WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced additional Biden-Harris Administration appointees that have joined the team to deliver on President Biden’s bold climate goals and help build a more prosperous, equitable clean energy future for every American worker and family.

“We are thrilled to welcome this group of talented, tested professionals to our growing team here at DOE,” said Chief of Staff Tarak Shah. “Their passion and determination to advance the Biden Administration’s ambitious climate agenda will be critical to our efforts to develop clean energy solutions that create millions of good-paying jobs and lift up communities across the nation.”

New appointees and their roles are listed below:

Cassidy Ballard, Scheduler, Office of Management

Cassidy Ballard most recently served as Regional Organizing Director for the New Hampshire Democratic Party during the 2020 general election. She previously worked for Senator Elizabeth Warren as an Organizer on the Senator’s 2018 re-election campaign in Massachusetts and subsequently on her presidential primary campaign in New Hampshire and Maine. A proud native of Massachusetts, Ballard attended Stonehill College where she studied Political Science and International Studies.

Bridget Bartol, Deputy Director, Office of Public Affairs

Bridget Bartol was most recently a Vice President of Public Affairs at SKDK, specializing in strategic communications, stakeholder engagement, and media relations for a range of corporate, nonprofit, advocacy, and crisis clients. Previously, she led media and messaging strategy for Securing America’s Future Energy and served as Deputy Press Secretary at the U.S. Department of Energy during the Obama Administration. Prior to that appointment, she was a Senior Associate at Dewey Square Group in Boston and worked at The Smith-Free Group in Washington D.C. A South Florida native, Bartol graduated from the University of Florida.

Matt Dannenberg, Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Matt Dannenberg most recently served as Senior Associate Director at the White House Office of Presidential Personnel, and before that was the Wisconsin Coalitions Director for the Biden-Harris presidential campaign. Dannenberg grew up with a passion for meteorology which led to a career in civic engagement and advocacy to impact climate change. Dannenberg started his career at Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters as an organizer, Field Director, and Program Director. He also served as Communications and Legislative Director at the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. Dannenberg is a proud member of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Greg Degen, Chief of Staff, Office of International Affairs

Greg Degen was most recently at the International Affairs and Strategy office of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, where he worked on global partnerships. Degen served in a variety of roles in the Obama Administration, including as Chief of Staff of the White House Office of the Staff Secretary. He worked at the U.S. Agency for International Development, both in the Global Climate Change Office and as an assistant to the Administrator, and previously served in the legislative affairs office at the White House Council on Environmental Quality. Originally from Buffalo, NY and a member of the LGBTQ+ community, Degen holds a M.P.A. from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and a B.A. from the Ohio State University. 

Emma Hutchinson, Speechwriter, Office of Public Affairs

Emma Hutchinson most recently was a senior associate at Climate Nexus, where she helped develop communications strategies for the climate movement around key media moments and elevate local climate leaders and experts across digital, print and broadcast platforms. Her communications work covered state and local climate policy, energy finance, oceans, plastics, labor, environmental justice, climate science, and international climate negotiations. Previously, she did a fellowship at the MacArthur Foundation, where she contributed to the strategy and grant making of the Climate Solutions program. Hutchinson holds a B.S. from Stanford University, where she studied environmental policy, economics, and science communication.

Emily Hammond, Deputy General Counsel for Litigation and Enforcement, Office of General Counsel

Emily Hammond previously served as Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Law at the George Washington University, specializing in administrative law, energy law, and environmental law. A former environmental engineer, Hammond's research and policy work has focused on transparency and public participation in regulatory processes, the role of science in agency decision-making, and governance structures for mitigating climate change. Hammond earned a J.D., summa cum laude, from the University of Georgia, and a B.S. in Civil Engineering, cum laude, from Virginia Tech.

Whitney Muse, Chief of Staff, Office of Electricity

Whitney Muse was most recently a manager in Deloitte's federal energy practice, where she provided policy and regulatory analysis of domestic and international power sector projects. Previously, she worked at the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners implementing capacity-building programs for energy regulators around the world. A Philadelphia native, Muse received her B.S. in Engineering from Rutgers University and M.A. in International Energy and Environment Policy from Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies.

Tony Reames, Senior Advisor, Office of Economic Impact and Diversity

Tony G. Reames was most recently a professor of environment and sustainability at the University of Michigan, where he established the Urban Energy Justice Lab to conduct research and develop solutions on the production and persistence of racial, income, and geographic disparities in energy access, affordability, decision making, and participation. Reames served as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and worked in both the private and public sectors as a licensed professional engineer. He earned a B.S. in Civil Engineering from North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, a Master of Engineering Management from Kansas State University, and a Ph.D. in Public Administration from the University of Kansas. 

Click here for the full list of DOE Biden-Harris Administration appointees.

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