Oakland, CA (August 24, 2026) – Energy Solutions, an Oakland-based clean energy consulting firm,
announced today a planned leadership transition as Sam Cohen, its founder and CEO, steps down
after more than 30 years leading the company to focus on his role as Board Chair.
Scott McGaraghan, currently Chief Operating Officer, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer and
will lead the day-to-day operations of the company. Karen Zelmar, formerly at the U.S. Department of
Energy where she headed the $8.8B IRA Home Energy Efficiency and Electrification Rebate Programs,
will join the leadership team as Chief Operating Officer.
As part of the transition, Chief Strategy Officer Chris Burmester will move into a part-time advisory
role, where he will continue to advance Energy Solutions’ mission through industry leadership,
regulatory engagement, and legislative advocacy. The remainder of the executive leadership team will
stay in place, including Angela Rodriguez, Chief Financial Officer, David Weisong, Chief Information
Officer, and Jamillah Spears, Chief People Officer.
The transition reflects Energy Solutions’ commitment to continuing as an employee-owned company
dedicated to its mission of delivering large-scale environmental impacts. The company has grown
from its roots in energy efficiency to becoming a leader in market transformation with expertise in
distributed energy resources, policy and ratings, emerging technologies and business strategy.
Sam Cohen and Chris Burmester have worked together for more than two decades to build Energy
Solutions into one of the industry’s leading market transformation firms. Their leadership helped
shape the modern energy efficiency industry. In 1998, Energy Solutions pioneered the midstream
incentive model, an approach that increased program energy savings impacts by more than 900% and
is now widely used across North America. Under their leadership, the company has expanded its
expertise beyond energy efficiency program administration to include distributed energy resources,
policy and ratings, clean heat and electric transportation.
The work the company has delivered has avoided the need for over 125 Rosenfelds (500 MW coal
plant equivalents) and has contributed to projected greenhouse gas reductions exceeding 2 billion
tons through 2050.
“It has been the privilege of a lifetime to devote my career to this mission and to helping build an
organization dedicated to creating lasting environmental impact,” said Cohen. “I am grateful to the
employees, clients, partners, and industry colleagues who have contributed to Energy Solutions’
success. As I transition into my new role, I do so with confidence in the future of Energy Solutions.
Our mission remains strong, our leadership team is ready, and our best work is still ahead of us.”