Zoi Confirmed as Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at DOE

The National Hydropower Association (NHA) congratulated Zoi and said that she will play a key role in carrying out President Obama’s goals to mitigate climate change, improve energy efficiency, and deploy renewable energy technologies.

“NHA congratulates Ms. Zoi on her confirmation to this critical energy post,” said Linda Church Ciocci, NHA executive director. “As America forges a new energy policy, conventional hydropower and new marine and instream hydrokinetic technologies will help advance the nation’s economic, energy, and environmental goals NHA stands ready to work with Assistant Secretary Zoi in building America’s energy future.”

Scott Sklar, who heads strategic clean energy policy and market firm, The Stella Group, and sits on the Boards of Directors of several national clean energy non-profits, labeled the choice as "excellent" when Zoi was first nominated.

"I know of very few people with the diverse and exceptional background of Cathy Zoi in clean energy," Sklar said. “Her technical, management and market experience makes her an ideal choice for Assistant Secretary of U.S. DOE's EERE program that has grown twice in size and must be focused on both aggressive science and deployment."

In January 2007, Cathy Zoi joined the Alliance for Climate Protection as its founding CEO. Established and chaired by former Vice President Al Gore, the Alliance is a non-profit organization spearheading a multi-year, multimillion dollar effort aimed at persuading Americans of both the urgency and solvability of global warming.

From 2003 until joining the Alliance, Zoi served as Group Executive Director at the Bayard Group. Cathy was Chief of Staff in the White House Office on Environmental Policy in the Clinton-Gore administration, where she managed the team working on environmental and energy issues (1993-1995). She was also a manager at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency where she pioneered the Energy Star Program.