Is Oregon's clean energy transition on track?

Jonathan Lee

January 15, 2021

Every two years, the Oregon Department of Energy releases its Biennial Energy Report, providing Oregonians with a rich, in-depth analysis of the state's energy sources and usage trends.

Later this January, join Janine Benner from the Oregon Department of Energy and Meredith Connolly from Climate Solutions as we explore what powers our energy system today, where the trends are headed, and it all means for an energy-smart, climate-safe future for Oregon.

Climate Leaders Live: Oregon's 2020 Energy Report
Thursday, January 28th, 2021
12:00 – 1:00pm PT

Click here to watch recording

Password: EnergyReport2020!

Presenters

Janine Benner joined ODOE in February 2017 as their Assistant Director for Planning and Innovation, and was confirmed as director in February 2018. As director, she provides leadership and policy direction to the department’s 70+ employees and oversees an $85 million budget.

Janine came to ODOE from the U.S. Department of Energy, where she served as Associate Assistant Secretary in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, the largest government funder of clean energy research and development. Before that, she served as Deputy Assistant Secretary in USDOE’s Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs. Janine also spent 12 years working for Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), first as an energy and environmental policy advisor and then as deputy chief of staff. She grew up in Portland, Oregon, and has a degree in history from Princeton University.

Meredith Connolly brings over a decade of climate policy experience to her work accelerating Oregon’s transition to a clean energy economy. She advocates for innovative and equitable policy solutions to reduce pollution and create clean energy jobs across the state. Currently, Meredith leads a team diligently working to electrify everything from cars, trucks, and buses to homes and buildings, and power it all with 100% clean electricity.

Prior to joining Climate Solutions, Meredith was a Climate and Energy Attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council. At NRDC, she advanced renewable energy policies in the U.S. and internationally. She also implemented programs to protect public health and improve climate resilience to heat waves and air pollution in India’s growing cities. Before NRDC, Meredith practiced law in the private sector.

Meredith is a member of the Oregon and California State Bar Associations. She holds a JD from Boston College Law School and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science and French from Santa Clara University.

Author Bio

Jonathan Lee

Storytelling and Digital Engagement Manager, Climate Solutions

Jonathan Toshio Lee (pronouns: he/him) is passionate about sharing people- and solutions-centric stories that educate and inspire positive change. He has over twelve years of experience developing communications strategies, creating multimedia content, advocating for sound public policy, and promoting equity, diversity, and social justice.

Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, the importance of protecting the environment was instilled in him at a young age. Jonathan heeded the call to address the climate crisis as a teenager after watching Al Gore's documentary An Inconvenient Truth (2006), after which he sought to reduce his own climate pollution, wrote to his elected officials to support climate policy and pollution reduction, and began to volunteer in the conservation movement. Jonathan is a graduate of Willamette University with a degree in sociology and ethnic studies, which helped equip him to analyze the numerous intersections of climate, environmental justice, and public discourse.

Before joining the Climate Solutions team in 2019, Jonathan worked in the crime victims' services field and served as a board member and volunteer with OPAL Environmental Justice Oregon.