- U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright announced key appointments to the Department's senior leadership team. - The appointments aim to advance President Trump's energy agenda. - Secretary Wright emphasized the importance of energy in every aspect of American life. - He expressed hope for removing barriers to innovation and cutting red tape. - Key senior staff appointments include Alexander Fitzsimmons as Chief of Staff and Audrey Barrios as an Advisor to the Secretary. - Mike Kopp, Conner Prochaska, Theodore Garrish, John LaValle, and Samuel Fodale have also been named Senior Advisors and White House Liaisons. - Steven Winberg has been appointed as the Acting Under Secretary for Infrastructure. - Andrea Woods is the new Deputy Director of the Office of Public Affairs, with Ben Dietderich serving as Press Secretary. - Ashley Hebert and Isabelle Lamanna have been appointed in the Office of Management. - Joshua Jones joins as a Senior Advisor in the Office of the Chief Financial Officer. - Curt Coccodrilli and Cathleen Tripodi are appointed in the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations. - Christian Newton is the Chief of Staff in the Office of Science. - Charles Smith will serve as the Director of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization. - John Sneed is named Director of the Loan Programs Office. - Joseph Alexander is the Chief of Staff for the Grid Deployment Office, joined by Senior Advisor Christina Francone. - Shawn Affolter is the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs. - Tala Goudarzi and Kevin Tatulyan are appointed in the Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy and Carbon Management. - Louis Hrkman has been named Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. - Catherine Jereza and Roger Jarrell are appointed as Senior Advisors in the Assistant Secretary for Electricity and Environmental Management, respectively. - William Joyce and Andrew Rapp join the Assistant Secretary for International Affairs as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary and Senior Advisor, respectively. - Eric Mahroum has been appointed Director of State and Community Energy Programs.

U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright Announces Key Senior Staff Appointments:

Today, U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright announced key appointments to the Department’s senior leadership team, naming experienced professionals who will lead efforts to advance President Trump’s energy agenda.

Energy.gov February 6, 2025

WASHINGTON— Today, U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright announced key appointments to the Department’s senior leadership team, naming experienced professionals who will lead efforts to advance President Trump’s energy agenda.

“President Trump has outlined a bold and ambitious agenda for restoring American energy dominance, and this exceptional team of leaders will be essential to delivering that agenda in this critical moment,” Secretary Wright said. “Energy is essential to everything we do, and I look forward to working together to remove barriers to innovation, cut red tape and pursue common sense solutions for unleashing our energy potential. The American people deserve nothing less.”

Key senior staff appointments include:

Office of the Secretary
Alexander Fitzsimmons, Chief of Staff
Audrey Barrios, Advisor to the Secretary
Mike Kopp, Senior Advisor to the Secretary
Conner Prochaska, Senior Advisor
Theodore Garrish, Senior Advisor
John LaValle, White House Liaison
Samuel Fodale, Deputy White House Liaison

Office of the Under Secretary for Infrastructure
Steven Winberg, Acting Under Secretary

Office of Public Affairs
Andrea Woods, Deputy Director
Ben Dietderich, Press Secretary and Chief Spokesperson

Office of Management
Ashley Hebert, Director, Scheduling and Advance
Isabelle Lamanna, Director of Scheduling

Office of the Chief Financial Officer
Joshua Jones, Senior Advisor

Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations
Curt Coccodrilli, Senior Advisor
Cathleen Tripodi, Executive Director

Office of Science
Christian Newton, Chief of Staff

Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization
Charles Smith, Director

Loan Programs Office
John Sneed, Director

Grid Deployment Office
Joseph Alexander, Chief of Staff
Christina Francone, Senior Advisor

Assistant Secretary for Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs
Shawn Affolter, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary

Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy and Carbon Management
Tala Goudarzi, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary
Kevin Tatulyan, Chief of Staff

Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Louis Hrkman, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary

Assistant Secretary for Electricity
Catherine Jereza, Senior Advisor

Assistant Secretary for Environmental Management
Roger Jarrell, Senior Advisor

Assistant Secretary for International Affairs
William Joyce, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary
Andrew Rapp, Senior Advisor

State And Community Energy Programs
Eric Mahroum, Director


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