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Recognized for her ability to strengthen organizations, guide complex transformations, and deliver sustainable growth, Sonya blends analytical rigor with a collaborative leadership style. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from the University of South Florida and has served on multiple corporate and nonprofit boards.
Deborah T. Affonsa is a seasoned executive and advisor with over 25 years of leadership experience in the energy and utilities industry. As Principal and Senior Advisor at EDMs, she partners with organizations to drive customer-centric transformation, operational excellence, and strategic innovation.
Deb’s distinguished career includes executive roles at major utilities such as Public Service Electric and Gas (PSEG) and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E). At PSEG, she served as Chief Customer Officer, overseeing all aspects of customer operations, including billing, credit, collections, and customer service. At PG&E, Deb held several senior positions, including Vice President of Customer Service and Vice President of Corporate Strategy, where she led teams focused on customer experience,
business development, and strategic initiatives such as Smart Grid and solar energy programs.
Known for her ability to lead large-scale change, Deb has a track record of launching new business models, implementing advanced technologies, and building high-performing teams. She is passionate about mentoring leaders, fostering cross-functional collaboration, and delivering measurable results in customer satisfaction and
operational efficiency.
Deb holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Villanova University and a master’s in organizational dynamics from the University of Pennsylvania. She is also a graduate of the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School. In addition to her consulting work, Deb is a part-time lecturer at The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and an instructor for the Western Energy Institute, where she shares her expertise in communication, leadership, and energy sector trends.
Tejashwi is a highly skilled software engineer and system architect with extensive experience in designing and implementing scalable, cloud-native platforms. With expertise in cloud computing, microservices, and distributed systems, he is dedicated to solving complex technical challenges and driving innovation. Beyond his professional work, Tejashwi channels his creativity into developing games, cyber security and staying at the forefront of emerging technologies.
Linda Long brings a wealth of expertise in accounting, financial analysis, and process optimization to the team. As a licensed CPA with over a decade of professional experience, she has excelled in driving financial transparency, operational efficiency, and strategic growth in organizations. Linda has extensive experience and a deep understanding of financial systems and controls for Power and Utility companies, having worked with the largest utility provider in Louisiana for several years. Her work spans risk assessment, operations, and compliance, with a proven track record of successfully leading teams to optimize financial controls, derive actionable data-driven insights, and enhance business performance.
Beyond accounting and auditing, Linda has spearheaded digital transformation initiatives, led sales pipelines, built ROI-driven value cases for clients, developed strategic product roadmaps, and implemented innovative solutions to improve operational efficiency. She holds a Master of Accounting and dual Bachelor’s degrees in Finance and History from Tulane University. Recently, she also completed a professional certification in Leadership from Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business.
Eliza (Yi-Cen) Yang is a media professional with years of experience in the energy sector, where she leverages digital marketing and storytelling to promote sustainability and climate solutions. She has a strong passion for storytelling, climate advocacy, and human rights. Her journey began at the age of 15 as an international volunteer, which sparked her commitment to sharing diverse experiences and amplifying often unheard voices.
Eliza holds a degree in Diplomacy from National Chengchi University in Taiwan and a master’s in Media Ventures from Boston University. With over five years of experience in marketing, media management, and public relations, she has facilitated more than 100 media interviews with outlets such as NHK, BBC, and AP, securing coverage in over 500 top-tier publications.
In addition to her professional achievements, Eliza has delivered TEDx talks, and produced her own podcast, traveling across Taiwan to highlight stories of sustainability and marginalized communities. Her work reflects her dedication to using media as a platform to advocate for climate issues, striving to amplify diverse perspectives and drive meaningful change.
An avid traveler and camper, Eliza finds inspiration in connecting with people from various backgrounds, constantly seeking opportunities to share and uplift their stories.
Vijay Vivekanand earned an M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh, specializing in AI engineering with a focus on Spiking Neural Networks and time series forecasting. His expertise includes developing advanced neural network frameworks that enhance machine perception and learning in dynamic environments. Combining his skills in AI and full-stack development, he builds scalable software solutions that integrate sophisticated AI technologies.
Abuzar brings five years of experience as an Operations Engineer at Engro Corporation (formerly Exxon), where he led multidisciplinary teams to execute critical energy efficiency enhancement projects. He also managed budget planning and spearheaded digitalization initiatives for the industrial complex. A Fulbright scholar, Abuzar holds a Master’s degree in Energy Systems from Northeastern University in Boston and a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering.
In his free time, he enjoys watching and playing soccer.
Julie is an experienced product and operations leader known for taking new products from 0 to 1 and scaling businesses 100X. She has a proven track record scaling emerging business units, building and leading high-performing teams, and bringing order to chaos in complex, fast-paced environments – from start-ups to Big Tech. Julie recently held positions at Google as Head of Operations & Strategy, Nest energy Services and Head of Partner Solutions. In addition, she has launched and managed energy efficiency programs for commercial, industrial & government sectors at CB&I. She has a Masters of Science in Energy Policy from University of Wisconsin Madison and B.S. in Biology from Duke University.
Harsh is a data science graduate student at Northeastern University, having a keen interest in solving modern problems using machine learning and data driven algorithms. Apart from this, Harsh loves traveling and is a huge fan of Formula 1.
Samuel Berrien, from Fort Meade, Florida, is a dedicated family man with an enduring commitment to his wife Tamika of 18 years, and their daughters Princess and Reaganne. Beyond his family, Samuel’s community-oriented spirit led him to serve as the former mayor of the City of Fort Meade. Currently working as a Sales/Field Technician at VBN Energy, he passionately delivers energy-efficient solutions to municipalities and businesses. Samuel staunchly believes in addressing climate change urgently and taking collective responsibility by embracing sustainable practices and advocating for clean energy policies to reduce our carbon footprint.
Jon is pursuing a degree in Interactive Design at Lesley University. He loves challenges, new ideas, and interacting and working with people. Jon has previously worked with more than 5 different nonprofits in Massachusetts promoting inclusive clean energy, which is how he became interested in working for VBN Energy. You can find Jon teaching his puppy creative marketing tricks.
Aggie Bielak received her Master Degree’s in Marketing from Lasell University and her BA in Multidisciplinary Studies from Cambridge College. Aggie, originally from Poland, moved to the Boston area to further her education in the U.S. She is passionate about green marketing, renewable energy sources, and energy efficiency, which is what brought her to VBN Energy. Aggie believes that innovation should serve people and solve social problems. Thus, she is happy to be a part of an organization that is helping fight energy poverty and working towards providing everyone access to clean energy. She enjoys working in marketing field and exploring graphic designing. In her free time, Aggie takes pleasure in playing tennis and reading criminal novels.
Kaitlin Moody is a building decarbonization, microgrid, and virtual power plant enthusiast with a diverse background in clean energy, carbon neutral buildings, federal and state government, and behavioral sciences. Kaitlin holds a MA in Criminal Justice from CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a BA in Psychology from St. John Fisher College. To encourage students from her high school alma mater to consider a career in clean energy, every year Kaitlin provides a graduating senior with the Clean Energy and Environmental Sustainability Leadership Award. The Awardee receives a monetary award, a mentorship opportunity, and a networking opportunity throughout their collegiate and professional career.
Additionally, Kaitlin firmly believes that communication and relationship building are critical strategies that must be woven into all processes and practices in order to reduce GHG emissions at scale. When Kaitlin isn’t daydreaming about a decarbonized built environment and clean electric grid, she is traveling (sustainably!), playing with her two dogs, Hank and Rigby, running, biking, or golfing. Fun fact: Kaitlin has completed 4 out of the 6 Abbott World Marathon Majors.
Bio to come….
Manpreet Kaur Gill is a Full-Stack Developer on the offshore product development team. She has a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Engineering. Manpreet’s technical skills include: Java, Python, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Spring Boot, Hibernate, AWS, MySQL, and Angular JS.
Dhruv Chakraborty is a Senior Full-Stack Developer. He leads the offshore product development team and has a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Engineering. Dhruv’s technical skills include: Java, Python, C#, JavaScript, Spring Boot, Hibernate, AWS, Docker, MySQL, and Data Engineering.
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Prakash brings 16+ years of experience in technology, developing pricing as a center of excellence, competitive intelligence capabilities, and building customer value. He advices on pricing strategy and value creation. Prakash earned his B.Eng. degree in Chemical and a MS in Operations Management and Info. Tech from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). He also earned his MBA with a concentration in Marketing and Entrepreneurship from Babson College and an Executive Education in Strategic Decision & Risk Management from Stanford University. Prakash is certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP), Agile Scrum Master (CSM), Pricing Professional (CPP), and Competitive Intelligence Professional (CIP-I).
Prakash volunteers a portion of his time in teaching high school students in the art and science of pricing as well as being a regular sought out speaker in the topics of pricing and competitive intelligence at various conferences.
Maria Cobos is a Senior at USF, studying for a bachelor of science in Electrical Engineering. Later in life, she aspires to be working with prosthetics by returning to school for a master’s in Biomedical Engineering. Currently, she is the Customer Success Coordinator Intern at VBN Energy Services. Her focus is on keeping constant communication withcustomers to ensure maximum satisfaction and demonstrate VBN’s commitment to transparency. By working with the project managers and the team, she verifies that the equipment is functioning correctly, informs customers of upcoming maintenance, and reinforcesVBN’s promise to help communities become more sustainable.
Ryan’s background lies between technology and sustainability, having previously worked in renewable energy and the blockchain sector. Ryan graduated from Babson College with a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Sustainability and Operations Management. Wanting to positively impact the environment, Ryan knew that after college he wanted to pursue a career in clean energy. Ryan has made changes in his own life to reduce his carbon footprint by biking to work and becoming vegetarian. In his free time, Ryan enjoys traveling, hanging out with friends, and watching the Celtics.
Chirag Ballani is a current junior at New York University and is interning as a Sales Development Representative at VBN. As an SDR, Chirag helps with researching potential clientele and finding new areas and segments to expand VBN’s offerings. In his free time, Chirag loves exploring new restaurants and hiking in different parts of the country.
Jake is an electrical engineering Ph.D. with diverse expertise in clean energy solutions. He is passionate about energy efficiAidan Sliwkowski is a Marketing and Sales Intern at VBN Energy Services. He is currently working towards his bachelor’s degree in Sport Management and minor in Sustainable Community Development at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. At VBN, he is responsible for content creation, website development, and market research. Through his work, he hopes to help grow VBN’s business so that it can become the industry leader in energy efficiency.ency because it is the fastest way to reduce emissions.
Xu Kang has a background in engineering, clean energy, sustainability, research and data analytics. Xu holds a MS in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University and a BS in Agricultural and Biological Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Through her work on market development and energy efficiency analysis, Xu has become passionate about improving our planet through climate change adaptation and mitigation measures and through various environmental sustainability mechanisms. In her free time, Xu loves to travel and explore restaurants with friends!
Kristi Le is a 3rd year at UCLA where she studies Computational and Systems Biology. She is based in San Diego and works as a Business Analyst at VBN, understanding features from a tech perspective and converting the functional requirements into mockups for the development team. In her free time, she enjoys spending time in nature.
Cole Sussmeier recently graduated from Binghamton University with a major in business analytics and a minor in math. Cole is an Energy Analyst Intern at VBN who focuses on data quality improvements and the development of a machine learning algorithm to predict future energy demand for clients. As a part of the Analytics team, he also helps develop new features to provide additional insights and visualizations on the VBN platform.
Sara is the Associate Marketing Manager at VBN; she works closely with the marketing, sales, and operations teams to ensure a customer-first focus. Sara has a BSBA in Finance and Marketing from Washington University in St. Louis. Since joining VBN, she has enjoyed the opportunity to constantly learn in a fast-moving, ever-evolving space. As an avid traveler, Sara is especially interested in creative energy and sustainability initiatives that exist in different parts of the world, like a smog free tower in the Netherlands and solar powered village in Morocco. Leadership shown by younger generations in the fight against climate change gives her hope for a greener and more equitable future.
Shivi has been passionate about using data for social good that lead her to become a Data Analyst at VBN. She is a data enthusiast and has experience in managing databases, mining, data reporting, and delivering data-driven solutions. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science Engineering along with a Master’s in Data Analytics from Northeastern University. Shivi believes that we all have a “Plan B” in life but unfortunately, we don’t have a “Planet B”! So, let’s conserve energy to preserve the future.
Jake Rabinowitz is an expert in clean technology and sustainable energy systems. He holds a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Columbia University, where he researched nanoscale tools for energy conversion, sensing, and biological applications. He is passionate about energy efficiency because it is the most accessible way to create a more sustainable future. He is also a dedicated mentor to aspiring STEM professionals, including being a judge for the Women In STEM research proposal writing competition. When Jake isn’t designing tools to eliminate energy waste and integrate clean energy assets, he likes to unwind by playing music. Fun fact: Jake has a real handlebar mustache.
Leona Foxworth has over 20 years of customer service experience in the finance, medical, and non-profit sectors. Leona moonlights as a Google Sheets and Excel connoisseur and is passionate about helping others. Leona attended Trinity Baptist College and has a certificate in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace. As a Florida native and a NYC transplant, Leona understands the importance of combating climate change. Leona is committed to promoting a safe and clean environment for generations to come. On the weekends, she enjoys spending time with her friends, looking for the best coffee shop NYC has to offer, and volunteering for a local non-profit.
Xu joined VBN Energy as an energy analyst in June 2021 with the passion towards sustainability and energy industry. She earned her master’s degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University and bachelor degree of Agricultural and Biological Engineering from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Through her education and research experience of renewable energy, Xu gained deeper insights in environmental engineering and data analytics. She enjoyed performing research and analysis for strategies that help climate change adaptation and providing a more sustainable future.
Antoine is a high-achieving and results-driven IT Executive with more than 20 years of proven IT experience in diverse energy, health care, high-tech, legal and pharmaceutical sectors. Outstanding leadership skills in driving high-performing teams in aligning IT services with business needs, by combining product development and professional services, with finance, sales and marketing management. Antoine has been interested in clean energy personally and professionally for more than 15 years. He has invested in solar and built a smart home with energy efficient HVAC, lighting and outlet controls. Antoine’s ultimate goal is to build a retirement home completely independent from the grid by leveraging battery backup, solar and wind generation.
SaLisa has over twenty-five years of experience in the electric power and smart grid space. From working at electric utilities to smart grid, cleantech, and big data analytics companies, SaLisa has had a diverse career in energy.
Since 1996, SaLisa provided over 50 scholarships to high school and college students. In 2004, she established the Karl H. Lewis Engineering Impact Alumni Endowment at the University of Pittsburgh for minority students enrolled in Engineering.
SaLisa holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh and an Executive MBA from Saint Joseph’s University. She’s been a guest speaker at various conferences and events including SXSW, Florida’s Women in Energy Leadership Forum, American Society for Engineering Education, and Morgan Stanley’s Sustainable Futures Summit to name a few. In 2019, she was appointed to the Board of Trustees at the University of Pittsburgh.
One of SaLisa’s core values is philanthropy. Her mission in life is to positively impact the space she occupies by leaving it better than she found it.