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Bios
Personnel
Putra Adhiguna
Energy Analyst Putra Adhiguna has 15 years of leadership experience in F500 companies and currently focuses on the energy transition in emerging economies. He has an engineering degree from Institut Teknologi Bandung and a Master’s in public policy from LSE.
Frank Bass
Editor Frank Bass is an experienced writer and researcher with a focus on the intersection of government, politics, and business. The author of three books on journalism, he is a pioneer in the area of data-driven reporting.
Latest Post: IEEFA Energy Finance Conference 2020 roundup: Local leadership, global change
Johanna Bowyer
Lead Research Analyst for Australian Electricity Johanna Bowyer has previously worked for CSIRO, Solar Analytics and Suntech and as a management consultant at Kearney. Johanna has research experience in microgrids, energy tariffs and distribution networks. She has a degree in Photovoltaics and Solar Energy Engineering from UNSW.
Latest Post: IEEFA Australia: Energy Security Board reforms need to be ambitious to secure a low emissions future
Melissa Brown
Director, Energy Finance Studies, Asia, Melissa Brown, a former securities analyst at JP Morgan and Citigroup, has played a leading role in various Asian investment organizations focused on mainstream and sustainable investment strategies for public and private equity investors over the past 25 years.
Sandy Buchanan
Executive Director Sandy Buchanan has worked on a variety of energy issues involving coal, nuclear, utilities, renewables, and energy efficiency since the 1980s. She served as executive director of Ohio Citizen Action for 20 years before joining IEEFA in 2013.
Latest Post: IEEFA: New York State pension fund sets net-zero carbon emissions target
Tim Buckley
Director Energy Finance Studies, Australia/South Asia, Tim Buckley has 25 years of financial markets experience, specializing in equity valuation, including as a top-rated analyst and as co-founder and managing director of Arkx Investment Management.
Latest Post: IEEFA India: The false promise of ‘second life’ coal
Trey Cowan
Oil & Gas Industry Analyst Trey Cowan is a former equity researcher who has focused on U.S. upstream oil & gas activities and global energy markets. Recently, he was a senior analyst at S&P Global Platts covering rigs, permitting, drilling and production.
Seth Feaster
Energy Data Analyst Seth Feaster has 25 years of experience creating visual presentations of complex data at The New York Times and more recently at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. He specializes in working with financial and energy data.
Latest Post: IEEFA U.S.: Colorado’s newest coal plant, needing extensive repairs (again), was idle for a year
Kate Finlayson
Senior Communications Strategist, Asia Pacific, Kate Finlayson has been a journalist and public relations professional in Australia and Indonesia. She has worked with the Australian Council of Social Service, Aboriginal Legal Service, and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Latest Post: IEEFA Energy Finance 2019: Coal pipeline shrinking, stranded asset risk ballooning, renewables ever cheaper
Arjun Flora
Energy Finance Analyst, Europe Arjun Flora is a UK-based analyst focused on the energy transition in Europe. He has worked in energy technology investment banking at Alexa Capital and Jefferies in London, and holds a Masters degree in Engineering from the University of Cambridge.
Latest Post: IEEFA: European gas pipeline companies mislead investors by underreporting CO2
Vibhuti Garg
Energy Economist Vibhuti Garg has advised several private and public sector clients on commercial and market entry strategies, investment diligence on power projects, and the impact of power sector performance on state finances. She has worked in Nepal, Bangladesh, Vietnam and in the Caucasus.
Latest Post: IEEFA: India could compete against China in solar module production with the right government support
Elrika Hamdi
Energy Finance Analyst Elrika Hamdi has worked on South East Asian renewable energy, rural electrification, and energy efficiency market developments on projects funded by USAID, AFD, GIZ and UNEP. Prior to that, she was a business advisory consultant in Singapore.
Latest Post: IEEFA: Neglecting renewables could cost Indonesia’s energy edge, independence
Vivienne Heston
Strategic Communications Director Vivienne Heston has worked for the United Nations, the American Foundation for the Blind, and the National Council for Research on Women, and was stationed in Rome as a correspondent for several news organizations.
Latest Post: Media Alert: IEEFA to hold Energy Finance Conference 2020 online (July 14-30)
Rosamond Hutt
Financial Editor and Communications Specialist Rosamond Hutt is an experienced writer and editor who has worked in journalism, content marketing and communications in the UK and Australia. She has also worked with nonprofits to develop digital content that promotes public discussion, awareness and positive change.
Cathy Kunkel
Energy Finance Analyst Cathy Kunkel has written reports and given expert testimony on the finances of Appalachian natural gas pipelines and drilling; electric utility mergers, rates and resource planning; energy efficiency; and Puerto Rico’s electrical system. She has degrees in physics from Princeton and Cambridge.
Julia Lanham
Human Resources Manager Julia Lanham, an HRCI certified human resources professional(PHR) understands the link between success and healthy inclusive work environments. Experienced with a range of organization types she focuses to ensure the world of work is collaborative and engaging.
Suzanne Mattei
Energy Policy Analyst Suzanne Mattei is an attorney (Yale Law School) with 30 years of experience in public interest law and policy. She is also a former regional director for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
Latest Post: IEEFA U.S.: FERC gives blank check approval to pipeline builders, while investors and consumers pick up costs
Amanda McConnon
Social Media Manager Amanda McConnon is a content strategist who has provided communications for local nonprofits, grassroots groups, and outdoor organizations. She has an M.A. in writing from New York University.
Susannah Miall
Operations Director Australia/South Asia, Susannah Miall, is known for developing organizations, brands and cultures and is a former CEO of the health promotion foundation, Can Too. She brings expertise across areas of strategy and implementation, marketing and communications, finance, people and culture.
Christina Ng
Research and Stakeholder Engagement Leader Christina Ng is responsible for IEEFA’s fixed income work in Asia Pacific. She has 20 years of experience in financial reporting and has developed financial accounting and reporting standards in Australia and Hong Kong. She is also an independent consultant.
Latest Post: IEEFA Indonesia: PLN has ‘Green Ambition’ but is short on renewable energy credibility
Paige Nguyen
Financial Editor & Communications Specialist Paige Nguyen is an experienced writer, editor and marketer who has worked in politics, tourism, digital media and publishing in Australia. She has a B.A. in International Studies (Hons) and a Masters degree in Journalism.
Simon Nicholas
Energy Finance Analyst Simon Nicholas, a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales. Nicholas joined the IEEFA team in July 2016, after 16 years’ experience within the finance industry at ABN Amro, Macquarie Group and Commonwealth Bank of Australia in both Sydney and London.
Latest Post: IEEFA: Bangladesh’s power system overcapacity problem is getting worse
Ghee Peh
Energy Finance Analyst Ghee Peh has worked in investment research since 1995, including at Jefferies, BNP Paribas, and UBS. He has covered Asian coal, cement and metal companies.
Latest Post: IEEFA Indonesia: DME coal gasification project could lose US$377 million annually
Sam Reynolds
Sam Reynolds, Energy Finance Analyst for IEEFA, is a former political and regulatory risk analyst focusing on global LNG and oil markets. He has a master’s degree in energy economics and international environmental law from Johns Hopkins University. He has also lived and worked throughout Asia and published extensively on Asian energy issues.
Bruce Robertson
Energy Finance Analyst – Gas/LNG, Bruce Robertson has been a fund manager and professional investor for over 32 years. He has worked with Perpetual Trustees, UBS, Nippon Life Insurance and BT and is an active participant in the national debate on energy issues in Australia.
José H. Román Morales
Puerto Rico Energy Transition Consultant José H. Román Morales is a licensed electrical engineer, a certified energy manager and has advised on energy market penetration, microgrid development, renewable energy projects, and accessing capital for distributed energy projects. He is the former president of the Puerto Rico Energy Commission.
Tom Sanzillo
Director of Financial Analysis Tom Sanzillo has 30 years of experience in public and private finance, including as a first deputy comptroller of New York State, where he held oversight over a $156 billion pension fund and $200 billion in municipal bond programs.
Latest Post: IEEFA: ExxonMobil must change direction to thrive
David Schlissel
Director of Resource Planning Analysis David Schlissel is a long-time consultant, expert witness, and attorney on engineering and economic issues related to energy. He has testified in more than 100 court proceedings or cases before regulatory bodies.
Latest Post: IEEFA update: Orlando Utilities Commission IRP plan may fall short of carbon reduction goals
Kashish Shah
Energy Finance Analyst Kashish Shah has worked in the banking and public sectors in India and has a master’s degree in economics from the University of Sydney and an engineering degree from NMIMS University in Mumbai.
Latest Post: IEEFA: Solar is the new ruler of the Indian electricity market
Ashish Solanki
Generation WV Impact Fellow Ashish Solanki has conducted research for financial advisory and consultancy firms. A recent graduate of Williams College, he has a certificate in analytics from Harvard Business School and a Bloomberg Market Concepts certificate.
Kate Sopko
Program Manager Kate Sopko has worked in project management, communications and development for Cleveland area non-profits including Policy Matters Ohio, City Repair Cleveland and SPACES.
Jamie Stewart
Office Administrator Jamie Stewart has over five years of office and administrative experience. She has previously worked for Warner Bros. Productions, Lakewood Music Academy and the Docherty Talent Agency.
Saurabh Trivedi
Research Analyst Saurabh Trivedi formerly conducted financial research for Climate Policy Initiative in India. He has worked for JP Morgan, MSCI and Alexandria REIT, and is pursuing his Industry PhD with La Trobe University and Rozetta Institute in Australia.
Latest Post: IEEFA: From zero to fifty, global financial corporations get cracking on major oil/gas lending exits
Thu Vu
Energy Finance Analyst Thu Vu is a former public policy analyst and risk consultant covering regulatory developments in renewable energy and energy efficiency in Vietnam. She used to work for the Financial Times (UK) and business advisory firms based in Asia.
Latest Post: IEEFA: There will be no smooth sailing for LNG investors in Vietnam
Norman Waite
Energy Finance Analyst Norman Waite has analysed, assessed, and distributed both public and private financial instruments in Asia, mainly to hedge fund investors. He has covered US waste management and Asian paper and forest products as an equity research analyst.
Latest Post: IEEFA: AIA too important to lag global insurers in coal investment, divestment, and exclusion
Dennis Wamsted
Analyst/Editor Dennis Wamsted has covered energy and environmental policy and technology issues for 30 years. He is the former editor of The Energy Daily, a Washington, D.C.-based newsletter.
Latest Post: IEEFA U.S.: Investors would best avoid two proposed Virginia combined-cycle gas plants
Sarah Weeks
Director of Finance and Administration Sarah Weeks has over ten years of accounting and operations management experience in the nonprofit sector and has previously worked for Oberlin College and St Olaf College. She holds a Master of Library Science from Clarion University and is currently completing a Master of Nonprofit Administration from John Carroll University.
Clark Williams-Derry
Energy Finance Analyst Clark Williams-Derry served for 18 years as director of energy finance and research director for the Sightline Institute, a multi-issue sustainability think-tank based in Seattle, where his research focused on U.S. and global energy markets. He was also a senior analyst for Environmental Working Group.
Latest Post: IEEFA: ExxonMobil must change direction to thrive
Board of Directors
Larry Shapiro
President Larry Shapiro is associate director for program development at the Rockefeller Family Fund (RFF). He is a founder of RFF’s Power Plant Finance Project, the predecessor organization to the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis.
Latest Post: Atlantic Coast, Keystone XL, Dakota Access — for pipeline companies, winning ain’t what it used to be
Sergio Knaebel
Vice President Sergio Knaebel is the vice president of the Sandler Foundation in San Francisco, and previously served as program officer at the Packard Foundation.
Eric Schaeffer
Treasurer Eric Schaeffer is director of the nonprofit Environmental Integrity Project. He is a former director of the EPA’s Office of Civil Enforcement and a former special assistant to the EPA’s deputy administrator.
Sarah Brennan
Sarah Brennan works at Bloomberg Philanthropies, where she is responsible for the Beyond Carbon portfolio of grants. Previously, she led the environment program at the Robertson Foundation, was an independent consultant on climate and energy, and served as an associate director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University.
Mark Colón
Mark Colón is the president of the Office of Housing Preservation at New York State Homes and Community Renewal, where he has also served as deputy counsel. He has practiced international law and chairs the board of El Puente of Williamsburg.
Chris Meyer
Chris Meyer is a consultant with the Funder Collaborative on Oil and Gas and the former chief of staff of 100 Resilient Cities, pioneered by the Rockefeller Foundation. He previously served as vice president and senior advisor for Consumer Reports and as executive director and senior attorney of the New York Public Interest Research Group.
Ingrid Vila Biaggi
Ingrid Vila Biaggi is an environmental engineer and co-founder of CAMBIO, a sustainability non-profit based in Puerto Rico. She has held senior positions in civil society and government, including serving as Chief of Staff for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Latest Post: IEEFA Puerto Rico: Washington and San Juan hid from the public actual spending on electric power system