Sign In
Free Newsletter
Local experts will discuss benefits, opportunities and regulations surrounding clean energy to help businesses decide whether, when and how to make such an investment.
March 23, 2023
Panelists:
Director of Economic Development
and Strategic Partnerships,
NYSERDA
Partner,
Knauf Shaw
Executive Director,
Climate Solutions Accelerator
Director of Commercial Origination,
GreenSpark Solar
Sponsored by:
Kevin Hale serves as the director of economic development and strategic partnerships at NYSERDA where he leads the Authority’s economic development and corporate partnerships functions. In this role, he leads a team tasked with the development of strategies, incentives, partnerships, and outreach targeted at clean energy firms and existing manufacturers with the goal of growing the green economy through attracting new investments and jobs to New York state.
Hale joined NYSERDA in 2005 as a member of the large-scale renewables team where he played a key role developing economic development policies and program structures that contributed to the development of more than 60 large scale renewable energy projects in New York totaling over 1,800 megawatts of capacity and approximately $3 billion in project investments. He has since held senior roles at NYSERDA in corporate strategy and utility affairs.
Prior to NYSERDA, Hale held senior business development positions with Enron Energy Services and Johnson Controls, where he worked with public sector, industrial, and commercial customers to develop energy supply and performance contracting solutions.
Hale earned a B.S. in business management from the State University of New York at Plattsburgh and an MBA from the State University of New York at Albany.
Alan Knauf, a partner at Knauf Shaw, represents businesses, developers, municipalities, landowners and citizens on issues including hazardous waste and petroleum spill cleanup, brownfield development, environmental impact review, water pollution and wetlands, zoning and planning, project siting, alternative energy, municipal law, and commercial real estate.
Knauf is a founding partner of Knauf Shaw LLP in Rochester. In 1986, he left a big firm practice to start his own practice to pursue environmental law. He is now surrounded by numerous other lawyers at Knauf Shaw LLP. He brings over 40 years of experience, and has set numerous precedents in environmental and land use cases. He is also a partner in recycling, brownfield and real estate ventures.
Abigail McHugh-Grifa was a founding member of the Climate Solutions Accelerator of the Genesee-Finger Lakes Region and New York state’s first Mothers Out Front chapter. Her early climate advocacy work also included co-coordinating Rochester’s Citizens’ Climate Lobby chapter. She currently serves as the Accelerator’s executive director and is a member of New York State’s Climate Justice Working Group.
Though she holds a Ph.D. in music education from the Eastman School of Music, she gave up her career in music to dedicate herself to climate advocacy work out of concern for her two young sons, whose futures depend on our collective efforts to maintain stable global temperatures.
Matt Vanderbrook joined GreenSpark Solar over 15 years ago and has since become an industry leader in solar energy policy and development. As director of commercial origination, Vanderbrook leads the development of commercial solar and storage projects, and has been responsible for the development of over 150 MWs of renewable energy capacity.
GreenSpark Solar, an independent local company and Certified B Corp, has been a leader in renewable energy for more than 20 years. GreenSpark is a proud member-owner of the Amicus Solar Cooperative and has been named a NYSERDA Quality Installer, Top Contractor, Fastest Growing Company, and Top Workplace.
