Anne Egger, Isabel Sepulveda, and Kristen Frick, are Project Managers for the funding mechanism under the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program.
October 19, 2023
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On October 18, 2023, the U.S. Department of Energy announced up to $3.46 billion in Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program investments for 58 projects across 44 states to strengthen electric grid resilience and reliability across America. GRIP includes three distinct funding mechanisms: Grid Resilience Utility and Industry Grants, Smart Grid Grants, and Grid Innovation Program that bolster public and private investment to enhance the nation's ability to deliver affordable, clean energy to communities, prepare for extreme weather, and meet clean energy goals.
Behind each of these programs are project managers Anne Egger, Isabel Sepulveda, and Kristen Frick, who support their respective programs through all phases of the funding process from announcements to reviews to working with awardees on projects.
Anne Egger is a Project Manager for the Grid Resilience Utility and Industry Grants. Prior to joining the Grid Deployment Office (GDO), Anne worked in the utilities sector as an engineer in transmission and distribution planning and engineering. Anne has a Master of Business Administration and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering.
What’s one word you would use to describe GDO?
Transformative.
What excites you about your work at GDO?
The chance to make a larger impact on grid resilience all over the country's states, territories, and tribes.
What’s one thing you wish more people understood about transmission and/or distribution?
That there are so many exciting things going on right now with the grid and a lot of ways to make an impact with all the work that is going on.
Isabel Sepulveda is a Project Manager for the Smart Grid Grants. Before joining the Department of Energy, Isabel worked in the clean energy tech sector, focused on client and project management for customer engagement software and demand response programs. This is Isabel’s second time as a federal employee, and she is excited to be in public service once again! Previously, she worked as a Country Manager at the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, where she managed grant funding for the development of clean energy, environmental and water infrastructure in Latin America and the Caribbean. She holds a master’s degree in international business and trade from the Fletcher School at Tufts University, and a bachelor’s degree in international studies from the University of Arizona
What most interested you about coming to work at GDO?
I really want to do my part in moving our country towards clean energy and a more sustainable future. GDO has such a unique opportunity to move the needle and I wanted to be part of that. I’ve enjoyed working in a variety of different settings, but I was excited to come back to public service after a stint in the tech sector, because I feel that it’s a way to directly impact people’s lives.
What’s one thing you wish more people understood about transmission and/or distribution?
That the grid is essential to a clean energy future and our fight against climate change. Without a reliable, modern, and flexible grid, we can’t manage all the amazing renewable resources out there and get energy to where it’s needed most. I’d also want people to know that the grid needs our help! Our grid infrastructure is out of date, and we need to prioritize technology updates that make the grid safer and boost its ability to move power around the country.
Kristen Frick is a Project Manager for the Grid Innovation Program. Prior to joining GDO, Kristen worked at a variety of energy technology companies in San Francisco managing energy market operations, regulatory and compliance programs, finance, and product development. Kristen has a master’s degree in tax law from the University of Houston, a law degree from Loyola New Orleans, and a bachelor's degree in industrial psychology from the University of Oklahoma.
What inspired you to work in the energy and grid realm?
During law school I did a lot of reading about renewable energy tax credits, and I was hooked! Since then, I have continued to follow the path of learning more about energy, how it is made, how it is used, how it is moved, and that eventually led me to GDO!
Do you have any tips for someone looking to enter your field of work?
Talk to people working in this industry and learn about what they do! Now is an exciting time to work in energy and the grid, and there are so many more opportunities and careers than you would expect.
What excites you about your work at GDO?
It is not an understatement to say we have a historic opportunity to make investments in building a better grid. Being a part of the GRIP program and getting to see all the amazing work that the Department of Energy, GDO, and GRIP applicants are doing to incorporate community benefits into the future of the grid is inspiring.