Our Team

Steve Chadima leads AEE's efforts to promote the advanced energy industry in California, and provides strategic direction for AEE's communications, marketing, and online activities nationally.

A serial entrepreneur with nearly 30 years experience in advanced energy and technology, Chadima began his career as a manager of a Portland, Oregon-based non-profit corporation, providing services and financial incentives for energy conservation, solar and alternative energy to residents, schools and businesses. Since that time, he has been involved with a wide variety of technology start-ups through his work at tech incubator Idealab and several of its companies including, most recently, UberMedia. Prior to UberMedia, Chadima served as vice president of external affairs for Suntech Power Holdings, where he led public policy, investor relations and corporate communications in the United States. In addition, Chadima served two terms as chairman of the board of directors of the Solar Alliance, an association of the leading PV manufacturers, integrators and financiers working with states to adopt cost-effective solar policies and programs. He was also on the board of the Large-scale Solar Association (LSA), which focuses on federal and state policies that affect utility-scale solar installations. Earlier in his career, he worked for the Regis McKenna marketing agency and the Congressional Budget Office. Chadima earned his BA from UC Irvine and MBA from Stanford University.

H.G. Chissell is the Founder and CEO of Advanced Energy Group LLC, a consultancy and energy stakeholder platform focused on bringing needed electric grid modernization to key cities. Advanced Energy Group facilitates quarterly stakeholder engagements in Chicago, Washington D.C. and New York City. Stakeholders include FERC, PJM, NYISO, ConEdison, ComEd, Pepco, DOE, GSA, Amtrak, S&C Electric, Saft, Chicago Transit Authority, PowerSecure and many more.

Previously, H.G. Chissell assisted with the launch of GridMarket, a DER software platform and served as Senior Vice President of Strategic Accounts for Viridity Energy, a software/service firm focused on virtual power generation and advanced energy optimization. Mr. Chissell was with Viridity Energy from its beginning in 2009, leading the company’s growth of MWs under management and strategic expansion throughout PJM, NYISO and ERCOT across all key verticals. Key accomplishments include the first behind-the-meter frequency regulation battery project in PJM, first 1 MW behind-the-meter battery project in Chicago, first full spectrum DR battery project in New York City and first multi-site EV2Grid project with the Pentagon in PJM and ERCOT.

Mr. Chissell graduated from Swarthmore College, studied architecture at Drexel University and received his accreditation as a LEED AP. Mr. Chissell focuses on advanced business solutions and partnerships, specifically with the DOD, cities, portfolio real estate companies, energy storage integrators, and utilities. H.G. Chissell also served as lead facilitator for the ConEdison Energy Storage Working Group. In 2014, Mr. Chissell received the Federal Energy and Water Management Award for his work with US Army Base Fort Meade and American Water.

As CSE’s Policy Director, Sachu is responsible for overseeing all areas of policy including: government and regulatory affairs, legislative analysis, strategic planning, program support and analysis, as well as providing guidance to the Board of Directors and senior management on local, state and regional policy. Sachu manages the Policy Team and the Research & Analysis Team. Prior to joining CSE, Sachu worked at SunPower Corporation, a multi-national, vertically-integrated solar PV manufacturer where he was responsible for strategic partnerships and public policy. Sachu also has experience in community development, forestry, energy codes & standards, building energy management and carbon trading.

Dr. Garrett Fitzgerald is a Sr. Associate at Rocky Mountain Institute working on grid integrated DER systems and their impact on utility economics and business models. Garrett is currently working on an extension of RMI’s Simple-BoS project, Battery Balance of Systems, conducting a deep dive analysis on understanding cost and benefits of behind-the-meter energy storage systems in the evolving distributed energy storage market. Garrett studied Mechanical engineering at Santa Clara University with a focus on sustainable energy. Garrett completed his M.S. and Ph.D in Earth Resource Engineering at Columbia University, studying a novel method of producing natural gas while sequestering carbon dioxide in the arctic permafrost regions. During his doctoral work he co-founded Solar Journey USA, an education and outreach project focused on demonstrating the potential of PV and EV integration. The portable PV power station was then used for relief efforts during the months following hurricane Sandy in NYC and finally the system was disturbed to NYC schools as educational kits in collaboration with the WWF.

Sean Gallagher is Vice President of State Affairs for the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) where he oversees SEIA’s legislative, regulatory, and policy development work in states nationwide, including efforts to drive new markets for solar power through implementation of the US EPA’s Clean Power Plan. Before joining SEIA late in 2014, he served as an executive for firms developing utility scale solar power projects, including the first utility scale solar plant developed on an Indian reservation in the U.S. 

Sean was the director of the California Public Utilities Commission’s Energy Division for nearly four years, where he led the Commission’s work establishing the California Solar Initiative (CSI), implementing California’s Renewable Portfolio Standard, planning transmission for renewables, and managing interactions with the California ISO. Previously he was an attorney for the CPUC and in private practice in San Francisco.

He has a wide range of expertise in the solar industry and government sector, having worked with legislatures and agencies in California, Nevada, and Arizona, as well as with the Congress and federal agencies including the Departments of Energy, Interior, and FERC. In those roles he has supported utility-scale solar project development and worked on development and implementation of the Section 1603 Treasury Grant Program, the Department of Energy’s loan guarantee program, state RPSs, state tax incentive and rebate programs in California and Nevada, energy storage policy and rate design.

After taking a B.S. from Fordham University, Dr. Gyuk did graduate work at Brown University on Superconductivity. Having received a Ph.D. in Theoretical Particle Physics from Purdue University he became a Research Associate at Syracuse. As an Assistant Professor he taught Physics, Civil Engineering, and Environmental Architecture at the University of Wisconsin. Dr. Gyuk became an Associate Professor in the Department of Physics at Kuwait University where he became interested in issues of sustainability.

Dr. Gyuk joined the Department of Energy to manage the Thermal and Physical Storage program. For the past 12 years he has directed the Electrical Energy Storage research program in the Office of Electricity developing a wide portfolio of storage technologies for a broad spectrum of applications. He supervised the $185M ARRA stimulus funding for Grid Scale Energy Storage Demonstrations and is now partnering with the States on storage projects for grid resilience. His work has led to 9 R&D 100 awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award. He is internationally recognized as a leader in the energy storage field.

Gene Hunt is Principal and Co-founder of Trevi Communications, a specialty marketing communications and PR firm focused on advancing emerging technologies and related professional services. A marketing communications strategist and writer with more than 30 years of experience, Gene works with new and established technology companies and innovators. With particular expertise in the energy storage and renewable energy sectors, he combines a passion for sustainable solutions with journalistic insight to craft effective and compelling communications. Early in his career, Gene held communications management positions in both the U.S. and Europe for global B2B firms including Agfa-Gevaert, Bayer AG, Tyco Electronics, Raytheon and others. Since 2002, he has focused on energy storage and renewable energy, directing communications strategy and programs for clients covering a range of technologies including advanced batteries, flywheels, compressed air, power electronics and inverters. Gene is on the Advisory Boards of the California Energy Storage Alliance, Global Energy Storage Alliance, and Energy Storage North America. He holds a B.A. in communications from Suffolk University and speaks three languages.

Dan Jennejohn is a relationship manager with the Wells Fargo Corporate Banking CleanTech Group, . Based in Palo Alto, the Wells Fargo Cleantech Group provides expertise, financial services, and resources to help innovative domestic and international clean technology companies of all sizes. The Wells Fargo CleanTech Group focuses on advancing new technologies and business models to solve some of the most complex environmental and resource issues facing society. Dan began his career as a relationship manager with Wells Fargo’s Cleantech Group in 2014. Prior to joining Wells Fargo, he worked as an industry analyst with the Geothermal Energy Association in Washington D.C.

Dan earned his bachelor’s degree in history from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, and his MBA from the University of Southern California. He and his wife, Camille, reside in Pacifica, CA.

Ben Kaun has over 10 years experience in electric power research and development. He currently manages research efforts pertaining to energy storage, distributed energy resources (DER), and microgrids. He leads EPRI’s Energy Storage Integration Council (ESIC), a deployment-oriented public, technical forum with a mission to advance integration of safe, reliable, cost-effective energy storage systems. Ben works collaboratively with industry to develop analytical tools and methods to understand the value of energy storage and DER, including the Storage Value Estimation Tool (StorageVET). He serves on the board of the Energy Storage Association. Prior to EPRI, Ben worked with Tesla Motors and other early stage companies to develop novel technology, test, and commercialize advanced batteries for vehicle electrification. Ben earned a BS in Systems Engineering from the University of Illinois and an MS in Management Science & Engineering from Stanford University.

Kellen Schefter is Manager of Sustainable Technology at the Edison Electric Institute (EEI), the association for U.S. investor-owned electric companies. At EEI, Kellen focuses on technologies that enable clean energy, grid modernization, and new customer solutions. His work at EEI on transportation electrification and energy storage includes policy advocacy, business model development, and cross-industry coordination. He previously worked on regulatory and compliance issues at plug-in electric vehicle manufacturer Fisker Automotive. Prior to that, Kellen managed R&D projects in the Vehicle Technologies Office at the U.S. Department of Energy. Kellen has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University.