HG CHISSELL, FoundeR & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
H.G. Chissell is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Advanced Energy Group. Previously, H.G Chissell served as Chief Commercial Officer at GridMarket and 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 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 has served as Advisory Board member for the Energy Storage Association, Energy Storage North America, Caribbean Renewable Energy Forum and as facilitator for the ConEdison Energy Storage Working Group, Microgrid Knowledge Conference 2018 and Energy Thought Summit 2017. In 2014, Mr. Chissell received the Federal Energy and Water Management Award for his work with US Army base Fort Meade and American Water.
Prior to Viridity Energy, Mr. Chissell led a sustainability/energy team at Gap International, a global consulting firm specializing in breakthrough leadership. Mr. Chissell began his commercial career at RDLA, a healthcare architecture firm in Philadelphia.
H.G. Chissell is also the Managing Director of Advanced Energy Agency, a consulting services firm that provides consulting, market strategy, event facilitation and media services.
Sam Frick, Director of Member Engagement
Sam Frick is the Director of Member Engagement for Advanced Energy Group. Previously, Sam served as Account Executive at ChargePoint and Director of Business Development for ZeroBase Energy.
At ChargePoint, Sam led the company’s strategy to advance large-scale adoption of electric vehicles in the State of Michigan. She developed business in municipal, education, fleet, workplace, retail, commercial real estate, and multifamily residential verticals.
At ZeroBase, a microgrid and hybrid power systems company, Sam specialized in building partnerships with U.S. and international government agencies, humanitarian aid groups, and commercial businesses to bring energy solutions to those beyond the reach of the grid. She developed and coordinated the company’s launch strategy in Sub-Saharan Africa that culminated in successful pilot projects and new sales channels in each of the three target countries. Sam also served on the project management team and implemented the on-the-ground health and safety program for a 100 kW microgrid installation in rural Haiti.
Sam holds a B.A. in Finance from Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State University. She has completed several industry trainings including with Homer microgrid design software and energy storage integrators. Sam began her career as a Research Assistant for the Renewable Energy and Energy Optimization Divisions of the Michigan Public Service Commission.
DeLaine Mayer, Program Manager
DeLaine Mayer is the Program Manager for Advanced Energy Group, coordinating quarterly stakeholder activities in Boston, Chicago, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.
DeLaine also serves as Managing Editor and Climate Change and Security contributor at Political Insights.
DeLaine graduated with distinction from New York University’s M.S. Global Affairs program in May 2018. She concentrated in Energy and Environmental Policy, focusing her graduate thesis on the geopolitics of rare earth elements, exploring global power relations underlying the extraction of raw materials required for clean energy technologies. She is passionate about climate change solutions through the development and deployment of new technologies that address social, political, and environmental challenges in urban spaces.
DeLaine brings professional and academic experience with research, writing, program management, and event planning to her work with AEG, including two years of service with AmeriCorps. She received her B.A. in 2012 from Ohio Wesleyan University, where she constructed an interdisciplinary major in Peace, Justice, and Conflict Resolution.
VISHANT KOTHARI, Lead FELLOW, New York
Vishant Kothari is pursuing a Masters in Sustainability Management at Columbia University. He has lived in India, Ukraine, Netherlands and the Philippines and has worked in international business development and innovation. Vishant is also an alumnus of AIESEC International. His mechanical engineering background gives him the skills and understanding to contribute constructively to a wide variety of challenges. He has traveled to over 30 countries and led multiple teams around the world. He is passionate about investigating energy and data to develop smart, sustainable, and resilient cities. When he's not talking about improving cities, Vishant can be found composing music, guzzling hot chocolate with Netflix or exploring his new home, New York City.
Bridget Hardy, Lead Fellow, chicago
Bridget is a renewable energy services professional and sustainability consultant. She currently consults for Inova Energy Group, advising energy clients on marketing and training projects. Most recently she supported the Army Office of Energy Initiatives (OEI) renewable energy resilience portfolio strategy in Washington, DC. Bridget supported the construction and operation of approximately 200 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy development on Army installations in the last two and a half years, in addition to 50+ MW of battery, combined heat and power, natural gas, and battery and controls project opportunity development. She has also worked with the City of Lake Forest, IL to develop a strategic Sustainability Plan to include renewable energy pilot projects, community solar, and energy savings. Bridget received her Master of Public Administration degree from Columbia University Earth Institute and her Bachelor of Science degree in environmental studies from the University of Southern California.
ISABELLA SUAREZ, LEAD Fellow, WASHINGTON DC
Isabella is completing her graduate degree in Global Affairs, with concentration in Energy & Environmental Policy, at New York University. Born and raised in the Philippines, she focuses on energy security and economics with regards to resource adequacy and climate change. Her experiences are largely in strategic development and sustainability; she is a co-founder of a UN-funded, social enterprise that connects urban poor communities to markets. Currently, she serves on the board of the Women in Global Affairs - New York Chapter. Isabella also has a B.S. in Legal Management and a minor in Literature from one of her country’s top universities.
Marc Gaulier, Fellow, San Francisco
Marc is currently working on his Master of Science in Energy Systems Management at the University of San Francisco. Most recently, Marc worked as a mechanical engineer at ZeroBase Energy, a microgrid design and development company. There, he worked with an array of customers from the government, commercial/industrial, and nonprofit sectors in designing and fabricating dozens of solar + storage containerized off-grid microgrid systems. Prior to that, Marc lived in Myanmar for two years, working first with Proximity Designs, designing low-cost agricultural technologies for rural populations. After that, he was involved with microgrids with Indigo Energy, and built a pilot project in the rural Irrawaddy district of Myanmar. Marc received a Bachelor of Engineering from McGill University.
Advanced Energy Group is currently accepting applications for the fellowship program, interested graduate students can apply here: AEG Fellowship Application.