Ms. Nicholson has over 20 years of experience in the fields of energy, resource economics, and global climate change. Prior to founding Sage Energy, Ms. Nicholson served as Director and Deputy Director of the Maryland Energy Administration. Ms. Nicholson oversaw the State energy efficiency programs and Maryland?s renewable energy program that promotes the construction of wind, solar, landfill gas, and biomass projects. Ms. Nicholson advised Republican and Democratic governors on energy policy formation, and served as legislative liaison on energy policy matters. Her work included crafting renewable energy and energy efficiency legislation, developing diverse markets for renewable energy, and providing incentives for the construction of renewable energy facilities. She has also worked on siting power plants and renewable energy facilities.
Ms. Nicholson established and managed Maryland?s Climate Change Program. She coordinated State greenhouse gas emissions reduction efforts, including management of an impacts analysis, and a greenhouse gas reduction strategy of cost-effective actions. She has provided technical expertise on the feasibility and benefits of carbon sequestration, and developed a comprehensive model to project future stocks and flows of carbon in U.S. forest products. This methodology is currently being used in the California Climate Action Registry Protocols.
Before coming to Maryland, Ms. Nicholson worked as an economist for the USDA Forest Service. For the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, she oversaw development of a comprehensive Geographic Information System (GIS) tool to promote sustainable management of watershed resources. She also served as a Fellow in the Botany Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, while working as a consulting resource economist for Yale University. Ms. Nicholson worked for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Power Plant Research Program as Administrator of Economic Studies. She is published in the fields of resource economics, industrial ecology, climate change, and renewable energy policy. She has a Master of Science in Sustainable Development and Conservation Biology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the College of William and Mary in Virginia.
Gretchen Dolan, Research Analyst with Sage Energy, possesses over 18 years of experience in energy and telecom research, market analysis, and project management, with a concentration in Mid-Atlantic markets. Her work with Sage Energy also includes research on renewable energy and climate change initiatives, financing mechanisms for various municipal and state government projects, and market sector research in energy efficiency management and initiatives, especially with regard to the Maryland EmPOWER Programs. Gretchen currently manages projects involving qualitative analysis and data collection. With expertise in competitive benchmarking research and analysis, her research and project management skills are invaluable in identifying process improvements to programs and projects to improve clients? ability to achieve their government sector goals or corporate mandates. In addition, she has practical paralegal skills that enhance her research and analysis.
Emily Trawick is a recent James Madison University graduate who studied Integrated Science and Technology with a concentration in Energy. Ms. Trawick served as an intern for the Virginia Center for Wind Energy where she modeled PV systems for the Commonwealth of Virginia. She also researched battery storage options for solar energy, net metering laws within Virginia, and monetary incentives for companies who wish to invest in solar renewable energies. Her work with Sage Energy includes research on emerging Maryland Renewable Portfolio Standard issues and policy changes, and actively monitoring the Maryland RPS Working Group. She researches Clean Energy Standard technologies for NYS; as well as developing a database of clean energy incentives in VA cities and counties.
