“For me, the New Energy Economy has always been about our future, our kids’ future, our grandkids’ future. I think in order to survive in this created space we inhabit, we need to produce and consume energy differently. If we do not then our legacy for our children will be a Colorado inferior to the Colorado that we live in.”
– Colorado’s 41st Governor, Bill Ritter, Jr., Founder of the Center for the New Energy Economy, Colorado State University
Jeff Ackermann served as chairman of the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) from January 2017 until January 2021. During that tenure Jeff presided over some of the most dramatic clean energy developments in Colorado’s regulated electric sector, spanning from accelerated retirement of fossil-fuel generating resources to grid modernization and electrification of the transportation sector. Concurrently in 2019-2020, Jeff served as chair of the Energy Resources and the Environment Committee of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners.
Prior to serving as PUC chair, Jeff served as director of the Colorado Energy Office in the Hickenlooper Administration for four years, starting in 2013. In this capacity, Jeff provided leadership for various initiatives that expanded the state’s clean energy agenda.
Jeff draws upon extensive experience in staff and leadership roles, within the Colorado PUC and various organizations developing and implementing innovative energy efficiency programs and addressing the needs of income-stressed households. Jeff has a Master’s of Nonprofit Management degree from Regis University and an Environmental Economic Policy degree from Albion College.
Michael Richard is a Senior Policy Advisor at the Center for the New Energy Economy. He advises on and helps direct projects on clean energy, transmission, and electricity markets across the country. Michael also serves as a Commissioner at the Delaware Public Service Commission after being confirmed in May 2026.
Michael came to CNEE after concluding two 5-year terms as a Commissioner on the Maryland Public Service Commission in 2024. Michael’s work spans more than 20 years of public service, including an appointment to the Maryland Energy Administration, where he served as Director under Governor Robert Ehrlich, at the Department of Energy under President George W. Bush. Michael also served as Governor Larry Hogan’s Deputy Chief of Staff and as a board member and President at the Organization of PJM States, Inc. He spent 10 years at the Nuclear Energy Institute and has experience in the private sector with the Westinghouse Electric Company. Richard earned his B.A. from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, and his M.B.A from the University of Maryland, College Park.
Susan Delja joined the Center in 2023, bringing over 20 years’ experience in policy analysis and program implementation as a career diplomat with the U.S. Department of State. Susan’s work focused on efforts to develop and execute energy policy solutions that promote energy security and economic prosperity through sustainable, affordable, and reliable energy access. Her diplomatic tours included serving as the U.S. energy and budget advisor to the International Energy Agency (IEA) and budget delegate to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, France; the Senior Economic Officer at the U.S. Embassy to Belgium; and the Environment, Science, Technology and Health Advisor for the Nordic/Baltic region, based at the U.S. Embassy to Denmark. A native of Nebraska, Susan received her BA from Texas Lutheran University and her MA in Conflict Resolution from the University of Denver.
After interning with CNEE as a Research Associate since 2013, Katherine (“Trina”) joined the CNEE team full-time as Research Manager in April of 2017. Trina oversees our research team, leads the development and maintenance of the Advanced Energy Legislation Tracker, the State Policy Opportunity Tracker for Clean Energy, The Clean Energy Policy Guide for State Legislatures, and contributes to a number of other CNEE projects.
Trina received her Ph.D in Political Science from Colorado State University. Her Dissertation examined policy diffusion and policy change through the lens of Renewable Portfolio Standards. Trina also received her M.A. in Political Science from Colorado State University, and has published research in Publius: The Journal of Federalism, Policy Sciences, and other venues.
Trina is proud to hail from Red Cliff, Colorado where she grew up exploring the White River National Forest and the Holy Cross Wilderness.
Senior Policy Analyst Carlyn Petrella leads regional engagement with Western States on a broad range of energy policy topics including load growth, siting, and energy markets. Carlyn earned her B.S. in Biotechnology from the Rochester Institute of Technology and served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Kenya. Following Peace Corps, she worked as a Regulatory Biologist with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) before returning to academia to earn a M.S. in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University. While earning her degree, she focused her studies on energy and environmental policy and was a 2019 EDF Climate Corps Fellow.
Alexandra Evans joined the Center for the New Energy Economy as a Policy Analyst in 2021. She leads the Center’s state legislator engagement as the program manager for the Clean Energy Legislative Academy. Before joining the CNEE team, Alexandra worked as a Policy Analyst for the Colorado General Assembly, and later as a litigation attorney in Denver, Colorado. Alexandra holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sustainability from Arizona State University, as well as a Juris Doctor, with a Certificate in Law and Sustainability, from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law, where she sat on the Executive Board of the Environmental Law Society.
Ellen joined Center for the New Energy Economy in 2020 as a Graduate Research Intern before working as a Research Associate. She currently works for the Center as a Policy Analyst. Ellen holds a M.S. in Environmental Policy and Management from the University of Denver. She is focused on the intersection of environmental science and policy, and the creation of comprehensive, science-based environmental policy. Ellen received a B.S. in Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, with a minor in Environmental Affairs in 2018 from Colorado State University.
Jack joined the Center for the New Energy Economy as a Research Associate in 2025. Previously, he worked for the London-based charity Action on Empty Homes, where he conducted research related to community-led retrofit and reuse of empty housing. Before that, Jack conducted qualitative research with New America related to housing loss and low-income homeownership, and was a Policy Research Fellow for Georgia state representative Beth Moore. Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Jack holds a M.S. in Anthropology and Development from the London School of Economics, and a B.A. in Anthropology and Political Science with a minor in Philosophy from Wake Forest University.
Evelyn started her career working in administrative support for a private career college in 2010. She was employed by Colorado State University in 2016 to support the Department of Political Science as Assistant to the Chair, later moving to the Department of Anthropology and Geography. Evelyn joined the Center for the New Energy Economy in 2022 to support the team as their Administrative Coordinator. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Leadership and Organization Studies from the University of Denver in 2018.
Pam Eaton is founder of Green West Strategies where she works with clients, including CNEE, on clean energy and economic transition policy. She has served as a Commissioner on the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, on the Western Electricity Coordinating Council’s Scenario Planning Steering Group, and as an instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School. During a long career at The Wilderness Society, she led programs to manage energy development on public lands and to protect wildlands and wildlife. Pam is Vice Chair of the Grand Canyon Trust Board of Trustees and a founding board member of Four Corners Rising.
Sarai is from South Texas and is driven by her passion for sustainable development and the preservation of the places people call home. The beauty and challenges of her surroundings have inspired Sarai to work towards creating a more sustainable future for communities and the environment. Currently, Sarai is pursuing a Ph.D. in Political Science at Colorado State University, focusing on Public Policy and Administration, Environmental Policy and Politics, and American Politics. Sarai obtained a M.A. in Legal Studies from Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas.
Originally from Montreal, Canada, Alex moved to Colorado to pursue a double major in Economics and Ecosystem Science and Sustainability at Colorado State University. During his time at CSU, he developed a strong passion for energy systems, particularly electricity markets, and is focused on researching how to facilitate a clean energy transition while minimizing the associated costs. Alex will begin his Master’s in Resource and Agricultural Economics at CSU in Fall 2025. Outside of his academic interests, he enjoys hiking, golfing, and watching sports.
Audrey Davies is a rising senior at the University of Wisconsin-Madison pursuing a double major in political science and environmental studies with minors in public policy, sustainability, and history. At school, she serves as a legislative intern in the Wisconsin State Capitol and works for the UW-Madison Office of Sustainability, where she conducts energy policy research and supports sustainability initiatives. Originally from Denver, Colorado, and with her time spent outdoors, Audrey developed a strong interest in environmental policy, which she is eager to deepen during this internship!
Duncan Profeta is a rising senior at Middlebury College currently pursuing a B.S. degree in environmental policy, with minors in biology and French. Originally from Durham, North Carolina, Duncan serves as Director of the Environmental Sustainability Committee for Middlebury College’s Student Government, President of Middlebury Men’s Club Soccer, and is a member of the Research in Investment and Sustainable Equity Club. In the summer of 2025, Duncan served as an intern for the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works for Ranking Member Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island. Duncan aspires to use pragmatic and bipartisan public policy to enable solutions to climate change and the need to transition to cleaner forms of energy production. In his free time, Duncan enjoys hiking and camping, playing soccer, and spending time with his dogs.
MJ is an undergraduate student at Colorado State University born and raised in the Colorado Springs area. He is fueled by an interest in how policy affects the ways in which people interact with the environment, government, and each other. He is currently pursuing a double major in Natural Resource Tourism and Economics.
MJ is thrilled to work as an undergraduate research intern with CNEE as he furthers his knowledge of human dimensions and energy policy.
Bill Ritter, Jr. is the founder and former director of the Center for the New Energy Economy (CNEE) at Colorado State University, which launched on February 1, 2011.
Governor Bill Ritter was elected Colorado’s 41st Governor in 2006 and was the District Attorney of Denver from 1993-2005. During his four-year term as Governor, Ritter established Colorado as a national and international leader in clean energy by building a New Energy Economy. After leaving the Governor’s Office, Ritter founded the Center for the New Energy Economy at Colorado State University, which works with state and federal policymakers to create clean energy policy throughout the country. Governor Ritter authored a book that was published in 2016 entitled, Powering Forward – What Everyone Should Know About America’s Energy Revolution.
Governor Ritter was formerly the chair of the Board of Directors of the Energy Foundation and currently serves on the board of The Climate Group American and the Board of Trustees of The Nature Conservancy. Ritter is a member of Blackhorn Venture Capital and serves as an advisor to Green Alpha and Project Canary, among others. Ritter earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from Colorado State University (1978) and his law degree from the University of Colorado (1981). With his wife Jeannie, he operated a food distribution and nutrition center in Zambia.
