ARLINGTON, VA — (Marketwired) — 11/13/13 — Opower, the global leader in customer engagement solutions for the utility industry, today announced that Carol M. Browner, former director of the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy and former administrator of the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, has joined its . Ms. Browner–s experience addressing political and regulatory risks and developing strategic partnerships with industry will be an invaluable contribution to Opower–s growth in the US and abroad. Carol joins former utility executives including John Rowe, former CEO of Exelon, Dick Kelly, former CEO of Xcel Energy, and Tom Brady, former Chairman of Baltimore Gas and Electric on the advisory board.
“We are thrilled to have Carol Browner join Opower–s advisory board,” said Alex Laskey, Opower–s President and co-founder. “Carol is an extraordinarily accomplished and talented advocate for the environment. As we enter a new phase of growth, Carol–s expertise will help Opower in its mission to motivate everyone on earth to save energy.”
As President Obama–s top energy and climate change advisor, Ms. Browner oversaw the coordination of environmental, energy, climate, transport, and related policy across the federal government. During her tenure, the White House secured the largest investment ever in clean energy and established the national car policy that included both new automobile fuel efficiency standards and first ever greenhouse gas reductions. Previously, Ms. Browner was a founding principal of The Albright Group LLC from 2001 to 2008.
“Utilities face a host of new challenges including changing consumer expectations and needs, and evolving regulatory models that prioritize cleaner sources of energy and energy efficiency,” said Carol Browner. “Opower is building software that allows utilities to address these vulnerabilities in new and innovative ways around the world and to maximize efficiency that saves money for consumers and reduces power consumption. I firmly believe in Opower–s mission and am excited to be part of an organization that is making a huge impact on reducing carbon pollution and protecting public health.”
Ms. Browner served as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency under President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 2001. During her tenure, she adopted the most progressive air pollution standards in U.S. history; established the first fine particle clean air standard; and led the reauthorization of the Safe Drinking Water Act and Food Quality Protection Act. Ms. Browner was recognized for her ability to bring environmentalists and industries together to agree on scientific-based public health standards and establish flexible procedures to achieve those standards.
Working with 90 utility partners and serving more than 22 million consumers across eight countries, Opower is the world–s leading provider of customer engagement solutions for the utility industry. Opower–s platform uses big data analytics and behavioral science to enable utilities to achieve energy outcomes, including energy efficiency, customer engagement and demand response. Founded in 2007 and privately held, Opower is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, with offices in San Francisco, London, Singapore and Tokyo. For more information, please visit and follow us on Twitter .
Margot Littlehale