Headquarters Staff

Erica Mackie co-founded GRID Alternatives in 2001 and has developed it into a major national non-profit. Ms. Mackie has received numerous awards for her leadership of GRID Alternatives, including the Governor's Environmental and Economic Leadership Award in 2008, the New Leaders Council Energy Leadership Award in 2009, the James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award in 2010, the US Green Building Council’s Green Building Super Hero Award in 2010 and the 2013 Clean Energy and Empowerment Award from C3E. Ms. Mackie’s professional experience prior to GRID Alternatives included work in the social sector, first with survivors of domestic violence and then with youth at risk, as well as work in renewable energy and energy efficiency consulting and sales. She holds two bachelor’s degrees from Southern Illinois University, one in Mechanical Engineering and the other in Physics.

Tim Sears co-founded GRID Alternatives in 2001 and has developed it into a major national non-profit. He has shared with Erica Mackie numerous leadership awards for this work, and in 2014 was honored by the White House as a “Champion of Change” for Solar Deployment. Tim is a graduate of Stanford University with a degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering, and before starting GRID Alternatives managed consulting teams of engineers providing comprehensive energy efficiency retrofit recommendations and construction management of projects totaling over $3 million. Tim is also certified by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) as a Certified Solar PV Installer.

Bambi grew up in the Washington, DC area. She holds a B.S. in Architecture from the University of Virginia, a Masters in Real Estate Development from the University of Maryland in College Park, and is a LEED Accredited Professional. In her career she has worked as a green builder, designer, and consultant for a number of private and non-profit developers, building owners, and design/engineering/contracting firms throughout the US and internationally. Bambi enjoys cooking, eating, hiking, traveling, reading, teaching, humming, building things, and spending time with her family. She believes in trying anything, especially unique foods, at least once!

Hector Pena brings 22 years of financial management experience, including 14 years of renewable energy experience in development, financing, construction, and operation in wind and solar power for utility scale, community, commercial, and residential projects. Hector has worked for companies such as Baywa, Suntuity, Scout Clean Energy, X-Elio, Solar Frontier (Idemitsu Renewables), Gestamp Solar (X-Elio), and Noble Environmental Power. At these companies, he worked in corporate and project financing and project operations of projects over $6B dollars. His experience includes Mergers and Acquisitions, Project Financing, Financial Reporting, and Asset Management. He worked for CIL (previously known as Corporation for Independent Living), a Connecticut nonprofit which partnered with service providers to deinstitutionalize care for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities to enable them to be fully engaged in their communities, as well as many other programs for high at-risk homeless community members.

Hector served for 12 years of active service in the U.S. Navy and 2 years in the U.S. Army active reserves. He received his Masters of Science in Accounting from Eastern Connecticut State University and Bachelors of Science in Financial Accounting from the University of New Haven.

Anna has broad experience in the solar industry as a site supervisor, hands-on trainer, and design and installation technician. In the private sector, she managed over $4M in residential and small commercial PV projects. She has worked on renewable energy projects and environmental justice campaigns in the Philippines, Haiti, and Costa Rica but is honored to share her skills locally to help democratize access to renewable energy and energy efficiency solutions and training. Anna has a degree in Electrical Engineering from MIT and is proud to represent among other women who are NABCEP Certified Installers in California.

Originally from the east coast, Adewale moved to Southern California in 2007. Initially he worked at California State University, Dominguez Hills for the California African American Political & Economic Institute, a non-profit research organization that disseminated information into the Greater Los Angeles community. During the course of his employment, he took up the study of photovoltaics at Los Angeles Trade Technical College. It was at that time that he learned about and became involved with GRID Alternatives. Since then he has developed a passion for solar energy and all the possibilities its uses create.

“To be able to stay involved in building healthy and sustainable communities keeps me grounded as an individual, while staying connected to humanity at large.”

“I am excited about the future; I’ve found something in which I am passionate about, that I can build a career in, while helping to save the environment. Just as important is the fact that I am also empowered to help others in a way that that benefits us all. As a Workforce Development Manager, GRID Alternatives provides me with a great opportunity, not only in which to learn and grow, but also to give back.”

Christian Weaver served as the Program Director, leading the grantmaking programs for the Tribal Solar Accelerator Fund, a GRID tribal-led philanthropic grantmaking program supporting new solar projects in tribal communities across the country. Weaver has been in the strategic planning, development, and organizational development industry for over 20 years and has extensive experience in organizational leadership, fundraising, grant-making, and building partnerships. Prior to joining GRID, Weaver served as Associate Vice President of Major and Institutional Giving at the U.S. Soccer Foundation, Vice President of Development for the National Congress of American Indians, Director of Organizational Development for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and Manager of Major Gifts at the American Indian College Fund.

Weaver is passionate about environmental sustainability, conservation, community development and civil rights. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Valdosta State University, a Master’s in Indigenous Law from the University of Oklahoma College of Law, and is currently pursuing a second Master’s in Sustainable Leadership from Arizona State University. Weaver is an involved citizen of his Tribal community, Shinnecock, and is also a board member of Shinnecock Sovereign Holdings.

Lycia Ortega (she/her), citizen of the Quechan Indian Tribe, is a communications strategist and policy advocate, specializing in campaigns that raise the visibility and enhance the political power of historically underserved communities. Lycia is skilled at uplifting, empowering, and humanizing community voices. She is passionate about storytelling using multimedia approaches and has led teams and initiatives on the domestic and global levels for more than 16 years. She holds degrees in Communications, Film and Video Production, and Indigenous Peoples Law. Lycia is located in Central Florida and is the proud mom to human children Isaiah (18) and Inaya (16), and to fur baby Daisy (7). She loves distance running, indoor climbing, domestic and international travel, and participating in the revitalization of her Tribe’s rich language, culture, and traditions.

Chris Walker leads GRID Alternatives' national Policy & Programs Department and a mission-driven, multi-functional team of talented policy advocates and administrators. Chris’ goal at GRID is to collaborate across a community of practice to develop and deploy holistic climate equity solutions, leveraging incentive and assistance programs at scale as opportunities for restorative justice. His team and partners currently administer a portfolio of over $1.5 billion in public and foundation resources through 2030. Before GRID, Chris’s teams at The Solar Foundation (now IREC) designed and administered ongoing US Department of Energy-funded programs focused on equitable solar workforce development and market development. He also held positions at SolarCity (now Tesla) and the Climate Institute, a DC-based think tank. Chris has volunteered extensively with the NAACP's Environmental & Climate Justice Program. He holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in Political Science from the University of Florida. Chris hails from Torrance, CA.

Jenean Smith is the Vice President of International Programs at GRID Alternatives. She combines her experience in international development and solar energy to lead the nonprofit's international work. She has a passion for protecting a balanced ecosystem, empowering women and ensuring renewable energy is accessible to all. Jenean joined the for-profit solar industry in 2007 and worked for Mitsubishi Electric's Solar Division and later worked for Trojan Battery Company's Renewable Energy Division. In 2008 she founded Power to the People, a non-profit organization that brings renewable energy solutions to the developing world, and facilitated its acquisition by GRID Alternatives. Before working in the solar industry, she was the Youth Program Director for the Riecken Foundation in Honduras and was a Peace Corps Volunteer in San Lorenzo, Boaco, Nicaragua. Jenean holds a BA in Sociology from UMASS Boston, an MBA from Northeastern University and a Masters in Sustainable International Development from Brandeis University.

Talia is GRID Alternatives’ Director of Tribal Programs. She brings 12+ years of experience in tribal and federal governmental issues on environmental waste management and nuclear and renewable energy. Talia is an enrolled member of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of Fort Hall, Idaho. Prior to joining GRID, she was the Tribal Department of Energy Director for the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes and performed as the liaison between the Tribes and the U.S. Department of Energy, Idaho Operations Office. She attended University of Kansas and received a B.A. in Chemistry and an M.S. in Pharmaceutical Chemistry. She also attended Haskell Indian Nations University and received an A.S. in Natural Resources. Her education has fueled her passion in promoting STEM-opportunities for tribal youth and integrating Traditional Ecological Knowledge into her work with GRID Alternatives and Tribal Nations. She resides on the Fort Hall Reservation where she enjoys hunting, fishing and camping with her family and coaching youth basketball.

After completing an undergraduate degree in Canada, Simon moved to Colorado to pursue an internship with Solar Energy International. This set the course for his career and over the past two decades he has become proficient in PV system development, design, construction, and O&M. His skills are now focused on bringing renewable energy projects to low income communities and empowering people who serve them. Simon is an avid outdoors enthusiast and spends his time in Colorado skiing, biking, and river rafting with his wife and two kids.

Katie started at GRID as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer and has since transitioned into her role in HR building the department from the ground up. She graduated from Boston University with a BA in Sociology. She hails from sunny Philadelphia but now calls the Bay her home. She is deeply committed to creating an inclusive environment at GRID Alternatives where staff, clients, volunteers, and partners have a space to grow and feel heard.

Antia Smith is an experienced HR professional who joined GRID Alternatives in 2015. She and Katie co-created GRID's HR department with a focus on creating a fun, inclusive environment for GRID's people. She graduated from CUNY with a degree in Business Administration as well as earning additional professional HR certifications. In her free time, she loves exploring creative outlets and spending time with her daughter.

Steven has a degree in International Relations with a minor in Geography from Florida International University. After college he returned to his hometown in Pennsylvania and worked for a law firm in downtown Philadelphia, but found a new passion in solar technology. He enrolled in a Photovoltaic program offered by the City University of New York and soon after found work with a small renewable energy company. His desire to help others, implement renewable technologies, and enjoy the great outdoors lead him to California in 2008, where he joined GRID Alternatives' San Diego office as an AmeriCorps VISTA. From that humble beginning he has worked in several different positions with GRID Alternatives, giving him a great understanding of the organization and more passion for GRID's mission. In 2010 he moved to San Luis Obispo County to establish and lead GRID Alternatives' Central Coast office. After helping to launch our New York Tri-State office, Steven went on to take a role as Director of Operations with the GRID Alternatives Headquarters team. Steven is a NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional and licensed NJ Electrician.