RESC External Advisory Board

Suffolk County Energy Director
Suffolk County Economic Development and Planning

Lisa has served as Suffolk County Energy Director since 2008. She was project manager on several large scale clean energy projects, including the Suffolk County Solar Carport Project. She collaborates on energy efficiency projects at County facilities and coordinates the County's applications to state and federal programs. She is a liaison with LIPA, PSEG LI and National Grid, and works closely with energy companies and environmental groups.

Lisa holds a Master's degree in Public Policy from Stony Brook University and was accredited as LEED AP. In 2015, Lisa was recognized as a Finalist by C3E Women in Energy in the Government category.

 

Principal Program Manager
New Energy Solutions - National Grid

Christopher Cavanagh is a Principal Program Manager in the New Energy Solutions team at National Grid and is responsible for developing programs to modernize National Grid's US natural gas distribution services. He was recently responsible for implementing a process for the development of new electric and gas technologies for customers to support National Grid's goals. Mr. Cavanagh has twenty thirty years experience in product development at National Grid and its predecessor companies. Mr. Cavanagh previously managed research programs in the areas of alternative fuel vehicles, advanced heating & cooling and distributed generation, including fuel cells. Mr. Cavanagh was a senior engineer with the New York architect-engineering firm, Gibbs & Hill. Mr. Cavanagh is a licensed professional engineer and a Member of the American Society of Heating Ventilating and Air Conditioning Engineers and has been a mentor and judge in the CleanTech Open and Powerbridge NY programs. Mr. Cavanagh holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree from the Cooper Union, an MS from Polytechnic University and an MBA from Dowling College. Mr. Cavanagh resides in Hazlet, NJ where he recently served as Chair of Open Space Advisory Council and the Planning Board and an environmental commissioner. Mr. Cavanagh has also helped develop a STEM program for NYC Middle School students considering Brooklyn Tech HS and is also the head state judge and Assistant Problem Captain in NJ for the structure problem in the annual international Odyssey if the Mind competitions for school age children and a regular judge at the NYC FIRST Robotics Competition.

Director, Customer Service Oversight and Stakeholder Relations
Long Island Power Authority

Michael Deering is LIPA's Director of Customer Service Oversight and Stakeholder Relations. Mr. Deering joined LIPA in 2007 with over 25 years of environmental and energy experience having worked in both the private and public sector. Mr. Deering received a Bachelor of Arts degree from C.W. Post College and a Master of Arts degree from St. John's University.

Trustee
Long Island Power Authority

Peter Gollon earned his Ph.D. in nuclear physics from Columbia University in 1969. He then started working at what was to become Fermilab, the world's largest high energy physics research laboratory outside of Chicago; first participating in the design of the laboratory and ultimately becoming responsible for radiation safety at the 2000 person, 10 square mile laboratory.

He moved to Long Island in 1979, and for some years split his time between Brookhaven National Laboratory and a family business before devoting himself to just the latter. After retiring in 2007 he decided to put his science and business background to use through activism focused on climate change and renewable energy, and was Energy Chair for the Long Island Sierra Club from 2009 through 2016. In April 2016, Dr. Gollon received the "Environmental Vision for Sustainable Development" award from the Long Island Progressive Coalition.

He resigned his Sierra Club position when he was appointed one of nine trustees of the Long Island Power Authority.

Tara represents EmPower Solar as the Chair of the Long Island Solar & Storage Alliance where she is the government liaison for policy issues related to solar and energy storage.

Tara earned her BA in Sociology at SUNY Stony Brook and her Master of Public Administration at CUNY Baruch, both with a focus on environmental studies. She is also a “Semester at Sea” alumni, where she completed part of her degree while traveling at sea through several different global ports. In 2011, she was one of four U.S. Climate Change Professional Fellows for the Australia cohort, where she worked with Australian researchers, industries, and advocates dealing with energy and climate issues.

Prior to joining the EmPower Solar team, Tara was the Long Island Program Coordinator for Citizens Campaign for the Environment, where she organized educational and advocacy campaigns on various environmental issues on Long Island. She also spent three years as a “Young Island” blogger for the Long Island Business News. She has been active in various professional and environmental organizations, including the C3E Women in Energy group on LI. Tara also co-founded two nonprofit organizations focused on smart growth and keeping young professionals on Long Island.

In 2018, Tara was named one of the Top 50 Women in Business by the Long Island Business News. She was also inducted into the Social Justice Distinguished Scholar Academy for her work in environmental justice issues in collaboration with Farmingdale State College.

As a charity boxer for the 2018 Long Island Fight for Charity, Tara raised over $18,000 for non-profits across Long Island. In her spare time, Tara enjoys hiking around Long Island’s parks or playing weekly beach volleyball with the EmPower Solar company team. Tara’s family has taken on the “Electrify Your Life” challenge, and recently moved into a 100% solar powered home which powers 100% of her energy needs including a geothermal heating and cooling system, and an electric vehicle.

 

Founder
Geatain Engineering

Throughout his professional career spanning almost three decades, Tom has pioneered new advances in the energy and water quality field. He has designed many first-ever technological advances to handle difficult engineering challenges. His insights, understanding and common sense bring solutions to multifaceted and convoluted problems. As Founder of Geatain Engineering, Tom is responsible for the long term planning, direction and strategic vision of the firm. Emphasizing remarkable customer service, Tom listens empathically to clients' specific needs and establishes trusting, lasting relationships for decades. He is readily accessible to clients and accountable to providing results-driven, market-savvy results.

Tom has unsurpassed experience in commercial building energy savings. Tom served on the task force for the largest industrial trade association east of the Mississippi River which was charged to lower electrical consumption in an industrial park by 15%. Tom was trusted by the New York City Mayor's Office to present their Local Law 87 presentation to New York City building owners and managers. He has regularly presented key changes to the New York State Energy Code and New York City Energy Code to leading design professionals. He has over ten year's experience in teaching a variety of subjects, including auditing, commissioning, green buildings and engineering. Tom has used these skills to develop a truly unique niche in the commercial building energy savings field which includes unsurpassed client satisfaction, trusted relationships with market leaders, advising legislative and policy leaders, adjusting corporate operations to ever changing market conditions, speaking on conference panels, writing newspaper articles, innovating patent-pending technologies, mentoring young professionals, organizing energy conservation panels, developing pilot television shows, blogging through several channels, teaching a variety of seasoned design professionals and college students and speaking on the national "Green Leader" radio show.

Tom has developed a unique, whole building approach to commercial building energy conservation, which covers every square foot of building space. Tom pays close attention to the unique attributes of every building, understanding how and why each piece of equipment operates as it does. He has developed a unique system to align building use to specific energy saving measures and developed several proprietary ventilation practices. Geatain is working on a project to convert a warehouse to a netzero building, which will create more energy than it uses. Tom identified an incentive to save a New York City landmark over $1.3 million in construction costs. Tom has discovered several proprietary measures to lower energy costs with a return on investment less than one year. Tom is evaluating heat reclamation from ovens and dish drying equipment for a Bronx wholesale bakery. He evaluated a previous warehouse lighting design and not only doubled the project incentive value, but also increased energy savings by more than 50%. Tom consulted with a large NYC hospital focusing on computer loads to reduce costs over $125,000/year. He consulted with a national bakery who were moving into a new space and identified over $75,000/year savings in voltage, thermal storage and heat reclamation savings. Through his second look program, Tom found an additional $250,000/year savings after an initial audit revealed just $200,000/year in department store savings (total of $450,000/year savings). For another second look program, Tom saved a local school district $50,000/year after they signed a 20 year ESCO contract. Tom is working with a few real estate managers to track energy savings across portfolios of dozens of properties.

Director
Energy Efficiency and Renewables for PSEG-LI

Michael is the Director of Energy Efficiency and Renewables for PSEG Long Island. He is responsible for planning, implementing, and evaluating energy efficiency and renewable programs, and the preparation of a Utility 2.0 Plan including efficiency, advanced meters, battery storage, Combined Heat & Power, and renewable solutions. Prior to his current role, Michael was a director at LIPA and at Central Hudson Gas & Electric where he had worked for 30 years in power generation, customer services, energy efficiency and regulatory affairs. In his current role, Michael is also an active participant in the Reforming Energy Vision proceeding, and is currently serving on the Clean Energy Advisory Committee.

Michael holds a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a master's in Business from Union College. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in New York State.