Kerry Meade, Executive Director
Kerry has over ten years of experience in energy policy, energy efficiency, and strategic consulting to electric and gas utilities and combines that with a broader background in urban and regional planning and policy. She is passionate about driving the efficiency industry toward a beneficial future in the emerging clean energy economy through grid edge technology, smart buildings and innovative policy. Kerry joined NEEC in fall of 2017 replacing its founder and previous Executive Director, Stan Price. Prior to joining NEEC, Kerry worked in strategic consulting and energy efficiency program evaluation at EMI Consulting, a Seattle-based research and consulting firm, and was the Senior Manager in charge of planning and evaluation at CLEAResult, a national leader in energy efficiency program implementation. Kerry completed her master’s degree at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY and her bachelor’s degree at Seattle University.
Melanie Danuser, Director of Education and Training
Melanie has spent her career in the power and energy efficiency industries and worked with utilities throughout the United States. She holds a Master of Public Administration degree from West Virginia University with a focus on Organization Development, as well as a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. Her work entails serving the Northwest Energy Efficiency Council and Smart Buildings Center as Director of the Building Operator Certification program. The Building Operator Certification program is a training and credentialing program offering two certificates and one certification to building operators and technicians to increase their knowledge and skills in energy efficient facilities systems. The program is available in 37 states and Canada. She also works to expand the educational aspects of the organizations by developing technical webinars, new curriculum and programs for stakeholders of NEEC and SBC, and contributing to conversations on the evolving workforce in the built environment. Outside of her work with NEEC, Melanie enjoys playing outside with her two sons and dog and spending time with her husband working on their home, attending concerts, and finding new places to explore in the Northwest.
Brittany Quigley, Director of Community Engagement
Brittany has worked in the energy efficiency industry for over 10 years. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Arizona. She is currently the Director of Community Engagement for the Smart Buildings Center and sits on the leadership team with Melanie Danuser and Kerry Meade. In her role as Director of Community Engagement, Brittany leads the effort to develop educational resources and demonstrations of smart building technologies to the community through events, webinars, site tours and on-site space curation including the Tool Lending Library. Brittany is expecting her first child in December and lives in Eastlake with her husband and two dogs.
Melissa Sokolowsky, Senior Project Manager
As Senior Project Manager at the Northwest Energy Efficiency Council (NEEC), Melissa serves as Training Manager for the Building Operator Certification (BOC) program, performing curriculum development/updates and instructor approval/development. At NEEC’s Smart Buildings Center (SBC), she also manages the Tool Lending Library, develops educational events and resources, and provides technical consulting for the region’s commercial and institutional buildings industry. She has logged many years in various trades, such as construction, renovation, and equipment installation/repair and has over a decade of experience in commercial facility operation and management. She holds degrees in Sustainable Building Science Technology, Energy Management, and Graphic Design. She has completed the BOC training and holds a LEED Green Associate certification, as well as certificates in Residential Auditing, Commercial Lighting, Project Management, and Electronics Troubleshooting.
Martin Goldstein, Staff Accountant
As Staff Accountant, Martin is directly responsible for the fiscal operations and daily management of the finances of the Northwest Energy Efficiency Council and the Smart Buildings Center Education Program. In this capacity, he manages Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, vendor and customer relations relevant to the budget, and Payroll. He oversees Human Resources and the Benefits Program. Martin’s background as a Paralegal has proven valuable for the organizations in the areas of contracts management and governmental relations. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Kent State University in the areas of Economics and Political Science, and an Advanced Paralegal Certificate from Edmonds Community College. Outside of work Martin is passionate about drumming, and has been the percussionist for many Pacific Northwest jazz, rock, and funk bands.
Julie Brown, Project Manager
Working as a Project Manager for NEEC since 2003, Julie has worked on numerous projects. In recent years her primary role has been supporting multiple aspects of the Building Operator Certification (BOC) program. Her tasks range from training and supporting new BOC Partners from around the U.S., to coordinating all aspects of course scheduling and delivery. She also provides support to BOC instructors, and training and orientation to BOC Course Managers. She works closely with the Training Manager to update curriculum materials for instructors and students. She also oversees the production and distribution of the printed BOC materials and the website used by partners and course managers to order materials. Julie holds a BA in Communication from WSU.
Harneet Kaur, Project Manager
Harneet is an experienced project manager and energy analyst, academically & professionally trained in energy efficiency, climate change adaptation & mitigation, climate policy, and low-carbon economy strategies. She is passionate about environmental sustainability & keenly inclined towards de-carbonizing energy systems. Since joining the Northwest Energy Efficiency Council (NEEC) in 2017, Harneet has been managing energy benchmarking, building tune-ups and retrofits, greenhouse gas accounting, and data analysis and visualization projects of the Smart Buildings Center. Prior to joining NEEC, Harneet worked as Program Management Consultant with CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security in Washington, D.C. and East African countries. Harneet completed her Master’s Degree focused on Climate Change and Energy Policy from Columbia University in New York City, and her Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from India. Harneet loves staying closer to nature, and enjoys travelling, hiking and exploring new places with her husband and daughter.
Shino Severson, Project Manager
Shino has been in the field of green building and sustainability since 2008. Prior to working for Northwest Energy Efficiency Council, Shino worked as a Project Assistant for a leading green building consulting firm in Seattle assisting with LEED, ENERGY STAR and Built Green projects. Currently, Shino is the Lead Technical Support for City of Seattle’s Energy Benchmarking Program. Through her expertise in energy benchmarking and ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager, Shino assists Seattle building owners and property managers comply with City of Seattle’s Energy Benchmarking Ordinance. In addition to managing the Benchmarking Help Desk, Shino also reviews all incoming Building Operator Certification (BOC) Instructor Applications and handles the application process for prospective BOC instructors nationwide. Shino holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Rhode Island in Coastal and Marine Policy and is also a Certified Sustainable Building Advisor. Outside of work, Shino enjoys traveling, going to concerts and comedy shows and checking out different local bubble tea shops and restaurants with her family and friends.
Britton Rife, Assistant Project Manager
In her role at the Northwest Energy Efficiency Council and Smart Buildings Center, Britton works to advocate for energy efficiency policies and programs, organize smart building industry educational events, and support the national Building Operator Certification program. Before joining the team at NEEC, she served in various roles with a sustainable energy consulting firm, distributed wind energy trade association, small wind turbine manufacturer, and wind energy research project where she worked with diverse groups of stakeholders to promote the use of distributed energy resources through outreach, policy, and market analysis endeavors. In her free time, Britton enjoys exploring the beautiful Pacific Northwest, hiking, skiing, and going to see live music.
Jessica Cherry, Events Coordinator
Jessica is the Events Coordinator at the Smart Buildings Center as well as an assistant in other various areas of administrative support. She has always had a passion for humanitarian efforts with the most focus currently on energy efficiency. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Sociology. During her time in college, she enjoyed volunteering with her Rotaract Club to support the local community. Additionally, she was a member of the Sparrow Singers Chorus which hosted benefits for local children who were living with life-threatening illnesses. She is currently a member of the Seattle Peace Chorus, who use music to bring peace and awareness to social justice issues. Since graduating, Jessica has worked for a wellness clinic and for a few years in the insurance industry. The change in career path has been extremely fulfilling and her new dedication to the betterment of the Earth has given her new purpose.
