Meet Rosie Ricketts, a Technical Project Officer with the Office of State and Community Energy Programs who settled in Alaska after serving there with the United States Air Force and lived there for 38 years.
October 17, 2024
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The Arctic Energy Office is hosting a series of interviews to highlight the lives and achievements of some of DOE’s outstanding employees with Arctic and Alaska connections. Today meet Rosie Ricketts, a Technical Project Officer with the Office of State and Community Energy Programs who settled in Alaska after serving there with the United States Air Force and lived there for 38 years. If you're a Department of Energy employee and have Arctic connections or know someone at DOE who does, please connect at [email protected] so we can feature you in future editions.
When did you live in Alaska?
With military orders from the United States Air Force, I arrived in Anchorage on October 4, 1978. At the time I was stationed at Elmendorf Air Force Base (now JBER.) After my service I decided to stay in Alaska, and moved to Wasilla, Alaska in 1985. I moved back to Anchorage in 2000 and stayed there for 17 years. I loved raising my family in Alaska and lived in both Anchorage and Wasilla for over 39 years.
When did you start working at DOE? What do you do at DOE?
I started with the Department of Energy (DOE) on January 29, 2024. I work for the Office of State and Community Energy Programs administering the Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Formula Program.
The EECBG Program provides funding through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and America Recovery and Reinvestment Act to assist eligible states, local and Tribal governments to significantly deploy clean energy technologies, accelerate local economic development and create jobs. These grants reduce energy costs and avoid pollution through place-based strategies involving a wide range of government, community, business, and other stakeholders. The program requires states to distribute 60% of their funds to local governments that are ineligible for direct EECBG funding.
For over 30+ years, the State of Alaska has been encouraging Alaskans to renovate and build energy efficient homes through methods like the Weatherization Assistance Program, standards for buildings for energy efficiency and innovative programs that incentive homeowners. The EECBG program provides funding that allows Alaskans to apply for funding to make similar energy efficiency improvements, e.g., Blueprint 2A: Energy Efficiency: Energy Audits, Building upgrades, Blueprint 2A: Energy Efficiency: Energy Audits, Building Upgrades | Department of Energy.
Why did you want to work at the DOE?
I spent twenty-three years in the energy efficiency/conservation field in Alaska. When I learned of the federal government’s investment through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), I felt I could bring my experience and skills to assist states, local governments, and Tribes to not only access the funding, but to also help eligible communities and disadvantaged communities benefit from the building and rebuilding of their infrastructure.
Tell us about your experiences in the Arctic. What have been some of your favorite memories?
During my time in Alaska, I worked for both Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) and the Rasmuson Foundation. With AHFC, I worked for the Energy Efficiency and Rural Development Division (R2D2). I was the department Administrative Officer, responsible for developing the department budget, provided guidance and support to program staff who administered the state’s Weatherization Program, State Energy Program, Supplemental Housing, and I was the Program Manager for the state’s Home Energy Rebate and New Construction Rebate Programs. At the Rasmuson Foundation I was the Grants Manager for five years, providing grants administration support to the Board, staff and applicants.
I’ve also had the opportunity to experience Alaska on a personal level: I’ve raised a family, I’m an avid fisherman. I love fishing on the Kenai/Russian River, fly fishing at Sliver Salmon near Iliamna, the Big/Little Su in Wasilla, Homer, Kenai, and the secret water holes. I’ve picked berries in Kotzebue, rode three/four wheelers in Barrow and I’ve floated down rivers to catch King Salmon and fished in the ocean for Halibut.
I’ve flown on float planes and helicopters and gotten to see a lot of Alaska’s beautiful landscapes, and wildlife. I’ve hiked Flattop, Mat-Su, Mendenhall and Exit Glaciers, and spent time in rural Alaska. I have been to Aleutian Islands, Bristol Bay, Denali, Northwest Alaska, the Interior, Southeast, Southwest, and Unalaska/Dutch Harbor. I’ve also experienced fishing with the occasional grizzly bear taking our catch.
I’ve grown to love Alaska over the thirty-eight years I lived there. When I arrived in Alaska in 1978, my first impression of Alaska was Portage Glacier and Girdwood Alaska. Portage was a majestic glacier; one where we could walk on it and easily access it. Sadly, when I left Alaska, thirty-eight years later, Portage has receded so much, basically much of the glacier is under water. I never thought in my lifetime I’d see a glacier disappear! I believe that Alaska is at the forefront of changes in the environment.
How did your time in the Arctic shape who you are today?
My experiences in the Arctic taught me everything I’ve learned about energy efficiency and conservation. As a homeowner I experienced and learned what a poorly built house looks and feels like when you have a lack of insulation, or without having access to sustainable construction materials. I’ve experienced first-hand the inability to find a workforce with the prerequisite knowledge on building science and the impacts of the high cost of building and renovating in the Arctic. Both my personal and professional experiences motivated me to get involved and pursue a career to educate Alaskans about energy efficiency and its benefits.
How does your time in the Arctic impact your perspectives at DOE?
My time in the Arctic has not only allowed me to share my experiences within DOE, but to add a different perspective to the goals and objectives of DOE and how they may impact Alaska. Although Alaska is rural like a lot of places in America, the challenges Alaskans face in rural Alaska can’t be compared; including the lack of roads to villages, lack of infrastructure, very little to no connectivity and the challenge of taking advantage of the benefits of the new technologies; electrification, solar, and EV charging, etc.
What do you love about your job?
Meeting my coworkers with different backgrounds from different parts of the country, and learning about their communities, landscapes, activities, and many of the challenges facing their communities.
What’s your favorite place in the Arctic?
In my roles at AHFC, I traveled to rural Alaska to monitor energy efficiency projects and encourage homeowners to participation in the rebate programs. I had the opportunity to visit and explore various communities throughout Alaska and flown to remote sites on float planes. I learned about the distinct cultures in the communities I visited, including enjoying the local food, their art, and I learned how resilient they are. My favorite place in Alaska is Metlakatla; I enjoyed the hospitality, the people, and the beauty. It’s also one of the scariest float plane rides I’ve ever experienced.