Our Team

As President and CEO of the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC), Larry has worked with IREC in different capacities for more than 10 years. Prior to becoming President/CEO, he was IREC’s Vice President/COO, the author of IREC’s U.S. Solar Market Trends report, and editor of IREC’s Small Wind Newsletter. Larry has also served as President of Sherwood Associates, a renewable energy consulting firm, and has more than 35 years of experience in renewable energy. He was Project Administrator for the Solar America Board for Codes and Standards and Executive Director for a number of renewable energy organizations including the Small Wind Certification Council, American Solar Energy Society, and Northeast Sustainable Energy Association. Larry has received a Special Recognition Award from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College and lives in a PV-powered house in Boulder, Colorado with his wife, Janet, and daughter, Morgan.

As Vice President of Communications at IREC, Gwen oversees all  communications activities to increase awareness of IREC’s programs, resources, and impacts. Prior to joining the IREC team, Gwen was Senior Content Marketer at Aurora Solar, a software firm working to reduce the cost of residential and commercial solar through remote site analysis and PV design. In this role, she led the creation of educational content for solar professionals—including blog articles and webinars. Gwen has published dozens of articles in industry publications such as Solar Power World and Renewable Energy World and presented in webinars hosted by Greentech Media and pv magazine. Earlier in her career, Gwen was a Senior Research Associate at the Environmental Law Institute and a Fellow with the Clean Energy Leadership Institute. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Gettysburg College and resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband.

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 650-423-1090

Avery Palmer is Communications Projects Director at IREC. He is responsible for guiding the strategic direction of several flagship projects to advance the organization’s mission and contribute to the success of its programs. He was previously the Communications Director at The Solar Foundation, where he led outreach campaigns for the National Solar Jobs Census, SolSmart, the Puerto Rico initiative, and other major programs. Avery previously led communications at the Violence Policy Center, a national gun violence prevention organization. He also has many years of experience as a journalist, including as an environment and energy reporter at Congressional Quarterly. Avery grew up in Des Moines, Iowa and has a Bachelor’s Degree from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota.

Scott is the Director of Finance and Administration for IREC, overseeing organizational and project-related finances, grant administration and compliance, and the administration of HR and operational policies. Prior to joining IREC Scott fulfilled similar functions for a number of nonprofits, including as Chief of Finance for the Global Center on Cooperative Security, a nonprofit focused on international security issues. He is a certified public accountant and holds a BA in Business Economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara and an MBA from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Originally from California, Scott lives in a solar-powered home in Northern Virginia with his wife Holly, dog Jax, and cat Lua.

Leslie was named IREC’s first Director of Development in May 2021; in this role, she leads fundraising activities for the organization. She previously managed grants and partnerships for a zero-emission vanpool and carsharing company. In this capacity, she secured contracts with LA Metro, San Diego Association of Governments, and the California Air Resources Board, among others. She previously participated as a reviewer on the Greenlining Institute’s Mobility Equity Framework and was a Fellow with the Southern California Leadership Network. With a keen interest in strategy for community development, Leslie’s work experience has spanned management consulting and fundraising for school-based environmental education, workforce development programs, and the arts. Originally from Oklahoma, she earned an MBA from Boston University and her undergraduate degree is from Washington University (St. Louis). Leslie lives with her partner Vivek and their dog Frida in a solar-powered home in Los Angeles within woeful eyeshot of the still-functioning Inglewood Oil Field.

Michelle Barrett is Senior Special Events and Projects Manager for the IREC Workforce, Regulatory, and Communication operations. Prior to joining IREC, Michelle worked at the New York Association on Independent Living, Inc. (NYAIL) as the Membership and Event Coordinator. Michelle’s primary responsibility was management of all association meetings. She was also responsible for the operations and management of the association’s bi-annual conference and exposition, along with overseeing the day-to-day association office operations. She is a life-long resident of New York and resides in Albany with her family.

As Communications and Digital Media Manager at IREC, Nicole supports IREC’s communications operations by managing IREC’s social media accounts and campaigns, designing graphics and layouts, helping to maintain and update the IREC website, and writing blog posts and articles.

Before coming to IREC, Nicole worked as a reporter for several newspapers, a marketer and designer for two book publishing groups, and a lead copy editor and designer for a Northern California newspaper design center publishing 12 newspapers a night. In her most recent role before IREC, Nicole worked as a Communications Specialist for the NC Clean Energy Technology Center at NC State University. She holds a degree in Journalism from the University of Florida.

A native Floridian, Nicole currently resides in Raleigh, NC, with her husband and cat. She enjoys reading, yoga, gardening, playing piano, and vegetarian food.

As Communications Specialist, Zack supports IREC’s communications efforts across social, digital, and email platforms with a special focus on the SolSmart and EMPOWERED programs. Before coming to IREC, Zack worked in communications for a variety of nonprofits across the Southeast, focusing on sustainability, conservation, and environmental education.  He received his BA from Sewanee, where he double-majored in English and ecology. He lives in Atlanta. 

As Vice President of IREC’s Regulatory Program, Radina Valova provides strategic direction and oversight of IREC’s regulatory team. Radina comes to IREC with seven years of experience in energy and climate law and policy, with a focus on the electric and gas utility sectors, utility transformation, and a just transition to a decarbonized economy for underserved and disadvantaged communities. Prior to joining IREC, Radina served as Senior Staff Attorney and Regulatory Affairs Manager for the Pace Energy and Climate Center in White Plains, New York, where she led the Center’s engagement in New York’s Reforming the Energy Vision, developed policy solutions for decarbonizing the buildings sector, and pushed for clean and affordable energy for low- and moderate-income communities. Radina is a graduate of the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University, with JD Certificates in Environmental and International Law, and an LL.M. in Land Use and Sustainable Development. She teaches Energy Law at Pace and has a strong commitment to training the next generation of energy and climate advocates.

As IREC’s Assistant Director, Regulatory Program, Mari is responsible for policy tracking, research, and analysis, as well as providing support for IREC’s state and national regulatory efforts. Before joining IREC, Mari was Deputy Director of Policy and Electricity Markets at SolarCity where she managed regulatory and legislative solar policy initiatives that covered the Southeastern U.S., as well as provided research and analytical support to the policy team. Prior to SolarCity, Mari worked on clean energy issues at the Center for American Progress and the Solar Energy Industries Association. A former Austinite, Mari currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee.

Brian Lydic, Chief Regulatory Engineer for IREC, has been active in renewable energy since 2005. He started out designing and installing residential and small commercial PV, solar thermal, and wind energy systems for a company based in Ann Arbor, MI. In 2007, he joined Fronius as an Applications Engineer for solar electronics, supporting customers with design and field issues as well as leading numerous trainings for installers, designers, and salespeople. In his role as Sr. Standards & Technology Engineer, Brian tracked standards and regulatory, technology, and market issues as they related to product development for Fronius. As Regulatory Engineer for IREC, he continues to work with regulatory stakeholders to further the organization’s mission to increase access to sustainable energy and energy efficiency. He is a member of UL 1741 and IEEE 1547 working groups, helping to improve the grid integration of PV systems. Brian is a founding member and chair of the Forum on Inverter Grid Integration Issues (FIGII), an ad-hoc consortium of PV experts which seeks to address emerging high penetration issues through research and standardization. Working with utilities, manufacturers, and experts, Brian helps to craft and revise technical requirements for grid interconnection in California, Hawaii, and elsewhere. Brian, who holds an electrical engineering degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan with his wife Willi and enjoys playing music with (and for) friends.

Midhat Mafazy, Regulatory Program Engineer for IREC, holds a BS in Physics from Illinois State University (Normal, IL) and a Master of Engineering from the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI). Midhat joins IREC with six years of experience in the utility industry. He began as an Intern for a Fortune 500 utility in 2014. There he performed cost-benefit analysis of energy storage systems used as investment deferrals at utility substations (NWA solutions). Midhat joined the utility full-time in 2015 and transitioned to primarily Distributed Energy Resources (DER) roles. For two years, he worked at the utility microgrid facility (Champaign, IL) where he was involved in numerous tests, facility upkeep, as well as providing public tours of the world-renowned utility-scale microgrid. Midhat continued to expand his portfolio and began to oversee DER Integration, Standards, Policies & Strategies, DER pilots, and the grid of the future projects. In his role as a DER Integration Engineer, Midhat was instrumental in specifying the Illinois Smart Inverter rebate, offering incentives to non-residential customers with Smart Inverters in the state. He maintained and updated the company’s DER policies and standards, and quite often, served as a link between DER-related research and the company’s DER pilot engagements. Midhat has partnered with peer utilities around the country and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) on projects related to DER interconnection best practices and smart inverter field deployment. Before joining IREC, Midhat served as a technical lead in Illinois grid interconnection proceedings, responding to comments and data requests. Midhat lives in Normal, Illinois with his wife, Nazma, and daughter, Shani, and enjoys playing soccer with friends.

Shay Banton (they/them), Regulatory Program Engineer and Energy Justice Policy Advocate for IREC, has been working in the grid integration technology and policy space since 2017. Over the course of their career, Shay has been lucky to have worked in multiple sectors across the power industry from utility, to developer, to the federal government. Most recently, they worked for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar Energy Technologies Office where they managed over a dozen projects across the solar integration technology landscape. They also had a unique opportunity to co-found one of the DOE’s most ambitious efforts, the Interconnection Innovation eXchange, which had a goal of making the DOE a national resource for determining interconnection best practices. Prior to this, they worked for Borrego as a Utility Electrical Engineer where they became a nationally recognized interconnection policy advocate leading multiple state-wide efforts to expand market viability.

Shay holds a B.S. in Systems Science and Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis and is currently pursuing an M.S. in Energy Policy and Climate from Johns Hopkins University. They one day hope to work in international energy policy by supporting the equitable energy transitions of developing nations. Shay lives in Washington D.C. with their partner (and free roaming bunny, Luna) where they enjoy dancing like nobody’s watching any chance they get.

Sky is a Partner at Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger, LLP, where she represents IREC in grid modernization, interconnection, and energy storage proceedings across the U.S. Her practice focuses on renewable energy regulation, with a particular emphasis on the numerous legal and technical policy questions that need to be addressed to advance the integration of distributed energy resources. She was the lead author of IREC’s 2017 Optimizing the Grid: A Regulator’s Guide to Hosting Capacity Analyses for Distributed Energy Resources and has been an active participant in most of the country’s regulatory proceedings related to Hosting Capacity Analyses. Sky also regularly works on the development and refinement of state and federally regulated interconnection standards. She participates in rulemakings before state public utility commissions and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission surrounding the creation of foundational policies for energy storage, distributed solar, community solar, and related topics. Sky earned a BA with High Honors from Hobart & William Smith Colleges, a JD from UC Berkeley. In 2010, she was awarded the California Lawyer Attorney of the Year (CLAY) award.

Yochi represents IREC as an Attorney at Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger, LLP, where he practices administrative and energy law. He represents public agencies and nonprofits in cost allocation, grid modernization, and interconnection proceedings before utility commissions across North America. Yochi authors legal memos, technical reports, and media articles regarding energy storage systems, hosting capacity analyses, and interconnection policies for IREC. Prior to joining the firm, Yochi was a Senior Power Analyst at Seattle City Light. There, he represented the utility in rate and tariff proceedings before the California Independent System Operator, leading the development of policies regarding market power mitigation, resource adequacy, day-ahead market design, and interjurisdictional allocation methodologies. Earlier, Yochi was a Policy Advisor to the Washington State Utilities and Transportation Commission where he authored regulatory orders and policy statements. In that role, he advised the Commissioners on energy policy issues including rate cases, electric vehicle incentives, integrated resource plans, cybersecurity, and decoupling. Yochi led the Commission’s investigation into distributed generation cost shifts and rate design, revision of rules regarding RPS and energy efficiency resource standards, and the interconnection of distributed generation facilities. Yochi earned a BS from the University of Michigan and a JD from the University of Oregon; he is a member of the Oregon State Bar.

As a Partner at Shute, Mihaly and Weinberger, LLP, Laura represents IREC before utilities commissions nationwide regarding development of distributed energy resources (DERs). She has represented IREC in both contested cases and rulemaking proceedings to shape regulatory policy for interconnection of DERs. She was a major contributor to the latest version of IREC’s Model Interconnection Procedures (2019). She has taught workshops to solar developers and utilities commissioners on developing effective interconnection procedures.

Cynthia serves as Vice President of IREC’s Workforce program, creating strategic initiatives helping to expand workforce development in clean energy. Cynthia comes to IREC from the Virginia Community College System as the Director of Workforce Development Programs and Partnerships. Her background includes experience in higher education, workforce development, adult education, fiscal management, programs for justice-impacted individuals, and research in building social capital for underserved communities. Cynthia is passionate about developing sustainable and equitable career opportunities and pathways for underrepresented populations in the clean energy workforce. 

Cynthia is currently finishing her PhD. at Old Dominion University and holds a Master’s Degree from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Bachelor’s Degree from Virginia Tech. She lives near Richmond, Virginia with her husband, two children, and two dogs.

Dr. Janell Hills is IREC’s Director of Workforce Programs. She has 15 years of experience in higher education, 12 years of experience in grant administration including development, implementation, and management. Dr. Hills has developed work-based learning and apprenticeship programs for innovative occupations such as pharmacy technician, information technology, and also had the opportunity to enhance the plumber’s apprenticeship program by adding digital plumbing layout design equipment for course implementation.

Dr. Hills is an enthusiastic leader who is passionate about education and workforce equity. She thoroughly enjoys working to develop programs for underrepresented populations.

Kristen is IREC’s Senior Director of Workforce Development, helping to lead the organization’s workforce development efforts. She specializes in the design of immersive learning experiences for professionals who can impact the adoption of clean energy. She has a degrees in Instructional Design and Mechanical Engineering and combines this technical knowledge along with her experience in experiential education classrooms in Baltimore and as a Peace Corps Volunteer in West Africa.

Richard Lawrence is a Program Director at IREC. In this role, he leads the National Solar Jobs Accelerator, a program funded by the U.S. Department of Energy that connects military veterans and transitioning service members with training, certifications, apprenticeships, and jobs in the solar industry. He also supports the SolSmart program, which helps municipalities and counties open up solar markets; and the Solar Automated Permit Processing (SolarAPP) project, an industry initiative to streamline the permitting and inspection process for photovoltaic installations. Additionally, Richard co-chairs the Solar Energy Industries Association’s Quality Assurance Working Group, which creates best practices for the finance and installation of PV systems. Richard earned a BS in science education from Florida State University, and a MS in environmental education from Lesley University through the Audubon Expedition Institute, where he spent semesters studying in Alberta, the Sonoran Desert, Maine, and Cape Cod. Since 2002, he has focused his career on renewable energy education, training, workforce development, credentialing, advocacy, and quality assurance. He has worked for several nonprofit and academic institutions including Self-Reliance, Clean Power Now, Cape Cod Community College, Hudson Valley Community College, the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP), and the Institute for Building Technology and Safety (IBTS) in positions ranging from Adjunct Instructor to Executive Director. Richard lives in upstate New York in a house whose solar system covered 100% of his family’s annual electrical load prior to their purchase of two plug-in hybrid vehicles.

Pagan Poggione joins IREC with 25 years of experience in clean energy technology, spanning education and workforce development, marketing communications, and project and program management. She has been an IREC contractor since 2005, first as an assessor for IREC’s credentialing program and more recently as a project coordinator and subject matter expert.

Pagan is also an educator and works to develop projects, programs, and courses that meet the needs of diverse audiences. In addition to this work, she has also taught workshops and courses focusing on online collaboration tools and methods, project development, and design thinking. She has a MA in Educational Technology from the University of Michigan and a BA in Philosophy from the University of Victoria.

Born in New Zealand and raised in Canada, she currently resides in Michigan with her husband and children.

Mary is Assistant Director of Workforce Development for IREC and in the last six years has supported numerous workforce development grants including three through the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative and one for NYSERDA’s Workforce Development Program. Mary has supported IREC as national administrator of the GEARED (Grid Engineering for Accelerated Renewable Energy Deployment) Network, an initiative to build a skilled power generation workforce for the 21st century electric grid. She also supported the Solar Training and Education for Professionals (STEP) Project which is focused on deploying high-quality solar training, both online and in-person, to code officials and firefighters across the country. Mary came to IREC from AmeriCorps Cape Cod, a full-time, residential, service program that focuses its efforts on the natural resource management and disaster preparedness needs of the Cape Cod Community. Mary lives in upstate New York with her husband and two children.

Matthew Harris joins IREC with 18 years of experience working in clean energy education creating content, delivering trainings, managing programs, and developing training centers.

Matthew brings his strategic thinking and broad skill set in collaborative engagement and program management to the position of Senior Workforce Program Manager. Joining the IREC workforce team, Matthew will focus on national and regional efforts to improve clean energy workforce recruitment and job placement outcomes as well as widely promoting educational solutions for safety officials on solar, energy storage systems (ESS), electric/alternative vehicles (EV/AFV), and grid-interactive efficient building (GEB) technologies.

Matthew lives in Denver, Colorado with his wife Alexis and two cats Percy and Magic. When he is not working towards a clean energy future, Matthew’s passions include growing food, cooking with the sun, playing in pickleball tournaments, being in the mountains, music, art, travel, performing improv comedy, and tropical fruit.

As  at IREC, Pilar supports the operations of national and regional projects that improve clean energy workforce recruitment, training and education, and job placement for diverse groups and communities. Prior to joining the IREC Team, Pilar managed a variety of federal grants from the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Labor with the purpose of developing and implementing work-based learning models such as pre-apprenticeships and apprenticeships in innovative occupations. She is passionate about connecting underserved and underrepresented populations with learning resources and workforce opportunities that ultimately lead to career paths. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management from the University of Houston-Downtown, and resides on the outskirts of Houston, TX, with her husband and rescue cats. She is also actively involved in her community with animal rescue and volunteering.

Megan Howes is a Senior Program Manager focused on reducing solar industry soft costs, particularly related to workforce development. She previously coordinated The Solar Foundation’s Solar Training Network initiative, which produced original industry resources and leveraged cross-functional partnerships for stronger solar career pathways. Since the merger between The Solar Foundation and IREC, she continues to manage IREC’s growing portfolio of workforce development programming, and supports efforts to build industry capacity as solar emerges as a mainstream part of the American energy sector. Megan comes to IREC with a background in environmental science and public affairs. She previously served as the constituent and legislative affairs intern at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Environment from McGill University.

Joe is a technical education, training, and workforce development consultant, currently serving as Project Manager for IREC’s Energy Efficiency Career Map project. He previously led IREC’s Grid Engineering for Accelerated Renewable Energy Deployment (GEARED) initiative, a program to train and educate current and future electric utility professionals to provide the knowledge and skills required to operate our country’s electric grid with high penetrations of solar electricity and other distributed technologies. Before joining IREC, Joe was a professor, department chair, and Executive Director at Hudson Valley Community College where he was the main architect for the college’s TEC-SMART facility, the country’s first totally integrated Training and Education Center for Semi-Conductor Manufacturing and Alternative and Renewable Technologies. In 2009, Joe was honored by the visit of President Obama in which the president recognized his work in developing model programs for other institutions to emulate. With over thirty-five years in industry and education training experience, Joe has garnered a national reputation for the design and delivery of renewable energy and other industry training programs. Joe is a board member of the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP), a journeyman electrician, and has twice given expert testimony regarding renewable energy training programs and policy before the U.S. Congress.

Ed is Senior Director at IREC, focusing on strategic initiatives. He also oversees the Puerto Rican Solar Business Accelerator. His past leadership roles include SolSmart, American Cities Climate Challenge, Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (CPACE), Solar Ready Vets, and the National Solar Jobs Census. He was principal author for the 2015 – 2019 National Solar Jobs Census reports and the 2017 Solar Schools report. Prior to joining IREC, Ed was Senior Director at The Solar Foundation, which merged with IREC in 2021. Prior to that, he was Vice President at the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) where he managed their Advisory Services and Research Department. In that role, Ed directed all local, state, federal, and international consulting work, completing over 80 projects in 65 cities and regions. He is a certified planner (AICP), economic development professional (CEcD), and project management professional (PMP). He holds two master’s degrees from the University of Virginia, including an MBA from the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration.

Theresa Perry is the Program Director for the SolSmart program at IREC, a position she also held at The Solar Foundation prior to the merger of the two organizations in 2021. Prior to her work at The Solar Foundation, she focused on corporate energy management and sustainability programming for companies including Cisco and Advance Auto Parts. Her energy supply side management experience includes purchasing renewable energy around the globe and developing solar projects as large as 20 MW. Theresa held a management consulting role at ScottMadden with projects that helped utility clients adapt to the increasing penetration of distributed energy resources. She holds an MBA from James Madison University and an MS and BS from Virginia Polytechnic and State University.

Carlos Alberto Velázquez López is Program Director at IREC, where he oversees Puerto Rico programs including the Puerto Rican Solar Business Accelerator, a position he also held at The Solar Foundation prior to the merger of the two organizations in 2021. An environmental manager by education, Carlos Alberto has been able to bring an interdisciplinary perspective to problem analysis and solutions. After completing two tours in the United States Marine Corps, he was honorably discharged in 2006 and quickly transitioned to serving Puerto Rico by advising environmental and political organizations on federal, environmental, and energy matters. Instrumental in the early coalitions that advocated for net metering and interconnection of distributed generation in Puerto Rico, he eventually became the managing partner for a local energy and photovoltaic design and installation company. After Hurricanes Irma and Maria, he led an exemplary team of engineers, financial experts, and community economic development professionals to put together a conceptual design for a community-based renewable energy microgrid. That initiative became the basis for an ongoing energy cooperative model that is in development in rural areas of Puerto Rico.

Toyah Callahan is the Program Director of Sustainable Energy Action Committee (SEAC). She was the Senior Project Manager at The Solar Foundation prior to the merger of the two organizations in 2021. Prior to joining The Solar Foundation, she worked as a Renewable Energy Specialist at Arcadia Power, recruiting solar and wind energy clients. Toyah was one of the 2020 recipients for the 40 Under 40 Energy Award. She was selected out of 175 professionals nationwide and recognized as a leader for work in America’s transition to a clean energy. Toyah has also served a judge for the U.S Department of Energy’s Solar District Cup collegiate design competition evaluating nine student solar and storage proposals focusing on conceptual layout and optimization strategies. She serves on the board of the African Union’s Diaspora Health Initiative and actively conducts research and analysis of rural health clinic electrification in Uganda. Toyah is a member of the Women’s Council on Energy and Environment. She holds a Master of Science in Sustainability Management from Columbia University and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Connecticut.

David Golembeski is a Senior Program Manager at IREC. His primary focus is on the U.S. Department of Energy- backed SolSmart program, which provides communities nationwide with no-cost technical assistance to reduce barriers to solar energy growth and make solar more affordable. Prior to joining IREC, David held the same role at The Solar Foundation, which merged with IREC in 2020. Earlier in his career, he worked as a research contractor for Smart Electric Power Alliance and Wind Energy Foundation, and was a fellow with the Clean Energy Leadership Institute. David holds a B.S. in Political Science and Communication Studies from Towson University and a M.S. in Energy Policy and Climate from Johns Hopkins University.

Danny Falk is a Project Manager at IREC, a position he also held at The Solar Foundation, which merged with IREC in 2021. Previously, he worked at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, where he helped implement several programs related to solar and clean energy. He also has worked at Strategen Consulting, where he helped manage the United States Department of Energy’s Global Energy Storage Database, the City of San Diego’s Energy and Sustainability Division (now the Sustainability Department), and the San Diego Energy District, among other organizations. He holds a Master of Public Policy from the University of California San Diego and a Bachelor of Arts in political science and history from John Carroll University.

Mariana García Benítez is Program Manager – Puerto Rico Energy Resilience at IREC. She was born and raised in Guayama, Puerto Rico. She has a Master’s Degree in Latin American Literature from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) and is finishing a Master’s Degree in Government and Public Policy from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico. She has distinguished herself professionally as a developer and manager of cultural projects.  She served as director of six editions of La Campechada—the annual pinnacle cultural project of the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture. Leveraging her organizational skills, she has transitioned to the energy sector serving as the project manager for Energy Justice for Puerto Rico, a non-profit focused on addressing Puerto Rico’s need for resilient and reliable electricity, where she helped creating educational forums for the Puerto Rico Energy Bureau (PREB).  Mariana also served as the director and manager of the Energy Justice Alliance—a multisector group composed of a dozen entities and associations that wish to accelerate the objectives of Puerto Rico’s Law 17 of 2019 which established that Puerto Rico’s energy needs will be generated 100% from renewable sources by 2050.