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Energy Week 2023
Meet the Energy Week Team!
Carley Tucker
Energy Week Co-Chair
Carley is a climate activist and cares deeply for solving the climate crisis through rapidly decarbonizing our economy. She believes every job is a climate job, which is why she is excited to co-chair Energy Week and expand the network of people across all sectors who are working to solve difficult climate challenges. Carley is pursuing a Master’s of Environmental Management and MBA and is excited to combine her analytical and business skills to advance an equitable and just clean energy transition.
Ian Hitchcock
Energy Week Co-Chair
Ian Hitchcock is a current Master of Public Policy Student at the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University. After graduating from Marlboro College in 2016 with a degree in Environmental Studies, Ian worked in the Senate Office of Senator Bernie Sanders, tracked energy and climate policy for Renewable Energy Vermont (REV), and supported local climate action as an AmeriCorps Member with the Vermont Energy and Climate Action Network (VECAN). That work led him to a position with the Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC) as Energy and Climate Program Coordinator, where he helped to secure passage of the Vermont Global Warming Solutions Act. Most recently, he worked as an Environmental Protection Specialist for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Duke Ding
Leadership Team
Duke is passionate about a cleaner and more sustainable future. As a Master of Environmental Management Candidate (Class of 2024) at Duke University with a concentration in Energy and Environment, he is excited to take his experiences in clean energy, policy, and research forward. Duke is an effective communicator who enjoys collaboration and taking initiative. Duke enjoys enjoy fast-paced environments, and can be found singing, cooking, or biking in my free time.
Kristy McKain
Leadership Team
Kristy is a second year Master of Environmental Management Student, concentrating in Energy and Environment. Prior to her time at Duke, Kristy lived in Washington, DC, where she led social impact investment projects primarily in South and Southeast Asia. Kristy has loved exploring Durham over the last year, especially visiting new trails with her friends and dog. She is excited to be a part of Energy Week leadership team to meet and work with students across different schools at Duke who are all passionate about clean energy transition.
Tiana Elame
Leadership Team
Tiana is a Duke Environmental Leadership, Masters of Environmental Management student (DEL-MEM). She has experience in project management, environment oversight for large scale construction and field biology. Currently, she is a research fellow for the Solar and Storage Industries Institute (SI2), the nonprofit organization founded by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA); where she is conducting research to support the development model policy for the solar industry. Tiana’s passion for a better world drives her interest in supporting a weather ready nation and responsible resource management through the use renewable energy. Tiana is thrilled to be a part of the Duke Energy Week Leadership team for the 2023/2024 academic year– as there are so many dynamic leaders on the team—many of which will be shaping the future of energy!
Malcolm Gregory
Leadership Team
Prior to enrolling as a dual master’s student at Duke (public policy and environmental management), Malcolm worked as an environmental analyst in Wisconsin’s Office of Energy. In this role, he was tasked with reviewing and permitting energy projects such as transmission line rebuilds, natural gas pipeline repairs, and maintenance at hydroelectric facilities. This valuable regulatory experience galvanized Malcolm to pursue a more active role in the clean energy transition. In Durham, he’s taken coursework ranging from environmental economics to international energy systems, while cultivating out-of-classroom expertise with the North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association and Grove Climate Group. He’s enthusiastic about sharing his passion for energy with the community and emphasizing the need for a just and equitable energy transition.
John Rooney
Leadership Team
John is a Master of Environmental Management and Master of Business Administration candidate at Duke University, where he focuses on the clean energy transition. Prior to Duke, he managed a large landscape conservation partnership in the Texas Hill Country, led programs and advocacy for a parks, trails, and open space nonprofit in Austin, TX, and served on the Executive Committee for the Austin Group of the Sierra Club. John was drawn to this year’s Energy Week leadership team because of its focus on exploring the equity implications of the clean energy transition and the opportunity to learn from the diversity of experiences in the inspirational cross-school leadership team. John earned a B.A. in Political Science with a minor in Black Studies from Allegheny College, and in his spare time enjoys hiking, time on a bike or in bodies of water, and moonlighting as a saxophonist.
Meera Ayyagari
Leadership Team
Meera is a second year Master’s student in Environmental Management at the Nicholas School, with a background in mechanical engineering. Meera has always envisioned herself as a part of the global combat against climate change and contribute to mitigating the effects of climate adversity in the global south. Meera gets to be a part of a team that shares equal passion for the cause, and brings critical energy and environmental issues to the forefront of of Duke and Beyond.
Morgan Alexander
Marketing and Communications Lead
With a double major in Atmospheric Sciences and Geography from the University of Georgia, Morgan has honed her expertise in understanding our planet’s earth and atmospheric systems as well as the importance of sustainable practices.Through internships and research projects, Morgan has deepened her commitment to environmental advocacy and awareness. Pursuing a dual master’s degrees in Public Policy and Environmental Management at Duke University, Morgan’s ultimate goal is to be a catalyst in mitigating the climate crisis by developing and strengthening climate policies while bridging the gap between research and real-world action. She is thrilled to be a part of the Energy Week Team!
Sally Jernigan-Smith
Leadership Team
Sally is pursuing a Master of Environmental Management with a concentration in Environmental Economics and Policy and a certificate in Community Based Environmental Management. Sally’s background is in nonprofit administration, and her time at the climate/clean energy think-and-do-tank RMI sparked a passion for energy justice and clean energy access. This summer Sally worked with the NC League of Conservation Voters, developing a toolkit to help North Carolina LMI renters, homeowners, and community members understand what federal climate funding is accessible to them and how it will address their needs and concerns, such as high energy bills, healthier indoor air quality, and safer neighborhoods. She is thrilled to be on the Energy Week team and is co-leading the event “Bringing the Transition Home: Energy Justice in North Carolina.”
Yixuan (Lynn) Wu
Leadership Team
Lynn’s path at Nicholas School started in the field of energy, where she worked on creative initiatives aimed at utilizing renewable energy for the production of environmentally friendly electricity. Her passion for finding solutions to the world’s energy problems and advancing greener energy sources is what inspired her to join the Energy Week team. Also, Lynn wants to contribute to encouraging environmental justice and global attention to energy.
Eli Schulman
Leadership Team
Eli is a Master of Environmental Management and Master of Business Administration Candidate at Duke University, where he focuses on Energy and Strategy. Before coming to Duke he lived in Colorado and worked at AES Clean Energy, developing financial models for tax equity partnerships and overseeing compliance efforts across the portfolio. After Eli’s first year at the Nicholas School, he interned at ARPA-E, building Techno-Economic Analyses (TEA) for the electrification of heavy-duty transportation and developing a Levelized Cost of Storage (LCOS) framework for evaluating new energy storage technologies. In addition to his energy interests, Eli enjoys staying active and spending time outdoors. He is excited to facilitate cross-disciplinary collaboration between students and professionals at this year’s Energy Week.
Nick Sorokin
Leadership Team
Nick is a dual MEM/MBA candidate interested in environmental sustainability, electricity markets, and social impact. He originally became interested in clean energy through an elective in undergrad—switching his major as a result—and hopes that this year’s events will help inspire students across Duke to become more involved in this important and growing sector.
Josh Guthrie
Leadership Team
Josh is a Pratt School of Engineering undergraduate studying Electrical and Computer Engineering and Computer Science. He is also pursuing a Certificate in Energy and the Environment. Josh hopes to contribute to the climate movement by innovating sustainable electronics and working on renewable energy projects. He is also interested in sustainable urban design and natural disaster mitigation. Josh joined the Energy Week Leadership Team to collaborate with graduate student leaders and contribute to impactful energy events.
Jack Prommel
Marketing and Communications Team
Jack is currently pursuing his MBA at Duke University, where he is actively working to bridge the gap between green infrastructure and business. Prior to his studies at Duke, he honed his skills while collaborating with the Bureau of Land Management, where he focused on optimizing permitting processes for commercial use of public land. This experience ignited his passion for cultivating effective public-private partnerships crucial for advancing large-scale infrastructure projects. Jack’s excitement lies in continuously learning and tackling the challenges at the forefront of the green energy transition.
Ceci de la Guardia
Leadership Team
Ceci is passionate advocate for a just and sustainable clean energy transition. She is currently completing her undergraduate degrees (B.S. in Economics, B.A. in Public Policy, Certificate in Energy & Environment) and interning with Heelstone Renewable Energy, a NC-based utility-scale solar developer. As a member of the Undergraduate Duke Energy Club, she has worked on consulting projects with cleantech startups including Fervo Energy, 8 Rivers, and Terrafuse AI. Prior to this, she conducted research on hydroelectricity in Paraguay. Ceci remembers her first energy week as a strong influence in her decision to pursue a clean energy career, and is excited to contribute to the event this year.
Energy Week 2025
Save the dates: November 3-7, 2025