About NCEF
The Nevada Clean Energy Fund (NCEF) is a nonprofit organization created in 2017 by state legislation. NCEF provides financial and technical resources to accelerate clean energy growth in the state, reduce energy costs, create jobs, and meaningfully address climate change. NCEF works with communities, local businesses, schools, governments, Tribes, utilities, contractors, lenders, and others to increase access to clean energy opportunities such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, electric vehicles, and energy storage.
NCEF serves as Nevada's Green Bank. Green Banks address clean energy market gaps and financial barriers, with a particular focus on historically underserved communities.
Learn more about Nevada's energy landscape here.
Board of Directors
The NCEF Board of Directors consists of Nevada state government officials and nominees from state labor organizations and counties that are appointed by the Governor of Nevada. The nine Directors include:
Rob Benner
Secretary Treasurer of Building & Construction Trades Council of Northern Nevada, Nominee of labor organizations in Nevada
Sharath Chandra
Real Estate Administrator of the Department of Business and Industry
Leanndra Diossa
Director of Administration, Governor's Office of Economic Development
Robert Johnston
Nominee of the Carson City Board of Supervisors
Les Lazareck
Managing Member of Home Energy Connection, nominee of the Clark County Board of Commissioners
Dwayne McClinton
Director of the Governor's Office of Energy
Sandy O'Laughlin
Commissioner of the Nevada Financial Institutions Division
Guy Snow
President of SolarNV, nominee of the Nevada State Contractors' Board
TBD
Nominee of Washoe County Board of Commissioners
Advisory Council
Mark Hayes
Senior Advisor, MAP Energy
Christine Hess
CFO, Nevada Housing Division
Rose McKinney-James
Managing Principal, Energy Works LLC
Paul Scharfenberger
CEO, Colorado Clean Energy Fund
Marie Steele
Vice President of Integrated Energy Services, NV Energy
Nic Steele
Executive Director, Access Community Capital
Jane Woodward
Founder and Managing Partner, WovenEarth Ventures
Our Team
Kirsten is CEO of the Nevada Clean Energy Fund (NCEF). Before joining NCEF, Kirsten worked to scale investments in renewable energy across the US at a private investment firm. Her early career began at the World Resources Institute, a nonprofit organization, where she worked with policymakers and other stakeholders to implement climate finance solutions. She holds an MBA and an MS from Stanford University and a BA from the University of California, Davis. In her free time, she serves as an Adjunct Lecturer at Stanford University, where she teaches a course on energy and sustainability. She lives in Nevada with her husband and daughter.
Kirsten Stasio
CEO
Greg is Director of Investments at NCEF. He started his career in management consulting at PA Consulting Group, with a focus on energy markets and electric utilities. After being awarded a Princeton in Asia fellowship to work in Mongolia, Greg spent three years leading climate finance programs for the eco-banking team of a Mongolian commercial bank (XacBank) recognized globally for its sustainable finance innovations. His later experiences in private equity, climate tech entrepreneurship, and project development have given him a uniquely interdisciplinary view of climate and energy issues. Greg holds an MBA and an MS from Stanford University, and a BA degree in Economics and Environmental Policy from Boston University. In his free time, Greg is involved in community-led efforts to improve air quality.
Greg Zegas
Director of Investments
Asheesh is the General Counsel and Director of Operations at NCEF. He is a former state prosecutor, corporate defense attorney, and public policy executive with fifteen years of experience providing counsel to highly visible, data-driven initiatives. Asheesh is in charge of ensuring operational compliance with NCEF's governance policies and NCEF's federal and public grant obligations. Asheesh oversees all NCEF legal matters and supports financial product and program development and operations. Prior to joining NCEF, Asheesh held positions across the public sector as Deputy General Counsel to the Nevada Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General, Executive Director of the Nevada State Infrastructure Bank, Assistant General Counsel in the Office of the Mayor of the City of New York, and Policy Fellow at the US Department of Treasury. Asheesh holds a JD from American University's Washington College of Law, a Professional Certificate in Corporate Finance from Columbia Business School, an MPH from Columbia University, and a BA in Politics and Economics from New York University.
Asheesh Bhalla
General Counsel
Will is a Loan Officer and Program Manager at NCEF. Living in Nevada for nearly his entire life, his background includes over eight years of non-profit organizing, communications, and government relations experience. Previously, Will worked as the Communications Director for the Institute for a Progressive Nevada (IPN), a non-profit dedicated to civic engagement and education on a variety of issues, including policies to combat climate change, expand clean energy development, and safeguard public lands and wildlife habitats. One of his proudest achievements was stewarding the PR and messaging work as part of the campaign calling for President Biden to designate Avi Kwa Ame National Monument in southern Nevada. Having designed and executed communications plans for campaigns in partnership with numerous lawmakers, non-profits, labor unions, and grassroots organizations, Will brings a wealth of experience in coalition building, media relations, and public policy advocacy to his role at NCEF. He holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and lives in Henderson, NV, with his two pet rabbits.
