Leadership
Nat brings more than a decade of advanced energy business and industry leadership experience to AEE. At Fairtide Renew he personally invests in helping traditional industries adopt new technologies, which includes electric utilities transitioning to advanced energy solutions and transforming their business models to become 21st Century ones.
He previously held executive roles as president and CEO of Spruce Finance and its predecessor Clean Power Finance; as co-founder, president, and COO of rooftop solar company SunRun (NASDAQ: RUN); and as president and member of the board of directors of Acro Energy Technologies (TSX: ART). He created the Chicago Climate Exchange market-making business for Pioneer Futures (Virtu Financial) and worked in power industry financial consulting at PricewaterhouseCoopers. He also served as vice chair and chairman of the board of the Solar Energy Industries Association.
Kreamer is a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, where he served in the Special Forces and was awarded the Bronze Star. President Obama selected him as a Champion of Change for his work as a veteran in clean energy. Kreamer earned a Bachelor of Science from Northwestern University and a Masters of Business Administration from Rice University.
Heather O'Neill is President of AEE. Prior to assuming her role as President, Heather was Senior Vice President, Strategic Partnerships, responsible for deepening and broadening AEE's relationships with funders and foundations, as well as building partnerships with allied organizations that advance industry growth.
Heather brings multi-sector experience to AEE, having helped build organizations in the nonprofit and for-profit sectors in her career. Before joining AEE, Heather built and led the clean energy and environment portfolio at the Robertson Foundation, a $1B family philanthropy. 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.
Laura Bartsch is responsible for AEE’s member engagement and corporate development efforts, helping to grow our membership base and to facilitate a deeper understanding of our members’ business and policy goals in order to maximize their participation in AEE activities. Before joining AEE, she was a co-founding Principal of Millville Partners, Inc., a strategic marketing firm. Laura has over 20 years’ experience in design, marketing and branding, strategic planning and facilitation, project management and client relations. She has focused her professional activities on advanced energy since 2007. Laura has served as a member of the Board of Trustees of St. Paul’s School in Concord, New Hampshire, and also as an appointed member of the Zoning Board of Appeals in Portland, Maine.
She has a degree in Fine Arts and Architecture from the Rhode Island School of Design, and a Global Management MBA with Distinction from Thunderbird School of Global Management, where she received both the President’s Circle Award and the William Lytle Schurz Award for business, diplomacy, academics, and leadership.
Jeffery S. Dennis is Advanced Energy Economy's in-house regulatory and litigation counsel. In that role, he provides advice and counsel and manages regulatory and judicial litigation across the organization’s programs. He also spends a significant portion of his time developing wholesale market strategies to increase market access for advanced energy technologies. Jeff has particular expertise in Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) law and policy - for more than 10 years, he held numerous positions there. Most recently, he was the Director of the Division of Policy Development from 2013 to 2015, where he led the agency’s policy research efforts and the development of new and revised regulations. Before that he was an advisor to Commissioner John R. Norris, providing legal and policy advice on all aspects of FERC’s regulation of the electricity and natural gas industries. Earlier in his career, Jeff was a lawyer in FERC’s Solicitor’s Office, defending FERC’s orders and actions in the United States District Courts and Courts of Appeal. Jeff has also been a lawyer in private practice in both Washington, D.C. and New Mexico, where he represented numerous energy clients in proceedings before FERC, state public utility commissions, and in the courts.
Jeff serves on the Executive Committee of the American Bar Association’s Section of Environment, Energy, and Resources, and is a member of the Editorial Board of the Energy Law Journal. He has written extensively on a wide variety of topics in energy and environmental law and policy, and is frequent speaker and lecturer at industry events and academic institutions. Jeff graduated from the University of New Mexico School of Law with a Certificate in Environmental and Natural Resources Law (summa cum laude), and received his BA from Marymount University (Arlington, VA) (summa cum laude).
Eric Fitz is General Manager and co-creator of PowerSuite, AEE’s software platform that allows users to identify and manage energy policy risks and opportunities.
He was previously a co-founder of several mobile software technology start-ups, a management consultant at Navigant and mechanical design engineer at General Electric’s Energy and Infrastructure business unit. Eric’s management consulting experience focused on renewable energy, smart grid and energy efficiency technology and market assessment, business planning, public policy and technology due diligence. While at GE, he worked on gas turbine compressor aerodynamics, wind turbine blade computational fluid dynamics and geothermal power plant electro-mechanical control systems.
He holds a MS in Mechanical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, a BE in Engineering Sciences from the Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College, a BA in Physics from Colby College, winner of the 2011 Intuit Collaboratory Challenge, “Mobile Payments with QR Codes,” a former member of GE’s Edison Engineering Development (EEDP) leadership program, and is Six Sigma Greenbelt Certified by the American Society for Quality. Eric is also a member of Dartmouth Thayer School of Engineering Dean’s Council and a co-founder and active member of his local town energy committee.
Lisa Frantzis is a Senior Managing Director and expert in utility business model reform.
Lisa served as a Managing Director in Navigant Consulting's Energy Practice since 2002, responsible for leading 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 35 years of consulting experience, she has identified energy program options for international government agencies; determined renewable energy integration options for utility companies; developed business strategies for clean energy manufacturers; and conducted due diligence for financial firms considering clean energy investments.
Lisa is currently on the Board of Directors of the New England Clean Energy Council (NECEC) and previously on the Boards of three other organizations: the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE), the Solar Energy Business Association of New England (SEBANE), and the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA). She is also on the Executive Leadership Council of SEPA's 51st State Initiative.
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.
Ryan Katofsky is Vice President of Industry Analysis at AEE, where he is responsible for supporting AEE’s various initiatives with data-driven analysis, research and thought leadership. He also oversees AEE's regulatory work and is playing a leading role in AEE’s 21st Century Electricity System Initiative, which is focused on accelerating regulatory and business model change in the electric power sector. Prior to joining AEE in May 2013, he spent 20 years consulting to the advanced energy industry, utilities, and the public sector, including nine years at Arthur D. Little, six years at Navigant Consulting, and five years as an independent consultant. His work has included market and technology assessment, economic analysis, business strategy development, due diligence, lifecycle energy and environmental assessment, long-range energy planning, and analysis of public sector renewable energy programs. He has worked for domestic and international clients.
Ryan received his Bachelor of Engineering degree from McGill University in 1990, where he received the British Association Medal for Great Distinction. He received his Master of Science in Engineering degree from Princeton University in 1993, where he was a Guggenheim Fellow. His thesis was a detailed techno-economic analysis of methanol and hydrogen production via biomass gasification.
Robert Keough is responsible for content and communications at AEE. He edits reports and other materials published by AEE and the AEE Institute, manages AEE’s blog, Advanced Energy Perspectives, and the AEE Weekly newsletter, and oversees social media and media relations for the organization.
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.
Prior to joining AEE, Hannah served as a Senior Policy Advisor at the Maryland Energy Administration, where she designed and implemented the Governor’s $25 million green schools initiative. Before that, Hannah was the Senior Legislative Assistant for Energy and Commerce Issues for Congresswoman Jane Harman and an Associate at Smith Anderson law firm, where she helped to found the firm’s Renewable Energy Practice.
She received both her B.A. and J.D. with honors from Duke University. Hannah is on the Board of Empower Generation, a non-profit that uses clean energy to empower women entrepreneurs in developing countries.
Amisha graduated from the University of California, Davis with a B.A. in Political Science-Public Service and a minor in Communications.
Matt Stanberry leads AEE's analytics team and oversees the organization’s engagement at the federal and state levels regarding EPA’s regulation of carbon from the power sector. Matt is an energy expert covering the industry as well as its environmental and public health impacts. Before joining AEE in 2011, Matt was a management consultant within Navigant’s Energy Practice, focused on renewable energy, energy efficiency, and emerging technology markets, business strategy and implementation. Prior to Navigant, Matt was a consultant for ICF International addressing energy, climate, and other environmental and public health issues.
He holds a Bachelors degree from Duke University and a Masters in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.
J.R. oversees AEE’s policy development and campaigns at the state-level and coordinates policy with 14 of AEE’s state partner groups. J.R. has worked on energy policy for more than a decade for a variety of non-profit organizations. Prior to joining AEE, J.R. served as the Executive Director of the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators, a nonpartisan organization of state legislators who are committed to finding solutions to climate and energy issues.
J.R. graduated from Auburn University with a BA in Political Science in 2001, and is a 2008 graduate of Green Corps – the field school for environmental organizing. He lives in Richmond, Virginia with his wife Mary and son Sullivan. If you want to find Sully and J.R. on the weekends look at the golf course or anywhere showing Auburn football.
