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Our Mission
5 Lakes Energy supports nonprofits, businesses, and government agencies in pursuing their clean energy goals, designing and implementing climate solutions, and delivering economic, public health, and other benefits to the people they serve.
About us
We serve our clients with innovative strategies and deep expertise in utility regulation and ratemaking, policy research and development, energy modeling and analysis, and project planning. The 5 Lakes Energy team also offers comprehensive management and communications services to dynamic organizations that are leading the Great Lakes states into the clean energy future.
Liesl Eichler Clark and Stanley “Skip” Pruss—two veteran Michigan public policy leaders—founded 5 Lakes Energy in 2010 to build on the momentum from the State’s 2008 adoption of its first-ever renewable power and energy efficiency standards. Reflecting their vision, 5 Lakes Energy has spurred ongoing progress on climate and clean-energy policy for more than a dozen years by strengthening the leadership capacity, technical expertise, and collective voice of Michigan’s clean-energy business and nonprofit communities.
The 5 Lakes Team
5 Lakes Energy team members are recognized experts in public policy, utility regulation, energy system modeling, and organizational leadership, communications, and engagement. We take great pride in helping our clients achieve their climate and clean-energy goals.
Get in touch
5 Lakes Energy is looking for partners and clients who want to make a difference on climate and energy issues in their states or communities. Please drop us a line and let’s get to work.
Dennis Adams-Smith
Senior Consultant
Dennis Adams-Smith, is a Senior Consultant with 5 Lakes Energy focusing on power sector modeling of renewables in the Midwest.
Elizabeth Boatman
Lead Consultant
Elizabeth Boatman, PhD, is a Lead Consultant with 5 Lakes Energy in the company’s newest business area: industrial decarbonization. She works across all topics related to sustainable industry and manufacturing in the Great Lakes Region, including hydrogen, steel, cement, and electrification technologies.
Sabrina Benayoun
Consultant
Sabrina Benayoun, MS, is a consultant with 5 Lakes Energy specializing in industrial decarbonization.
Sarah Buchhorn
Consultant
Sarah Buchhorn, is a consultant with 5 Lakes Energy specializing in building and transportation decarbonization.
Rick Bunch
Lead Consultant
Rick Bunch is a Lead Consultant with 5 Lakes Energy, where he serves as Executive Director of the Michigan Municipal Association for Utility Issues.
Josh Denzler
Consultant
Josh Denzler is a Consultant at 5 Lakes Energy, with a focus on utility operations and finances.
Andy Draheim
Lead Consultant
As a Lead Consultant with 5 Lakes Energy, Andy Draheim assists local communities and other partners secure and deploy resources to implement their climate resiliency plans and achieve their decarbonization goals.
Dan Ebert
Partner
As a Partner with 5 Lakes Energy, Dan Ebert brings 30 years of experience in policy development, advocacy, communications, coalition leadership, fundraising, and deep experience in the policy, regulatory, and market challenges facing the energy industry.
David Gard
Lead Consultant
David Gard is a Lead Consultant with 5 Lakes Energy, focusing on energy policy analysis, utility system modeling, and business advocacy.
Julielyn Gibbons
Director of Operations and Project Management
Julielyn Gibbons, is the Director of Operations and Project Management with 5 Lakes Energy.
Eli Gold
Lead Consultant
Eli Gold is a Lead Consultant with 5 Lakes Energy focusing on modeling and land use policy for utility-scale renewables in the Midwest.
Douglas Jester
Managing Partner
Douglas Jester is a Partner at 5 Lakes Energy, where he specializes in economic analysis and modeling for energy policy, and in expert witness testimony before utility regulatory commissions.
Maxim Kostylev
Senior Consultant
Maxim Kostylev, PhD, is a Senior Consultant with 5 Lakes Energy specializing in industrial decarbonization.
Moksha Menghaney
Consultant
Moksha Menghaney is a consultant with 5 Lakes Energy focusing on community energy resilience strategies and siting policy for renewable energy.
Ram Veerapaneni
Senior Consultant
Ram Veerapaneni is a Senior Consultant with 5 Lakes Energy focusing on natural gas regulatory and pipeline safety issues.
Graham Woolley
Consultant
Graham Woolley is a Consultant at 5 Lakes Energy, with a focus on statistical modeling for utilities & energy optimization.