Samantha Williams

About Samantha Williams

Energy and climate advocacy is not just work for me; it is my life’s work. With 18 years of experience in advocacy, including 13 years in the energy sector, I am a passionate and strategic leader who advocates for policies that will accelerate the clean energy transition and make meaningful progress on mitigating the climate crisis. As the Midwest Director of the Climate and Energy Program at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), I lead state clean energy policy for the Midwest region and manage a team of advocates active at state legislatures, public utilities commissions, and energy agencies. My mission is to leverage policy to achieve a zero-carbon economy that protects the environment and public health, while creating a wealth of job opportunities in the rapidly growing clean energy sector. I bring diverse perspectives and experiences to the team, as I have a background in advocacy, law and science, and have deep experience collaborating with stakeholders, including policymakers, regulators, utilities, businesses, and communities. I am also an adjunct professor at Vermont Law and Graduate School, where I teach a course on the legal essentials of the electric grid with a focus on public utilities regulation and clean energy policy. I\'m based primarily in Chicago, IL, with a second base in Austin, TX.

Experience

1. Senior Director, Strategic Projects and Market Development

   Jupiter Power

   Jan 2024 — Present · Chicago, IL, US

Education

• Mount Holyoke College

  Bachelor's degree, Biology/Biological Sciences, General

  1997 — 2001

• Vermont Law and Graduate School

  Doctor of Law - JD, Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Law

  2002 — 2005