Michele Boyd

Senior Resident Fellow

As Senior Resident Fellow, Michele brings extensive experience in energy issues, spanning the government, nonprofit, and for-profit sectors. She formerly served on the leadership team of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office. In this role, she led the research and technical assistance program to reduce barriers to equitable solar and storage, such as siting, permitting, and interconnection.

Before her federal service, Michele worked at a Spanish solar company where she was instrumental in securing bipartisan support for the seven-year extension of solar tax credits in 2015. Earlier, she spearheaded successful advocacy campaigns at several nonprofits to shift national and state energy policies away from polluting technologies. She began her career in post-Soviet Russia, strengthening civil society and building grassroots expertise on nuclear weapons issues.

Michele holds an M.S. in environmental policy from the University of Michigan and two B.S. in biology and environmental science from Purdue University. A recognized expert, she has been quoted in major national and international media and has published articles on a range of policy topics.

Michele lives in Washington, DC and enjoys exercising, gardening, and learning languages. She also recently earned a certificate in winemaking from Cornell University.

Jessica is currently a PhD candidate with Georgetown University’s Department of Government where she is writing her dissertation on Chinese investment and aid in Africa. She is also interested in Chinese environmental policy and the political economy of energy.

Previously Jessica worked at the Natural Resources Defense Council in Beijing as a Princeton in Asia fellow. Her work at NRDC focused on greening China’s overseas energy investments and on reducing China’s domestic reliance on coal and oil. Jessica received her BA in Political Science and Chinese at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Jessica Norris

Fellow

Jessica is currently a PhD candidate with Georgetown University’s Department of Government where she is writing her dissertation on Chinese investment and aid in Africa. She is also interested in Chinese environmental policy and the political economy of energy.

Previously Jessica worked at the Natural Resources Defense Council in Beijing as a Princeton in Asia fellow. Her work at NRDC focused on greening China’s overseas energy investments and on reducing China’s domestic reliance on coal and oil. Jessica received her BA in Political Science and Chinese at the University of California, Santa Barbara.