Fellows will be on the frontlines of where federal investment in clean energy is transforming communities.
Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs
August 21, 2024
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On Aug. 21, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced that 68 fellows have been selected to spend up to two years at critical energy organizations including 10 Tribal entities, 6 electric cooperatives, 13 municipal utilities, 12 state utility commissions, 26 state energy offices, and 1 grid operator.
These fellows are the 2024 Class of the Clean Energy Innovator Fellowship (CEIF) program and will be on the frontlines of where federal investment in clean energy is transforming communities, filling gaps in capacity so organizations can get the job done faster.
This year, the Office of Indian Energy funded additional opportunities to place fellows with Tribal entities and supported program promotion and fellow recruitment.
Tribal entities hosting fellows for the 2024 Class:
| Host Institution | State | Project Title | Fellow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium | Alaska | Supporting Tribes in Alaska to Develop Renewable Energy and Operate as Independent Power Producers | Benjamin Dahan |
| Knik Tribe | Alaska | Affordable Energy and Grid Resilience for Knik Tribe | Kyle Friedman |
| Navajo Nation Government—Minerals Department | Arizona | Quantifying Clean Energy Impacts on the Navajo Nation | Mia Wei |
| Tule River Indian Tribe of the Tule River Reservation, California | California | Advance Development and Operational Synergies of the Tule River Tribal Nation's Clean Tech Manufacturing Facilities | Liam Huber |
| Coeur d'Alene Tribe | Idaho | Coeur d'Alene Tribe's Energy Strategy | Lynn Fatu |
| Nez Perce Tribe | Idaho | Strengthen Grid Reliability to Improve Sustainable Energy Solutions for the Nez Perce Tribe | Catherine Ryczek |
| Cherokee Nation's Office of the Secretary of Natural Resources | Oklahoma | Developing and Implementing a Clean Energy Strategic Plan for the Cherokee Nation | Eleanor Sandifer |
| Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission | Oregon | Advancing Salmon-Friendly and Tribally-Just Grid Modernization Outcomes | Karlen Yallup |
| RESCo— Rosebud Sioux Tribe utility | South Dakota | Standing up the Rosebud Sioux Tribal Utility | Heather Latray |
| The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation | Washington | Developing an Energy Program for the Colville Tribes | Andrea Carden |
Since 2017, the fellowship has recruited recent graduates and energy professionals from diverse backgrounds to spend up to two years supporting host institutions’ clean energy projects under the guidance of a designated mentor.
Fellows receive hands-on-experience advancing solutions that will help decarbonize the power system, electrify transportation and industry, and make the U.S. power system more resilient, equitable and inclusive. DOE also provides fellows with a competitive stipend and an allowance for education and professional development opportunities.
For a complete list of the 2024 Class of Host Institutions and fellowship projects, visit the CEIF website.
