and civic life in Massachusetts published by the nonprofit Massachusetts Institute for a New Commonwealth. His articles have appeared in the Boston Sunday Globe Magazine and Ideas section, New Republic Online, Governing Magazine, Education Week, Teacher magazine, Boston Phoenix, Downbeat Magazine, and other publications. He holds an A.B. degree from Brown University.

Heather O'Neill is responsible for deepening and broadening AEE's relationships with funders, foundations, and building partnerships with allied organizations that advance industry growth. Before joining AEE, Heather was a program officer at the Robertson Foundation, leading the foundation's energy and environment efforts. Previously, she was Director, Public Affairs for Danco Laboratories, LLC, a start-up women's health pharmaceutical company.

Heather graduated from Harvard College with a B.A. in Government and returned to Harvard's Kennedy School of Government to receive a Master in Public Policy.

Tom Plant served Colorado Governor Bill Ritter as head of the state’s Energy Office, helping to move Colorado from laggard to trendsetter in advanced energy. Prior to that, Plant served in the Colorado state legislature representing Boulder County, Gilpin County and Clear Creek County for eight years (1999-2007). During that time, Tom was Chairman of the House Appropriations committee for two years and Chairman of the Joint Budget Committee for one. In 1994, Tom and his wife Dawn Dennison opened the Acoustic Coffeehouse in Nederland, Colorado, which they sold after seven years.

Dan Scripps has joined AEE as Vice President of Capital Innovation, responsible for developing and implementing strategies to accelerate the flow of capital into the advanced energy sector. Dan will also serve as president of the Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council, AEE’s Michigan state partner. Prior to joining AEE, Dan represented financial institutions and project developers on energy issues as an attorney with Latham & Watkins LLP, a leading global law firm, where he also worked with the Coalition for Green Capital to create the nation’s first “green bank,” in Connecticut. Dan previously served in the Michigan House of Representatives, where he chaired the Banking and Financial Services Committee and authored Michigan’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Revolving Loan Fund. Dan graduated with honors from the University of Michigan Law School, and has a B.A. from Alma College. He lives in Michigan with his wife Jamie and son Jack.