ABOUT NCEF
The Nevada Clean Energy Fund (NCEF) is a non-profit 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, utilities, contractors, lenders, and others to increase access to clean energy opportunities such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, zero-emission vehicles, and energy storage.
After its creation in 2017, NCEF was incubated for four years with the support of the Coalition for Green Capital (CGC) and NCEF's Board of Directors. The start-up of NCEF is funded by the Governor’s Office of Energy (GOE) with unused American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds.
Learn more about the energy landscape in Nevada here.
WHAT IS A GREEN BANK?
NCEF is a Green Bank, which is an institutional model that has been successfully proven in over a dozen other US states. The Coalition for Green Capital (CGC) defines Green Banks as “mission-driven institutions that use innovative financing to accelerate the transition to clean energy and fight climate change.” Green Banks address clean energy market gaps and financial barriers, serving segments of the population and economy that have historically experienced underinvestment in clean energy. Green Banks achieve their goals through the direct provision of financing, such as loans and co-investments, and market development activities, such as providing technical assistance, partnership building, and turnkey financial product design.
Unlike typical “banks,” Green Banks do not take deposits, and operations can be funded by governments, private investors, or charitable contributions.
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:
- Sharath Chandra, Real Estate Administrator of the Department of Business and Industry
- Jason Geddes, Energy & Sustainability Manager for Washoe County School District, nominee of the Washoe County Board of Commissioners
- James Humm, Director of Public Policy and Government Affairs, 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
- Nominee of labor organizations in Nevada
OUR TEAM
KIRSTEN STASIO
Kirsten is the Chief Executive Officer of the Nevada Clean Energy Fund (NCEF). She has over a decade of clean energy experience across the investment, policy, education, corporate and start-up sectors. Before joining NCEF, Kirsten worked at MAP Energy, an energy investment firm, where she scaled investments in renewable energy across the US. 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.
GREG ZEGAS
Greg is Senior Manager, 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 BA degrees in Economics and Environmental Policy from Boston University. In his free time, Greg is involved in community-led efforts to improve air quality.
Kelsey Freeman
Kelsey Freeman is NCEF’s Community Engagement Coordinator. She is also pursuing a master’s in international policy as a Knight Hennessy Scholar at Stanford University. As an advocate, educator and writer, she has focused her career on Indigenous rights, immigration policy, climate change, and renewable energy on tribal lands. Before Stanford, Kelsey collaborated with partners from the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs to develop a culturally based college-readiness program for Native American high school students through Central Oregon Community College. She also wrote her debut book, No Option but North, which is based off of her year on a Fulbright Fellowship in Mexico interviewing Central American migrants. The book won the 2021 Colorado Book Award and was a finalist for the Oregon Book Award. She has spoken and interviewed across the US on immigration policy. Kelsey holds a BA in Government and Legal Studies from Bowdoin College.