About
New Energy Alaska is a coalition of Alaskans working to maximize federal funding opportunities to ensure clean, affordable and reliable energy for Alaskans for generations to come. New Energy Alaska is hosted by the Alaska Venture Fund.
Senior Advisors
New Energy Alaska is guided by longstanding Alaska leaders. Our Senior Advisors bring a wealth of experience and a shared commitment to strengthening Alaska through increased energy security and economic diversification.
Lesil McGuire is a lifelong Alaskan who served 20 years in the Alaska House and Senate as a South Anchorage Republican. A longstanding leader in Alaska’s energy policy, she helped craft bipartisan legislation that created an Emerging Energy Technology Fund, a Renewable Energy Grant Fund, and paved the way for expanding energy sources and technologies across the state. Lesil is also a mother and a passionate advocate for women’s and rural rights.
Harry Crawford came to Alaska in 1975 to work on construction of the trans-Alaska pipeline system. In addition to his career as an ironworker, he served ten years in the Alaska House of Representatives as an Anchorage Democrat and nine years on the Chugach Electric board for nine years. He was part of the team that secured the Fire Island Wind Farm and continues to work for the Chugach Electric Community Solar Project. Harry is an unflagging champion of clean energy, labor, and a good quality of life for all Alaskans.
A lifelong Alaskan raised in Palmer and Juneau, Beth Kerttula represented Juneau and other places in SE Alaska as a Democrat for 15 years in the Alaska Legislature, where she worked to restore civility, ethics, and non-partisan decision-making. Beth is a skilled attorney who served as Director of the National Ocean Council at the White House, and who also helped develop Alaska’s first Arctic policy recommendations for the state. Beth brings a unique depth of experience and love for Alaska to her role as Senior Advisor for New Energy Alaska.
Charisse Millett is a lifelong Alaskan who served in the Alaska House of Representatives for 10 years representing Anchorage. During that time, she served as both House Majority Leader and House Minority Leader, and chaired the House Energy Special Committee. Millett, a Republican, helped write bipartisan legislation promoting renewable energy adoption and is a longtime champion of Alaska as an energy leader.