About Us
The climate, health, and economic benefits of clean energy are clear, but not everyone has the resources to make the upgrades. Clean Energy Works accelerates inclusive investments that open the clean energy economy to all.
We envision a world with a 100% resilient clean energy economy that provides opportunities and benefits for everyone.
We promote solutions that are inclusive and just.
Racial and social equity are at the heart of our mission. We aim to assure all communities who have been excluded or disproportionately burdened by the energy sector are able to access clean energy upgrades. Clean Energy Works is committed to empowering marginalized communities and communities of color to lead the transition to a clean energy economy.
We know that change is necessary at the systemic level which is why we champion solutions that can be replicated at scale for transformative impact. We value evidence-based decision making in order to inspire confidence that recommendations will have a high probability of producing targeted outcomes and benefiting everyone.
Our Team
Dr. Holmes Hummel
Founder and Co-Executive Director
Dr. Holmes Hummel
Founder and Co-Executive Director
Clean Energy Works was founded by Dr. Holmes Hummel to accelerate investments in the clean energy economy on inclusive terms that are fiscally sustainable and financially scalable. Since then, Clean Energy Works has won recognition as a winner or finalist in five international searches for high-impact innovation and breakthrough solutions for clean energy deployment. Previously, Dr. Hummel served as the Senior Policy Advisor in the Department of Energy’s Office of Policy & International Affairs from 2009-2013. Among the responsibilities in that role, Dr. Hummel convened the first agency-wide working group on finance with a focus on expanding participation in the clean energy economy. In addition to prior work with energy innovators in the Silicon Valley, Dr. Hummel earned a doctorate degree from Stanford University for interdisciplinary research on energy technology scenarios that achieve 100% clean energy for all and is the Managing Director for Energy Equity & Just Transitions at the Institute for Energy at Stanford University.
Tamara Jones
Co-Executive Director
Tamara Jones
Co-Executive Director
Tamara is the Co-Executive Director of Clean Energy Works. She brings more than fifteen years of managerial experience in the nonprofit and public sectors. She has served as Director of programs and policy for mayoral administrations in Atlanta and Houston, as Chief of Staff to a Houston City Councilmember, as the Executive Director of the Southeastern African American Farmers Organic Network (SAAFON), as the founder of the Social Justice Impact Project / Inquiring Systems Inc., and as a consultant guide to dozens of organizations over ten years of independent practice.
In the energy sector, Ms. Jones held positions of Director of Program Development & Government Relations at Southface Energy Institute and Director of Programs and Services for the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA). At SEEA, she administered regional energy efficiency building retrofit programs for which she was designated a White House Champion of Change in 2011. Ms. Jones holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Philosophy from Long Island University Brooklyn Campus and a Master’s degree in Political Science from Yale University.
Max Toth
Deputy Director of Strategic Impact
Max Toth
Deputy Director of Strategic Impact
Max is the Deputy Director for Strategic Impact at Clean Energy Works, where he has supported the organization in various roles since 2016. He brings a unique combination of depth in inclusive utility investments, clean energy finance, equitable decarbonization alongside decades of experience with nonprofit management, operations, technology and frontline organizing. Max holds a master’s of city & regional planning from Rutgers University, where he concentrated in community development, housing and environmental planning. Max is passionate about realizing the equitable widespread clean energy transition necessary for our collective future.
Margarita Parra
Director of Transportation Decarbonization
Margarita Parra
Director of Transportation Decarbonization
Margarita leads Clean Energy Works’ transportation portfolio. Trained as a chemical engineer from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia with a masters in Environmental Engineering from New Zealand and a diploma in Sustainable Development from India, Ms. Parra has worked for more than two decades in Latin America, China, India, and the United States to reduce local air pollution and global carbon emissions from transportation. Prior to joining Clean Energy Works, she managed the low carbon transport portfolio of the Hewlett Foundation’s Global Climate Initiative. Ms. Parra has served on the Board of Directors of the Silicon Valley Bike Coalition, the Sustainable and Low Carbon Transportation Partnership and Hispanics in Philanthropy. In 2020, Margarita was highlighted as one of 50 global changemakers in the Remarkable Women in Transport publication from Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative (TUMI).
Matt Flaherty
Director of Building Decarbonization
Matt Flaherty
Director of Building Decarbonization
Matt is the Director of the Building Decarbonization program at Clean Energy Works. His prior professional experience spans work as an attorney, a climate change policy and programs manager, an energy justice researcher, and a professional runner and running coach. He also serves as an at-large city council member in Bloomington, Indiana. In his work at the Indiana University Environmental Resilience Institute, Mr. Flaherty led policy and program implementation assisting local governments in advancing climate action and community resilience. His research experience includes energy federalism, energy insecurity, and utility disconnection issues. Mr. Flaherty holds a bachelor’s degree in civil & environmental engineering from the University of Illinois – Urbana-Champaign, as well as a law degree and master’s degrees in public affairs and environmental science from Indiana University – Bloomington.
Andrew Ladd
Director of Operations
Andrew Ladd
Director of Operations
Andrew is the Director of Operations for Clean Energy Works. He brings more than thirty years of operational, data, and financial management experience from the nonprofit, private, and public sectors. He served as Director of Operation for Georgia Organics, Senior Manager at the city of Atlanta in the Department of Finance, and in the Business Intelligence & Data Management sector for a variety of companies and clients.
In the energy sector, Mr. Ladd held the position of State Utilities Program Coordinator in the Energy Resources Division for the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA). At GEFA, he was part of a team promoting energy efficiency and conservation for state of Georgia government agencies, authorities and commissions through financing of facilities retrofits, energy usage analysis, and performance contracting. Mr. Ladd holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Georgia and a Master of Business Administration from Georgia State University.
Carol Davey
Director of Just Energy Transition
Carol Davey
Director of Just Energy Transition
Carol brings decades of experience working alongside communities, especially those feeling the current or legacy impacts of divestment, harnessing the political power and technical acumen needed to make lasting energy change.
She spent the majority of her career connecting communities to their decision makers and has served as the Managing Field Director for the Ohio Environmental Council, Federal Advocacy Manager for Florida Conservation Voters, and Rental Energy Efficiency Program Director for Empower G&E. Carol brings with her a deep knowledge of the Just Energy Transition from her previous roles and through her time as an Appalachian Just Transition Fellow with the Highlander Research and Education Center and Progressive Leadership Fellowship through the Rockwood Leadership Institute.
Carol holds Bachelor’s degrees in Communication and Peace and Social Justice with a concentration in Political Science from Berea College, nestled in the foothills of Appalachian Kentucky, and a Master’s Degree in International Peace Studies from Trinity College Dublin, Ireland.
Khushbu Srivastava
Director of Advancement
Khushbu Srivastava
Director of Advancement
Khushbu is the Director of Advancement at Clean Energy Works. She has a proven track record of helping over 15 nonprofits surpass their fundraising targets, raising over $30 million for social justice, gender equity, and LGBTQ+ rights initiatives. She has worked across 15 countries in Africa, Asia, and Europe and is fluent in French and Hindi, bringing a global perspective to her efforts. Khushbu has managed a diverse portfolio of donors and oversees fundraising budgets up to $7 million/year. Her expertise lies in devising and executing comprehensive fundraising strategies, securing major gifts exceeding $1 million, and obtaining new multiyear, unrestricted financial support from premier foundations and corporations. Khushbu holds a bachelor’s degree from Wellesley College and a master’s degree in public affairs from Princeton University.
Daphne Yuan
Communications Manager
Daphne Yuan
Communications Manager
Daphne Yuan is the Communications Manager at Clean Energy Works, bringing over eleven years of marketing communications experience within the mass media and nonprofit sectors. A dedicated advocate for using storytelling, design, and digital products to create meaningful dialogue and connection, Daphne is passionate about facilitating conversations that drive sustainable change. In her current role, Daphne leverages strategic communications to advance the mission of promoting inclusive energy investments. Daphne also serves on Atlanta’s Edgewood ONE marketing committee, where she supports content strategy to strengthen community engagement and promote local initiatives. Her commitment to fostering inclusive experiences is further reflected in her alumni status with the Emma Bowen Foundation and the Cox Media Group Digital Talent Program. Additionally, Daphne’s community engagement includes her previous service as a member of the Junior League of Atlanta. Her dedication to inclusivity continues to shape her work at Clean Energy Works and beyond.
Kai Palmer-Dunning
Senior Associate of Building Decarbonization
Kai Palmer-Dunning
Senior Associate of Building Decarbonization
Kai Palmer-Dunning is Senior Associate of Building Decarbonization at Clean Energy Works.
He has experience working on topics related to building energy codes, building decarbonization
policy, and environmental justice. Prior to Clean Energy Works, he was the Director of Equitable
Building Transition at the Home Energy Efficiency Team (HEET), where he helped guide
programs related to improving access to weatherization and building retrofits in environmental
justice communities. He also helped expand awareness of networked geothermal as a gas
transition pathway. In addition to his work at HEET, Kai served as a review board member for
Boston’s building performance standard, BERDO. He is completing his B.S. in Environmental
Science and Data Analytics at Southern New Hampshire University and plans to pursue a
Masters of Architecture in Sustainable Design.
Lidiya Kassahun
Senior Associate of Transportation Decarbonization
Lidiya Kassahun
Senior Associate of Transportation Decarbonization
Lidiya Kassahun is a Senior Associate at Clean Energy Works. She has worked on diverse projects, including transport decarbonization, medium—and heavy-duty vehicle electrification, and coordinated international transport coalitions in Africa, Europe, and the United States. Lidiya was a Technical Advisor for the Green People’s Energy project at a German development agency(GIZ), where she collaborated with the Ministry of Energy and Transport to improve electricity distribution in rural communities. While at the World Resources Institute(WRI), Lidiya helped identify strategies to increase electric bus adoption in major East African and Latin American cities. Lidiya holds a Master’s in Development Practice from the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley and a B.S. in Geology from Adama Science and Technology University. She is a recipient of the prestigious Joint Japan World Bank Scholarship.
Camille Minns
Associate of Building Decarbonization
Camille Minns
Associate of Building Decarbonization
Camille Minns is the Associate for Building Decarbonization at Clean Energy Works, and a dedicated advocate for clean energy, climate justice, and just innovation. With a diverse background, she holds a B.A. in Globalization, with a concentration in Sustainable Development, and a M.S. in Environmental Policy and Planning from Tufts University. Originally from The Bahamas, Camille brings a global perspective to her work and research. Her commitment to climate justice and clean energy is evident through her prior roles working at organizations from sustainability consulting and academia, to solar development and energy economics research. She also serves as the Interim Deputy Director at Earth Hacks, a nonprofit organizing environmental hackathons to support students in innovating solutions to the climate crisis. Camille has been recognized as a WRISE Solar Power Fellow and an Aspen Institute Future Climate Leader for her commitment to co-creating a just and sustainable future for all.
Our Board
Paula Glover
Chair
Paula Glover
Chair
Paula R. Glover started as President of the Alliance to Save Energy in January 2021. Ms. Glover previously served as President and CEO of the American Association of Blacks in Energy, a non-profit professional association whose focus is to ensure that African Americans and other minorities have input into the discussions and development of energy policy, regulations, and environmental issues. In this role, she was responsible for managing the national office, and providing strategic direction and leadership for the organization. Prior to this role, Ms. Glover served as AABE’s Vice President of Operations and as the organization’s Director of Communications.
Ms. Glover’s other experiences include 15 years in the energy industry for both electric and natural gas distribution companies. During that time, she built a stellar reputation working with state legislators and regulators in her roles as Manager of Government and Regulatory Affairs. Ms. Glover commands a clear understanding of the consumer and community sides of the business as well having held industry positions in Community Outreach and Economic Development. Ms. Glover is a seasoned nonprofit professional. Prior to her time at AABE, Ms. Glover was the Community Awareness Director for the Regional YMCA of Western Connecticut where she was responsible for the organizations’ marketing, communications, community and government relations and public relations functions. In March 2014 Ms. Glover was appointed to the National Petroleum Council by U.S. Secretary of Energy, Dr. Ernest Moniz. Ms. Glover received her B.S. in Marketing Management from the University of Delaware. She is the recipient of the Bring It Home to Hartford Award; the Clarke Watson Chairman’s Cup; the Award of Distinction by the Videographer Awards and the Platinum Achievement Award from the Cooperative Developmental Energy Program at Fort Valley State University.
Trenton Allen
Treasurer
Trenton Allen
Treasurer
Trenton Allen, Managing Director and CEO of Sustainable Capital Advisors, is an experienced energy and banking professional with nearly 20 years and $18 billion in transaction experience. Mr. Allen has financed a wide range of infrastructure projects including, water, wastewater, energy efficiency, fossil and renewable energy for utility, business and governmental clients. Mr. Allen is a frequent speaker at major energy conferences and is widely regarded as a thought leader in the financing of clean energy projects. Mr. Allen is passionate about energy security and creating solutions that provide energy access to underserved communities around the world.
Ken Colburn
Secretary
Ken Colburn
Secretary
Ken Colburn retired in 2020 as principal and director of U.S. programs at the Regulatory Assistance Project (RAP), a group of veteran regulators assisting state public service commissions and state and federal regulatory agencies. Mr. Colburn focused his efforts on energy optimization, beneficial electrification, and streamlining energy and environmental regulation. He remains active in climate and energy issues through his firm, Symbiotic Strategies LLC.
Mr. Colburn previously served as Executive Director of NESCAUM, led the Air Resources Division of the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, and oversaw energy and environmental policy for the Business and Industry Association of New Hampshire. Mr. Colburn represented United States at several Conferences of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Mr. Colburn also serves on several non-profit boards. He holds a BS from MIT and MBA and MEd degrees from the University of New Hampshire.
Dr. Destenie Nock
Board Member
Dr. Destenie Nock
Board Member
Dr. Destenie Nock is a leader in energy justice, environmental justice, sustainable energy transitions, and the energy-poverty-climate change nexus. She is an Assistant Professor of Engineering and Public Policy and Civil and Environmental Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. In her current work she is developing frameworks for understanding the sustainability and equity trade-offs for different power plant investments across the US. In addition, she has pioneered new measures of energy poverty to help utility companies identify vulnerable populations and energy deficits (i.e., energy limiting behavior and forgone thermal comfort). Outside of the University Dr. Nock is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Peoples Energy Analytics, a data driven company which uses energy analytics to identify energy poverty in vulnerable households. She is also the Chief Sustainability Officer of DevvStream a carbon streaming company. Dr. Nock received her PhD in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and two BS degrees in Electrical Engineering and Applied Mathematics from North Carolina A&T State University.
Dr. Holmes Hummel
Board Member
Dr. Holmes Hummel
Board Member
Clean Energy Works was founded by Dr. Holmes Hummel to accelerate investments in the clean energy economy on inclusive terms that are fiscally sustainable and financially scalable. Since then, Clean Energy Works has won recognition as a winner or finalist in five international searches for high-impact innovation and breakthrough solutions for clean energy deployment. Previously, Dr. Hummel served as the Senior Policy Advisor in the Department of Energy’s Office of Policy & International Affairs from 2009-2013. Among the responsibilities in that role, Dr. Hummel convened the first agency-wide working group on finance with a focus on expanding participation in the clean energy economy. In addition to prior work with energy innovators in the Silicon Valley, Dr. Hummel earned a doctorate degree from Stanford University for interdisciplinary research on energy technology scenarios that achieve 100% clean energy for all. Currently an Adjunct Professor at Stanford, Dr. Hummel collaborates with Dr. Anthony Kinslow II to teach a course called Quest for an Inclusive Clean Energy Economy.
Ayushi Vig
Board Member
Ayushi Vig
Board Member
Ayushi Vig is a philanthropic advisor and strategist who partners with individual donors, foundations, and funder networks to advance liberatory giving strategies. Across a range of environmental, economic, racial, and gender justice issues, her portfolio centers on building bridges between institutions and the grassroots. She delights in dreaming, designing, and implementing transformative projects rooted in an ethos of reflective learning and community accountability. Ayushi currently serves on the board of New Economy Coalition, was a 2023 Fellow at the Just Economy Institute, honored as a 2023 Climate Leader by the People’s Climate Innovation Center, and named a 2019 Dalai Lama Fellow. Ayushi was a founding staff member of the Trust-Based Philanthropy Project, advocating for balancing funder-grantee power dynamics in philanthropy. She was also a Senior Fellow at Stanford University’s Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society, where she co-designed and launched The Philanthropy Toolkit, a training for wealth advisors to provide philanthropic guidance beyond tax optimization to high-net-wealth clients.
Ayushi holds a BA from Stanford University, and is currently pursuing her MPA at Princeton University.
Richard Juang
Board Member
Richard Juang
Board Member
Richard works to incorporate environmental and climate justice (ECJ) protections into Ceres’ legislative and regulatory efforts. Working across Policy teams, Richard expands Ceres’ engagement with ECJ organizations, nationally, and educates our corporate partners about ECJ concerns. Prior to joining Ceres, Richard served as Staff Attorney for Alternatives for Community and Environment (ACE), a Roxbury-based environmental justice and anti-displacement organization. He has also served as Assistant General Counsel for AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts, one of the Commonwealth’s largest providers of social services to HIV+ and high-risk populations. Prior to his legal career, Richard was a co-editor and contributor to the first major anthology on transgender civil rights, Transgender Rights (University of Minnesota Press, 2006) and a co-editor and contributor of The Encyclopedia of Africa and the Americas (ABC-Clio, 2008). Richard holds a law degree from Northeastern University and a doctorate from Cornell University.
Randall Frazier
Board Member
Randall Frazier
Board Member
Randall G Frazier is a passionate business owner, investor and has operated as a financial officer with over two decades of experience in accounting, finance, and executive management. Randall has developed growth strategies, implemented improved processes, and built strong teams with companies ranging from top-5 banking institutions to non-profits. This experience eventually led to Mr. Frazier investing in and owning multiple businesses. Integrity is at the heart of Randall’s leadership style, and he is committed to the organization he serves. Randall’s journey in finance began as a teen and continues to this day. It is truly his life’s work. In addition to executive leadership and business ownership, Randall is passionate about teaching financial literacy to underserved communities in his home of Southwest Atlanta and beyond. Randall is a graduate of Morehouse College, with a B.A. in Finance, and a minor in Economics.
Marilyn Marsh-Robinson
Board Member
Marilyn Marsh-Robinson
Board Member
Marilynn Marsh-Robinson serves as Director of Partnerships & Outreach at the Environmental Defense Fund where she is responsible for collaborating and leading aspects of EDF’s zero-emission vehicle transportation strategy including identifying potential partners and implementing tactical joint efforts to help develop, guide and execute organizational priorities to facilitate deployment of zero-emission vehicles in North Carolina. Marilynn also works with rural electric cooperatives to advance clean energy outcomes and collaborates with diverse stakeholders, such as faith-based partners, environmental justice allies, local governments, community-based organizations, and social justice advocates. She currently serves on the North Carolina Governor’s Environmental Justice Advisory Council. She is also a board member of the Environmental Justice Community Action Network (EJCAN) and a longtime volunteer of the North Carolina Environmental Justice Network. She previously served on the North Carolina Conservation Network board. Marilynn is a graduate of the North Carolina Rural Economic Development Institute and holds a BA in Political Studies from Meredith College.