Our CEO

Karen DeGannes

With over eighteen years of research and work experience in the environmental management and energy services industries, Karen DeGannes is a highly qualified and experienced business executive and respected advisor.   Karen’s areas of technical expertise include environmental risk management, energy analysis, quality assurance and control, social impact assessment, public engagement and procurement. She has provided trusted advice on key issues to government leaders and private companies seeking environmental compliance support for foreign direct investments in Trinidad and Tobago.  The central focus of her Trinidad and Tobago based business is provision of the highest quality environmental, energy efficiency and renewable energy consulting services in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean region.

She was Senior (Lead) Analyst for the Engineering, Environmental Studies and Customer Service Branch in the Energy Division of the California Public Utilities Commission, for roughly six years.  In that role she held analytical and regulatory oversight responsibility for administration of California’s Low Income Energy Efficiency Program, and for the State of California’s environmental review of large (investor owned) utility commissioning and decommissioning projects.  As Lead Analyst, she also served in the areas of demand response and generation resource procurement to support California’s climate change mitigation and adaptation policies.  Ms. DeGannes’ experience includes work on appliance efficiency standards in the context of her CPUC post, and as a summer Research Associate in the Appliance Standards Group at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory.  She has recently completed a study on Caribbean power market structure and the implementation of renewable energy policies in the region.  In January 2010, Karen facilitated a workshop and presented on business opportunities from GHG mitigation in Trinidad and Tobago, with emphasis on energy efficiency, at the Energy Chamber’s Annual Conference.

Karen holds a B.Sc. (Hons.) in Community and Urban Planning from the University of D.C. and a Masters of Science in Natural Resources from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor.  She is ABD (all but dissertation) for the dual Ph.D. program in Natural Resources and Environment and Organizational Sociology from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor.  Karen is currently completing her dissertation while running DaCosta Gwendoline, Ltd.