Tell us about yourself.

As an East Coast native, I started my career in investment banking in New York. I started my energy career covering the largest power utility companies here in the U.S. and Canada, which was my first exposure to the energy industry. During that time, I decided I wanted to dive deeper into the clean energy space. Obviously, utilities are still very much focused on fossil fuels, but I saw growing momentum and demand for clean energy, like solar and hydro, which were becoming a bigger part of the conversation for the solution to climate change. And I wanted to be a part of it. So, I moved to California, went back to business school at UC Berkeley, and then took a position with Tesla where I gained my first experience with batteries. 

As I continue to move through this industry, I definitely take a more measured approach as I think about, ‘what is the future of energy markets’ and ‘what does that transition to clean energy look like’ and ‘what is the role that every person is going to play.’ That vision is inclusive of customers, like you and I, but also existing utilities, independent power producers (IPP), and developers who continue to build large solar plants, which is key to transitioning to a 100% clean grid.

From that perspective, I’m really excited to help both Stem + AlsoEnergy. That’s really one of the reasons I came to AlsoEnergy – to help lead the way in the front-of-the-meter space and bring those voices to the conversation.

What is your current role?

I lead product marketing at AlsoEnergy, and it’s a pretty big scope considering we are very much a global organization with a big presence here in North America as well as a number of countries internationally including Argentina, the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam. We run the full gamut of everything from small C&I all the way up to large-scale utility solar projects and are increasingly seeing more with batteries. 

What would you say is the most interesting project you’ve worked on lately?

Since Stem acquired AlsoEnergy, the work we’re doing to combine the narrative with solar plus storage is super interesting. I am excited to have a seat at the table as we’re thinking about what the vision is for Stem + AlsoEnergy going forward both for the short-term tactics and long-term vision. Most immediately, we are working to ensure that we articulate and leverage synergies both on the product and messaging. 

That also means getting a line-of-sight into the longer term vision, 18 to 24 months out, and what that looks like. As a part of that, we are reimagining what customers will want and need as the industry continues to evolve with a focus on clean energy intelligence. We’re exploring ways to best collaborate with Stem’s AI-driven software, Athena, that not only controls the batteries but can also provide utility bill optimization and the ability to participate in wholesale markets. When we combine what Athena can do with AlsoEnergy’s strength around monitoring and controls and then envision all of that on a single platform, it’s very exciting. We’re providing complete transparency and a single source of truth that every energy stakeholder should have access to – especially as they move on to larger scale projects where more people and teams become involved. Whether you’re working with an energy trader who wants to participate in markets or you have your own provider who’s trying to make sure your uptime is sufficient, that single connection is increasingly important as our customers become more sophisticated. It’s really important that everyone is working towards the same goals from the same place. The combined company of Stem + AlsoEnergy are uniquely positioned to do that today better than anyone else.

What recent industry trends have made an impression on you?

Solar and battery technologies as well as policies will evolve as markets continue to open.  Coming from a finance background, I’m excited to see the opportunities that solar plants have to participate in markets, both in real-time and day-ahead. As early adopters push the market, more and more customers will be increasingly comfortable with the risk of wholesale energy markets. Stem + AlsoEnergy solutions help partners and customers navigate these markets to increase comfort and confidence, take these types of risks, and maximize the values of assets and portfolios. 

What is your advice for young professionals wanting to enter the energy industry?

My advice is to find something that you’re passionate about, especially as you’re trying to weather the ups and downs and the quick changes within the energy industry, even more so in the renewable space, if that’s where you choose to be. That’s also what makes working in energy so exciting, because so many things are changing, and it’s happening so quickly that once you get comfortable, it’s already time to adapt. If that’s exciting for you, this a great place to be. It’s also knowing that the work you do is affecting positive change on a global scale. 

If you want to play it safe, you can work for a utility, but if you want to be at the forefront of where everything is happening and be a part of pushing the agenda forward, then a company like Stem + AlsoEnergy could be a great place to land. But it all boils down to what is important to you and what drives you forward.

As a woman and a person of color, I continue to be motivated by wanting to see a more inclusive industry that is more diverse. There are active organizations and companies that foster a more diverse population, and we see the benefits of that across industries. I want to be able to continue to provide that representation because I think it’s important, and I can do that at Stem + AlsoEnergy.

What is your message to our partners?

You want someone to be your partner and your trusted advisor as the industry continues to evolve. You want to feel comfortable that you have someone on your side who can provide solutions to help you manage risks, maximize yield, and be there for you over the long run. The combined company of Stem + AlsoEnergy has brought together two teams of experts with a combined vision to help you gain an advantage on what’s happening in the market. 

We very much want to be with you on that journey, regardless if you’re a new player within the energy space and you’re just getting your feet wet or if you’re a seasoned player and you need to find more sophisticated tools for your portfolio. Wherever you currently are, Stem + AlsoEnergy will be with you from site inspection to order fulfillment to installation and operation. We will be there, together, for you.