About Us

OED leads the state's efforts to build energy ecosystems that meet Gov. Cox's goal of energy superabundance. From research to workforce development to education to large-scale infrastructure projects, OED is driving innovation, connecting partners, and protecting Utah's high quality of life.

Our Mission: Innovation and Collaboration

OED believes in innovation and collaboration: Innovation to drive technologies and bring them to market. Collaboration to accelerate development and deployment. By championing public-private partnerships and collaborating with industry, academia, national laboratories, and other state agencies, we aim to strike a balance between growth, energy resilience and environmental stewardship. Utah stands ready to lead the West and the nation in energy development.
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Meet Our Team

Directors

Emy Lesofski

governor's energy advisor
& OED Director

Emy Lesofski
[email protected]

Emy Lesofski was appointed as director of the Utah Office of Energy Development in October 2023. She also serves as energy advisor to Gov. Cox.  Emy brings extensive experience in federal appropriations and natural resources and environment policy. She oversees the policy and program staff, as well as the Utah San Rafael Energy Lab. 

Jake Garfield

deputy director

Jake Garfield
[email protected]

  • Researches and analyzes Federal energy policy and its impact on Utah.
  • Develops strategies to improve Federal energy policy and facilitate energy development in Utah.
  • Works with other state agencies and the Utah Attorney General's Office to challenge Federal energy policies that are harmful to Utah.
  • Engages in the Federal land use planning process to promote development of Utah's energy resources.

Tracy Rees

deputy director

Debi Carty

Finance director

Tim Kowalchik
[email protected]

  • Supports OED  Policy & Research efforts.
  • Investigates new technologies or innovations to determine if they fit Utah's needs and energy attributes.
  • Assists in the OED Nuclear Pathway's series, Utah's Nuclear consortium and helps facilitate the overall conversation about nuclear energy in Utah.
  • Researches the grid and systemic energy to determine possibilities, challenges and how Utah can effectively meet its energy needs.

Harry Hansen

Director of Government 
ANd External Affairs

Tyson Bomsta
[email protected]

  • Supports OED Policy & Research efforts.
  • Supports legislative mandates such as the Decommissioned Asset Disposition Authority, Energy Landscape and Forecast Study, Fuel Reserve Feasibility Study and Energy Attribute Modeling.
  • Determines financial impact of proposed energy policies and ensures that new legislation is supported by data-driven, thorough research.

Jeremy Pearson

Institute Director

Cindi Eckhardt
[email protected]

  • Supports OED  Policy & Research efforts.
  • Supports legislative mandates to ensure decisions are data-based.
  • Assists in making complicated concepts and analyses useful and understandable.
  • Develops and oversees the energy forecasting model in collaboration with NREL.

Joe Finley

Energy Council 
Policy Advisor

Adam Heilbronner
[email protected]

  • Researches barriers and incentives to geothermal production in Utah to help enhance baseload grid resilience.
  • Establishes policy for the legislature and regulatory departments of the state that assist in taking power-generating and direct-use geothermal from demonstration to commercialization.
  • Develops policy around the way major power-demand projects can best be sited, receive power and operate in the state while protecting the broader Utah consumer.

Programs

Luke Voss

Energy Manager

Tim Kowalchik
[email protected]

  • Supports OED  Policy & Research efforts.
  • Investigates new technologies or innovations to determine if they fit Utah's needs and energy attributes.
  • Assists in the OED Nuclear Pathway's series, Utah's Nuclear consortium and helps facilitate the overall conversation about nuclear energy in Utah.
  • Researches the grid and systemic energy to determine possibilities, challenges and how Utah can effectively meet its energy needs.

Madeline Miller

SEP Manager

Tyson Bomsta
[email protected]

  • Supports OED Policy & Research efforts.
  • Supports legislative mandates such as the Decommissioned Asset Disposition Authority, Energy Landscape and Forecast Study, Fuel Reserve Feasibility Study and Energy Attribute Modeling.
  • Determines financial impact of proposed energy policies and ensures that new legislation is supported by data-driven, thorough research.

Mary Parkinson

Energy specialist

Cindi Eckhardt
[email protected]

  • Supports OED  Policy & Research efforts.
  • Supports legislative mandates to ensure decisions are data-based.
  • Assists in making complicated concepts and analyses useful and understandable.
  • Develops and oversees the energy forecasting model in collaboration with NREL.

Alex Motro

Energy specialist

Adam Heilbronner
[email protected]

  • Researches barriers and incentives to geothermal production in Utah to help enhance baseload grid resilience.
  • Establishes policy for the legislature and regulatory departments of the state that assist in taking power-generating and direct-use geothermal from demonstration to commercialization.
  • Develops policy around the way major power-demand projects can best be sited, receive power and operate in the state while protecting the broader Utah consumer.

Research

Tim Kowalchik

research director

Tim Kowalchik
[email protected]

  • Supports OED  Policy & Research efforts.
  • Investigates new technologies or innovations to determine if they fit Utah's needs and energy attributes.
  • Assists in the OED Nuclear Pathway's series, Utah's Nuclear consortium and helps facilitate the overall conversation about nuclear energy in Utah.
  • Researches the grid and systemic energy to determine possibilities, challenges and how Utah can effectively meet its energy needs.

Tyson Bomsta

energy Economist

Tyson Bomsta
[email protected]

  • Supports OED Policy & Research efforts.
  • Supports legislative mandates such as the Decommissioned Asset Disposition Authority, Energy Landscape and Forecast Study, Fuel Reserve Feasibility Study and Energy Attribute Modeling.
  • Determines financial impact of proposed energy policies and ensures that new legislation is supported by data-driven, thorough research.

Cindi Eckhardt

Data Scientist

Cindi Eckhardt
[email protected]

  • Supports OED  Policy & Research efforts.
  • Supports legislative mandates to ensure decisions are data-based.
  • Assists in making complicated concepts and analyses useful and understandable.
  • Develops and oversees the energy forecasting model in collaboration with NREL.

Austin Andersen

Market researcher

Adam Heilbronner
[email protected]

  • Researches barriers and incentives to geothermal production in Utah to help enhance baseload grid resilience.
  • Establishes policy for the legislature and regulatory departments of the state that assist in taking power-generating and direct-use geothermal from demonstration to commercialization.
  • Develops policy around the way major power-demand projects can best be sited, receive power and operate in the state while protecting the broader Utah consumer.

Adam Heilbronner

Geothermal fellow

Tim Kowalchik
[email protected]

  • Supports OED  Policy & Research efforts.
  • Investigates new technologies or innovations to determine if they fit Utah's needs and energy attributes.
  • Assists in the OED Nuclear Pathway's series, Utah's Nuclear consortium and helps facilitate the overall conversation about nuclear energy in Utah.
  • Researches the grid and systemic energy to determine possibilities, challenges and how Utah can effectively meet its energy needs.

Lindsey Mayer

Transmission And
Distrbution Fellow

Tyson Bomsta
[email protected]

  • Supports OED Policy & Research efforts.
  • Supports legislative mandates such as the Decommissioned Asset Disposition Authority, Energy Landscape and Forecast Study, Fuel Reserve Feasibility Study and Energy Attribute Modeling.
  • Determines financial impact of proposed energy policies and ensures that new legislation is supported by data-driven, thorough research.

Blake Nelson

Energy security fellow

Cindi Eckhardt
[email protected]

  • Supports OED  Policy & Research efforts.
  • Supports legislative mandates to ensure decisions are data-based.
  • Assists in making complicated concepts and analyses useful and understandable.
  • Develops and oversees the energy forecasting model in collaboration with NREL.

Administrative Support

Toni Sierra

Executive Assistant

Tracy Rees
[email protected]

  • Serves as OED's primary contact for media inquiries.
  • Assists in writing and creating talking points, presentations and a range of internal and external communications.
  • Manages the OED website.
  • Provides writing and editing support to the OED teams as needed.

Heather McShane

Public Information Officer

Cindy Jones

Communications Specialist

Cindy A. Jones
[email protected]

  • Conceptualizes and designs materials to help educate and inform the legislature and other government entities, local educators and Utah residents  about OED objectives and Utah's energy resources.
  • Assists PIO in maintaining and updating the OED website.
  • Helps obtain, organize and curate OED's media assets including photos, graphics, and videos.
  • Assists PIO in supporting in-office communications, projects and operations.

Toni Sierra
[email protected]

  • Provides administrative support to the OED office.
  • Manages OED office calendars.
  • Coordinates and facilitates OED events.
  • Assists OED teams with travel and finance.

Jayden Ellsworth

financial Analyst

Jayden Ellsworth
[email protected]

  • Drafts, reviews and manages contracts, including Scopes of Work, Memorandums of Agreement, and compliance sections for various projects.
  • Coordinates with stakeholders, teams and organizations to ensure clear objectives, requirements and deliverables are met.
  • Streamlines workflows and ensuring accuracy in documentation to improve efficiency and support project goals.

Utah San Rafael Energy Lab

Jaron Wallace

Lab Director

Jaron Wallace
[email protected]

  • Works with USREL engineering team to lead energy engineering projects.
  • Founder of the Rural Utah Science Symposium.
  • Radiation Safety Officer.
  • Leads numerous grant applications to bring projects to USREL.

Kayden Alderson

Research Engineering manager

Kayden Alderson
[email protected]

  • Conceptualizes and designs materials to help educate and inform the legislature and other government entities, local educators and Utah residents  about OED objectives and Utah's energy resources.
  • Assists PIO in maintaining and updating the OED website.
  • Helps obtain, organize and curate OED's media assets including photos, graphics, and videos.
  • Assists PIO in supporting in-office communications, projects and operations.

Eric Slater

Engineer Technician II

Eric Slater
[email protected]

  • Conducts analytical tests and basic experiments to support research projects.
  • Assists in creation, implementation and documentation of Quality Assurance/Quality Control procedures.
  • Performs routine maintenance and calibration of laboratory equipment, troubleshoots issues, and coordinates repairs.
  • Collaborates with USREL team to investigate innovative and sustainable methods for recycling lithium batteries.

Summer Clark

Administrative Assistant

Summer Clark
[email protected]

  • Provides administrative support to USREL lab and office.
  • Prepares and organizes meeting materials.
  • Greets and assists visitors.
  • Assists lab staff with travel and finance.

Braxton Jones

Facilities Supervisor

Jaron Wallace
[email protected]

  • Works with USREL engineering team to lead energy engineering projects.
  • Founder of the Rural Utah Science Symposium.
  • Radiation Safety Officer.
  • Leads numerous grant applications to bring projects to USREL.