2022 Mentors & Career Specialists
Meet our 2022 cohort of Mentors and Career Specialists! These 17 outstanding professionals have made this year’s mentorship program possible.
Mentors
Walter Alarkon
Walter is a senior associate in the Energy & Infrastructure group at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, where he counsels investors in the acquisition and financing of renewable energy projects. As the 2021 Orrick Racial Justice Fellow at Common Future, he serves as in-house counsel on transactions seeking to deploy capital to entrepreneurs in underserved communities. Prior to practicing law, Walter was a journalist focused on economics at The Hill. He worked with author Michael Grunwald on The New New Deal (2013), which documented the political and policy legacy of President Obama's $800 billion stimulus. He has a B.A. from Boston College, a Master's in Journalism from Columbia University and a J.D. from Georgetown University. Walter’s one-on-one mentee is Isabel Leslie.
Zineb Bouzoubaa
Zineb Bouzoubaa is a Senior Climate Data Specialist at Bloomberg LP, where she uses data to drive the transition of the financial industry to net zero emissions by 2050. Previously, she was an EV Strategist at General Motors where she developed policy strategies to accelerate EV adoption and increase deployment of clean fuels programs. Prior to that she was a City Research Scientist/Policy Advisor for the NYC Mayor's Office of Sustainability, where she worked on a number of policies and programs, including a net zero strategy for new buildings. Zineb has a Master of Public Policy with a specialty in Energy & Climate from the University of California, Berkeley and dual Bachelor degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Environmental Engineering and Mathematics. Zineb’s one-on-one mentee is Noemi Florea.
Gretchen Bradley
Gretchen is the Community Solar Program Manager at Solar One where she facilitates the development of community solar projects by providing technical assistance to community-based partners. Previously, she worked as a residential solar project manager assisting New Yorkers to install solar on their homes. Gretchen holds a B.S in Environmental Science & Policy and Spanish from Marist College. Gretchen’s one-on-one mentee is Esmirna Mateo.
Isabelle Branco-Lo
Isabelle is a Manhattan native, who has a background in engineering and environmental science and policy. She currently works at Fluence, a utility scale energy storage technology provider. Before Fluence, Isabelle was a consultant at Guidehouse where she worked with clients across the clean energy industry, focusing on green hydrogen and virtual power plants. Isabelle has a bachelor's in engineering from Swarthmore College and a M.P.A. from Columbia University. Isabelle’s one-on-one mentee is Niccolo Valente.
Nicholas Cavallo
Nicolas Cavallo is an Account Executive at Copperleaf Technologies, a publicly traded Canadian company that provides enterprise decision analytics software solutions to companies managing critical infrastructure. He has professional experience helping clients optimize energy efficiency program design, lead software implementations, and currently works to expand Copperleaf's technology deployment to large North American utilities. Prior to Copperleaf, he worked for Uplight (a private Boulder-based software firm and certified B-corporation) and EnergySavvy - a small software startup that was acquired by Tendril Networks and Rubicon Technology Partners (later merged into Uplight). Nicolas also previously worked at APPRISE Incorporated and BrightCurrent Solar. Nicolas holds a B.A. in Government and Environmental Studies from Wesleyan University. Nicholas’ one-on-one mentee is Alexander Ellis.
Fatou Jabbie
Fatou is an Entrepreneur, Technologist, and Energy Engineer at USL Technology Inc, and has over 15 years of experience in the technology and sustainability field. As an energy efficiency expert, she has helped architects, companies, and government agencies build greener buildings and develop better building energy models. Fatou holds an M.Sc. in Sustainability Management from Columbia University and a B.Sc. in Computer from Kentucky State University. She is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professional in New Building Design and Construction (LEED AP BD+C). Fatou is an environmental enthusiast and enjoys spending her free time with friends exploring outdoor activities in nature. Fatou’s one-on-one mentee is Jonathan Smilovich.
Ankit Kalanki
Ankit is a Manager with RMI (formerly Rocky Mountain Institute) on its Third Derivative program. In this role, he leads the startup diligence and insights generation on buildings and construction sector to support Third Derivative’s mission of finding, funding and massively scaling most promising and impactful climate technology startups globally. Prior to Third Derivative, Ankit supported the execution of the USD 3 million Global Cooling Prize where he led development of technical criteria and testing protocols, managed relationship with diverse stakeholders, and developed thought leadership pieces. Before moving to the US, Ankit worked as a consultant at PwC India, advising clients from government and multilateral agencies to promote the adoption of energy efficiency. He started his career as an Energy Engineer at Nestle India where he supported the operation and maintenance of industrial utilities and led the execution of energy and water efficiency projects. Ankit holds a Bachelor of Technology degree in Mechanical Engineering from IIT Roorkee, India and a Master of Science degree in Energy Science, Technology and Policy from Carnegie Mellon University. Ankit’s one-on-one mentee is Palak Jauhari.
Tobi Koyejo
Tobi has over 12 years of energy, strategy, and technology experience and is responsible for Leap Energy’s market expansion into NYISO. He joined Leap from Cloud Exchange, where he led sales, marketing, and strategy. Prior to that, he served global clients across six industries and three continents as a consultant for McKinsey & Company and Accenture. He was appointed by the Vice President of Nigeria to the Technology and Creativity Advisory Group of the Nigeria Industrial Policy and Competitiveness Advisory Council. Tobi is conversational in English, French, and Yoruba with a B.B.A in Accounting and M.S. in Finance from Texas A&M University. Tobi’s one-on-one mentee is Osvaldo Garcia.
William Layden
Will Layden is a manager for strategy and investments at SB Energy, a leading utility-scale solar, energy storage, and technology company. Previously, Will co-founded Helix Digital Partners, one of the first vertically integrated bitcoin miners in the U.S., powered by renewable energy. He also worked for Cube Hydro Partners and served in the White House under President Barack Obama. Will is a multidisciplinary thinker and is passionate about innovating in clean energy. He has an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA in Global Liberal Studies from New York University. He is originally from New York’s Sixth Borough…the great state of New Jersey. Will’s one-on-one mentee is Julie Margolin.
Jessamine de Ocampo
Jessamine De Ocampo is an Associate Attorney with Earthjustice’s Clean Energy Program, where she works on litigating to expand access to clean energy for low-income families and advancing the clean energy transition. Prior to Earthjustice, Jessamine previously worked for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Region 2 Branch in New York focusing on water issues in New York, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and New Jersey; was a Sustainability and Human Rights Intern for Cargill in which she engaged with intersectional issues involving the global supply chain and human rights; and worked for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Office of Administrative Law. Jessamine is an alumni of the Clean Energy Leadership Institute (CELI) here in New York. She received a B.A. in History in 2016 from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and her J.D. from the University of Minnesota Law School. Jessamine’s one-on-one mentee is Scarlett Gonzalez.
Patrick Owusu
Patrick Owusu works as a Program Manager on Solar One's Here Comes Solar team. His work entails educating building board members, property managers, and everyday new workers on solar initiatives within NYC and how to get involved. He also works to facilitate successful solar projects for market-rate and affordable housing buildings across the NYC five-borough area. Patrick recently completed the CELI Fellowship in 2021. After his fellowship, he remains active within the CELI network, joining the EDICT advisory committee, a program that serves to prepare college students from underrepresented backgrounds; giving them the knowledge and soft skills necessary to enter the clean energy sector. He is a born and raised New Yorker from Washington Heights and graduated from Brooklyn College, obtaining a B.S. in Earth and Environmental Sciences. Patrick’s one-on-one mentee is Jennifer Duong.
Goksenin Ozturkeri
Goksenin is a Director at CIBC's Global Investment Banking team and focuses on financial structuring and modeling, project due diligence, and transaction management for solar, wind, and other renewable energy project finance and M&A transactions. Goksenin holds a Master's in Global Energy Policy and Finance from Columbia University in New York. Goksenin is a member of Global Shapers NYC Hub, a World Economic Forum (WEF) initiative. He is also an alumnus and a fellow at prominent organizations such as the Clean Energy Leadership Institute (CELI), Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), and Climate Reality Project. Goksenin’s one-on-one mentee is Brian Xu.
Career Specialists
Brent Feldman
Brent is a Manager of New Business Models at AES Clean Energy where his team focuses on identifying, analyzing, and driving growth of new opportunities that add value to the organization. Prior to joining AES, Brent held positions at Goldman Sachs Renewable Power and Sol Systems. Brent received his B.A in Environmental Studies from Bates College.
Rachel Malken
Rachel Malken is a Program Manager for Con Edison, where she helps ensure that the company continues to be a leader in public safety. She also has prior experience in various supervisory roles throughout Con Edison supporting safety, reliability, and efficiency. She was born and raised in Queens, NY and loves to support her city. She is currently finishing her M.B.A. at NYU Stern School of Business and has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University at Buffalo.
Christine Pries
Christine is a Senior Consultant in Strategic Sustainability at Ramboll Management Consulting, delivering decarbonization strategies and broader ESG-related solutions to clients across industries, with a particular focus on the energy sector. Previously, Christine worked as a Senior Strategy Analyst at the New York Power Authority (NYPA), where she helped deliver innovative projects to transform NYPA into a leading utility of the future while supporting customer and State climate goals. Christine began her career at the energy management consultancy Gotham 360, where she worked to reduce the energy use intensity of some of NYC’s largest energy consumers. Christine holds a B.A. in environmental science from Barnard College and an M.B.A. from NYU Stern School of Business.
Jill Rathke
Jill Rathke is a Senior Manager of Solar & Battery Storage at Sol Systems, where she manages a team of analysts that build battery and solar financial models, conduct policy research, and create sales proposals for C&I, MUSH, and public utility customers across the United States. Prior to Sol Systems, Jill has worked at the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) on the research team and at the Ben and Jerry's Foundation on the grant monitoring and evaluation team. Jill holds a B.A. in Economics and Environmental Studies from Bowdoin College and a Certification in Clean Energy from Yale University.
Ben Watson
Ben is a Project Manager at the New York State Energy and Research Development Authority (NYSERDA), where he helps deliver innovative projects in energy efficiency, demand response, and electric vehicle charging while supporting utility partner and State climate goals. Prior to joining NYSERDA, he was a management consultant with Deloitte Consulting. Ben holds a MBA in Climate and Energy from Oxford University and a BBA from the George Washington University.
Check out the cohort of 2022 Clean Energy Mentees here.