Joint Institute for Strategic Energy Analysis Staff
The Joint Institute for Strategic Energy Analysis (JISEA) integrates diverse voices from research, universities, nonprofits, and industry to identify and build expertise around emerging multidisciplinary clean energy challenges.
Elizabeth Doris—Director
Elizabeth "Liz" Doris has worked in domestic and international energy efficiency and renewable energy policy research for more than 20 years. Doris has worked at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) since 2005, most recently serving as the laboratory program manager for NREL's State, Local, and Tribal program. Doris has spearheaded several large initiatives at the laboratory, including the Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project to support remote, island, and islanded communities in transforming their energy systems and increasing energy resilience. Doris also served as the NREL lead of the National Laboratory Directors' Council Community-Engaged Research initiative—a 17-laboratory group that identifies areas where national laboratories can increase mission effectiveness by engaging communities. Most recently, Doris served as senior advisor on energy justice within DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
Debbie Brodt-Giles—Program Manager and Strategic Advisor
Debbie Brodt-Giles manages the American-Made program, a comprehensive prize program dedicated to advancing diverse and inclusive clean energy technology innovation, supported by a robust technical and business network of incubators, accelerators, national laboratories, and facilities. Brodt-Giles also develops strategic partnerships and programs to advance a diverse and equitable workforce for the clean energy future. Her long career at NREL includes many years leading teams that develop leading-edge data-driven software platforms, data accessibility standards, cloud computing practices, data management systems, data visualizations, and modeling solutions. She continues to foster programming and partnerships that will further advance the clean energy economy, accelerate innovation, speed commercialization, and provide opportunities for diverse and inclusive participation.
Sarah Truitt—Group Manager, Prize Innovation Excellence
Sarah Truitt manages the Prize Innovation Excellence group's growing capacity to coordinate prizes and develops new capabilities that expand the American-Made program. Truitt also oversees a portfolio of prizes funded by DOE's Building Technologies Office and the Office of State and Community Energy Programs. For nearly 14 years, she has worked in many scientific and operational areas across NREL. Truitt spent her first 5 years in program management for the Solar Energy Technologies Office, where she helped launch their first prize, Catalyst, in 2014. More recently, Truitt developed programmatic strategy on workforce development topics for DOE's Advanced Manufacturing Office and Building Technologies Office. Prior to joining NREL, Truitt managed 12 staff members at DOE headquarters in Washington, D.C. She also spent 2 years working in the California solar industry, selling photovoltaic systems and representing the solar industry perspective on the California Solar Initiative—a landmark incentive policy that began in 2007.
Joe Simon—Group Manager, Research Innovations and Partnerships
Joe Simon leads efforts to grow the institute's networks, vouchers, catalyzers, and workshops that accelerate the clean energy transition and increase JISEA's impact across the entire energy industry. Before joining JISEA, Simon served as a senior researcher and project manager within the Accelerated Deployment and Decision Support Center at NREL. He has developed and managed several projects at NREL, serves as the program area lead for solar manufacturing and competitiveness, leads the EnergyTech University Prize, and supports other related efforts focused on technology commercialization, networks, and collaboration. Outside of NREL, Simon is the immediate past president of the board of directors for Levitt Pavilion Denver and cofounded a company that sought to deliver modular, affordable accessory dwelling units to the Denver market.
Nick Langle—Senior Technical Product Manager
Nick Langle is an experienced technical leader researching methods in digital humanities and forging a sustainable web paradigm for an equitable energy future. He is the principal investigator of the Community Power Accelerator—an online platform connecting communities, solar developers, and capital providers—expanding access to affordable solar energy. Since joining NREL in 2010, Langle's contributions have had an impact on several industry-recognized projects, including the Renewable Energy Atlas (RE Atlas), the RAPID Toolkit, and the American-Made program. Langle is recognized for his expertise in user experience design and developer experience, delivering high-performing web applications using various technology stacks. In his work, he advocates for a sustainably focused web development culture that aligns with net-zero initiative goals.
Jeanette Alberg—American-Made Prize Lead
Jeanette Alberg has 20 years of experience engaging stakeholders, building partnerships, and developing strategies and programs to meet key business priorities and increase brand awareness. Prior to joining the American-Made team, Alberg was head of public affairs for DCP Midstream, a Fortune 500 natural gas transmission company. She previously supported corporate communications and community outreach activities for Lockheed Martin Space, a Fortune 100 government contractor. Earlier in her career, she assisted two members of the U.S. Congress, gaining valuable stakeholder engagement experience working with government agencies, academia, public and private companies, and nonprofit organizations.
Emily Evans—American-Made Senior Prize Lead
Emily Evans leads prize design and implementation across a diverse spectrum of technologies, including solar, geothermal, buildings, and advanced manufacturing as well as community-led energy innovation. Evans actively collaborates with a network comprising national laboratories, universities, accelerators, and industry experts nationwide, fostering support for cleantech entrepreneurs and innovators. Prior to joining the American-Made team as a prize administrator in 2019, Evans held diverse positions at NREL, including roles supporting international energy projects. Her varied experiences have equipped her with a comprehensive understanding of energy landscapes, complementing her current endeavors in advancing innovative solutions.
Kristin Wegner Guilfoyle—Project Leader
Kristin Wegner Guilfoyle leads high-impact national studies, leveraging her expertise in leading collaborative research and innovations. Her previous experience includes leading teams at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research and domestic and global software companies. Wegner Guilfoyle earned her Ph.D. in public affairs from the University of Colorado-Denver with a dissertation on energy policy and data to achieve net-zero goals.
Jamie Hendriks—Project Controller
Jamie Hendriks manages the oversight of all institute financials. Hendriks joined NREL in 2022 as a project controller for the American-Made program. She joined the program during a time of unprecedented growth, so her role included developing tools and processes for tracking and managing the growing portfolio of prizes. Prior to joining NREL, Hendriks worked for more than 15 years in international development, including volunteering with the Peace Corps in South Africa, working as a capture manager for a U.S. Agency for International Development contractor in Washington, D.C., and leading the business development team at a leading Denver-based nonprofit focused on smallholder farmers in developing countries.
Nicole Simões—Business Support
Nicole Simões has 20 years of experience in project management, operational excellence, and client relations. A significant portion of her career was spent at Merrill Lynch in the New Jersey/New York area, where she collaborated with financial advisors to support the growth of their portfolios. Fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, she effectively used her language skills to build strong connections with clients and colleagues. Before joining NREL, Simões worked in resource management for a "Big 4" firm, focusing on process improvements and coordinating resources for top-tier audit clients. Her passions are fostering continuous learning, building connections, and creating cohesive, culturally integrated teams.