Heather Zichal
{{short description|American energy and climate policy expert}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Heather Zichal
|image = HeatherZichal.jpg
|alt = A pale-skinned woman in her thirties with straight, dark hair parted near the middle and falling to below the shoulders, wearing white-and-black checked jacket, speaking into a video camera in an office room with a flatscreen computer monitor in the background and a window with the Washington Monument in the distance.
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1976|02|08}}
|birth_place =
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = Democratic
|education = Rutgers University, New Brunswick (BA){{citation|publisher=Governors' Wind and Solar Energy Coalition |first=Robin |last=Bravender}}
}}
Heather Renée Zichal{{cite news | url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/biden-climate_n_5cd5a008e4b0705e47db6ac2?guccounter=1 | title=Joe Biden Looks To Revive Obama's Climate Plan. Scientists Say That's Not Good Enough. | first1= Alexander C. | last1=Kaufman | first2=Chris | last2=D'Angelo | work=Huffington Post | date=May 10, 2019}} Updated May 12, 2019. (last name pronounced with long 'i') (born February 8, 1976){{cite web|date=April 15, 2011|title=Heather Zichal|url=http://www.whorunsgov.com/Profiles/Heather_Zichal|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611013146/http://www.whorunsgov.com/Profiles/Heather_Zichal|archive-date=June 11, 2011|accessdate=April 16, 2011|work=Who Runs Gov|publisher=The Washington Post}} is an American executive, consultant, and political advisor who specializes in climate change and environmental policy.
Zichal began her career serving as a legislative director and campaign advisor to several Democratic congressional members. She then served as the Deputy Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change in the Barack Obama administration starting in 2009. Following the early 2011 departure of Carol Browner from the administration, Zichal was tasked with coordinating the administration's energy and climate policy and was the architect of the Clean Power Plan.
In November 2013, she left the administration and became a private consultant and a fellow at the Atlantic Council. She has served on several company boards and councils, including that of Cheniere Energy, a liquified natural gas company, and was The Nature Conservancy's vice president for corporate engagement. From late 2020 through September 2022 she was head of the wind and solar focused American Clean Power Association. In October 2022 she became "global head of sustainability" at JPMorgan Chase.
Early life and education
Zichal grew up in Elkader, Iowa. Her father worked as a family physician and her mother as a hospital administrator. She has one younger brother.{{cite news | url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_action=doc&p_docid=0EAFE87A962D1501&p_docnum=1&s_dlid=DL0111041615305703086&s_ecproduct=SUB-FREE&s_ecprodtype=INSTANT | title=Ken stockpiles tiny tanks | author=Boyer, Ann Scholl | newspaper=The Gazette | location=Cedar Rapids, Iowa | date=July 31, 1996}} Zichal graduated from Central Community School District in 1994.{{cite news | url=http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=226226 | title=Elkader native aids presidential transition | newspaper=Telegraph Herald | location=Dubuque, Iowa | date=December 15, 2008 | url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216100438/http://www.thonline.com/article.cfm?id=226226 | archive-date=December 16, 2008 }} She attended Cook College at Rutgers University, where she studied environmental policy and graduated in 1999.{{cite web | url=http://careers1.rutgers.edu/events/riw-past.asp | title=Rutgers-in-Washington Events | publisher=Rutgers University | date=Summer 1999 | accessdate=April 16, 2011 | url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041011181659/http://careers1.rutgers.edu/events/riw-past.asp | archive-date=October 11, 2004 }}
Career
= Legislative assistant and campaign advisor =
While at Rutgers, she interned at the state chapter of the Sierra Club and was part of a panel interviewing candidates for New Jersey's 12th congressional district. After Democrat Rush D. Holt, Jr. defeated Republican incumbent Michael J. Pappas, in part due to support from environmentalists, Holt hired Zichal as his legislative director. She held the same position for Representative Frank Pallone from 2001 to 2002. She then was a legislative assistant and later director for U.S. Senator John Kerry from 2002 to 2008.{{cite press release | url=http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/news_detail.cfm/news_id=12144 | title=President-Elect Obama Nominates Dr. Steven Chu as Energy Secretary | publisher=U.S. Department of Energy | date=December 17, 2008 | access-date=April 16, 2011 | archive-date=December 25, 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081225094640/http://apps1.eere.energy.gov/news/news_detail.cfm/news_id%3D12144 | url-status=dead }} She also worked as an assistant for the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee.{{cite web | url=http://www.legistorm.com/person/Heather_Zichal/5062.html | title=Heather Zichal, Congressional Staffer - Salary Data | publisher=legistorm.com | accessdate=April 16, 2011}} In these positions she worked on legislation to address climate change, reduce the country's dependence on oil for energy, and to protect American natural resources.{{cite news|url=http://projects.washingtonpost.com/2009/federal-appointments/person/heather-zichal/ |title=Heather Zichal |work=Head Count |publisher=The Washington Post |accessdate=April 16, 2011 |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090822061512/http://projects.washingtonpost.com/2009/federal-appointments/person/heather-zichal/ |archive-date=August 22, 2009 }}
Zichal also served as a top advisor on energy and environmental issues to the 2004 Kerry presidential campaign and the 2008 Obama presidential campaign. She had first met Obama when he was lost in one of the Senate buildings and asked her for directions.{{cite news | url=http://www.glamour.com/magazine/2009/02/meet-the-women-who-can-handle-anything | title=Meet the Women Who Can Handle Anything! | author=Jenning, Linda Kramer | magazine=Glamour | date=February 3, 2009}}
=Obama administration=
After serving on the Obama-Biden Transition Project in its Energy and Environment Policy Working Group, she was named to be Deputy Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change in December 2008, to serve as deputy to Carol Browner, who was named director of the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy{{cite press release | url=http://www.ustreas.gov/press/releases/tg36.htm | title=Geithner, Summers Convene Official Designees to Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry | publisher=U.S. Department of the Treasury | date=February 20, 2009 | url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090904110135/http://www.ustreas.gov/press/releases/tg36.htm | archive-date=September 4, 2009 }} (as such, Browner's position was also informally referred to as the "Climate Czar" or "Energy Czar").{{cite news | url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1863062_1863058_1866567,00.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081219051009/http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1863062_1863058_1866567,00.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=December 19, 2008 | title=Energy Czar: Carol Browner | author=Romero, Frances | magazine=Time | accessdate=December 16, 2008 | date=December 2, 2008}} Zichal took office in January 2009. She was part of the administration response to the 2010 BP oil spill and supervised later modifications of safety standards for offshore oil and natural gas extraction.
Image:P051410PS-0229 (4606495789).jpg
When Browner left the White House in March 2011, Zichal took over the general responsibilities of coordinating the administration's energy and climate policy, now operating from within the U.S. Domestic Policy Council{{cite news | url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0411/52406_Page2.html | title=Barack Obama's on thin green ice | author=Samuelsohn, Darren | newspaper=Politico | date=April 1, 2011}} (the "czar" position itself having been reorganized away by the White House and its funding subsequently abolished by Congress in the mid-April 2011 federal spending agreement that averted a possible government shutdown).{{cite news | url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/blogs/weigel/archive/2011/04/12/the-budget-compromise-eliminating-four-czars-and-more.aspx | title=The Budget Compromise: Eliminating Four Czars, and More | author=Weigel, Dave | magazine=Slate | date=April 12, 2011}}{{cite news | url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0411/53342.html | title=President Obama to ignore 'czar' ban | author=Bravender, Robin | newspaper=Politico | date=April 17, 2011}} As such she became one of the White House staff members tasked with implementation of the Presidential Climate Action Plan.{{cite news|last=Zichal|first=Heather|date=September 19, 2016|title=The bipartisan path to tackling climate change|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/in-theory/wp/2016/09/19/the-bipartisan-path-to-tackling-climate-change/}} Her job also involved outreach activities towards the energy industry and environmentalists as well as dealing with Congress. With Republicans having taken over the House of Representatives following the 2010 midterm elections, chances of the large-scale climate and energy legislation passing that Browner had worked towards were essentially nil.{{cite news | url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0411/53235.html | title=Heather Zichal: White House focus on going forward | author=Goode, Darren | newspaper=Politico | date=April 15, 2011}}{{cite news | url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/carol-browner-leaving-as-obama-adviser/ | title=Carol Browner Leaving As Obama Adviser | agency=Associated Press | work=CBS News | date=January 25, 2011}} At first the administration pursued more modest goals that could attract bipartisan support, such as reducing oil imports and promoting clean or renewable energy sources. The White House subsequently gave credit to Zichal for putting into place policy changes that would lead to a doubling of wind and solar power generation.
Image:Heather (5713978914).jpg
During the early portion of Obama's second term, Zichal was one of the public faces of the administration's approach of addressing climate change via federal regulatory action.{{cite news | url=http://www.politico.com/story/2013/07/heather-zichal-climate-rules-can-be-finished-during-obamas-term-94412.html | title=Heather Zichal: Climate rules can be finished during Obama's term | author=Restuccia, Andrew | newspaper=Politico | date=July 18, 2013}} She was the architect of a June 2013 plan to reduce greenhouse gases resulting from the nation's power plants by having the Environmental Protection Agency issue revised standards for carbon emissions from new and existing plants. They were the first ever such restrictions. (This plan eventually became known as the Clean Power Plan when issued in revised form in 2015; Zichal was still considered one of its architects. It became politically controversial during the 2016 U.S. presidential election, with opponents deriding it as the "War on Coal".{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-33753067 | title=Climate change: Obama unveils Clean Power Plan | work=BBC News | date=August 3, 2015}} Its implementation was blocked while challenges to it were made in U.S. federal courts.{{cite news | url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/27/politics/clean-power-plan-obama/ | title=Appeals court hears high-stakes challenge to Obama's clean power plan | first=Arian | last=de Vogue | publisher=CNN | date=September 27, 2016}})
Image:White House Leadership Summit on Women, Climate and Energy (Pic 6).jpg
A 2013 profile from National Journal described her as having "developed a reputation among players across the energy spectrum as a smart, pragmatic, and serious player."{{cite news | url=http://www.nationaljournal.com/decision-makers/white-house/heather-zichal-deputy-assistant-to-the-president-energy-and-climate-change-20130717 | title=Heather Zichal, Deputy Assistant to the President, Energy and Climate Change | author=Davenport, Coral | magazine=National Journal | date=July 17, 2013 | url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130726235104/http://www.nationaljournal.com/decision-makers/white-house/heather-zichal-deputy-assistant-to-the-president-energy-and-climate-change-20130717 | archive-date=July 26, 2013 }} A Democratic political operative and energy industry lobbyist called Zichal a "skilled communicator and negotiator" and said she was "dogged in her pursuit of gaining consensus with external stakeholders and delivering on a clean energy agenda for this administration." However, former vice president and ardent environmentalist Al Gore complained in mid-2013 that the administration was not giving climate change sufficient priority, and making reference to Zichal said, "He does not yet have a team in the White House to help him implement solutions to the climate crisis. He hasn't staffed up for it ... he's got one person who hasn't been given that much authority."{{cite news | url=http://www.politico.com/story/2013/10/heather-zichal-stepping-down-97937.html | title= Heather Zichal stepping down as W.H. climate chief | author=Goode, Darren | author2=Samuelsohn, Darren | newspaper=Politico | date=October 7, 2013}}
In October 2013, Zichal announced that she would soon be stepping down from her post.{{cite news | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-climate-zichal-idUSBRE9960Q220131007 | title=Obama climate adviser Zichal to step down: officials | author=Rucker, Patrick | author2=Mason, Jeff | work=Reuters | date=October 7, 2013}} She was given the chance to accept other positions within the administration, but declined. She was one of the last of Obama's 2008 campaign advisors to still be in the administration; she had been high valued inside the administration and by one report Obama had personally urged her to stay.{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2013/10/07/obamas-top-climate-and-energy-adviser-to-leave-white-house/ | title=Obama's top climate and energy adviser to leave White House | author=Eilperin, Juliet | newspaper=The Washington Post | date= October 7, 2013}} Her last day was November 8, 2013, and she was succeeded by Dan Utech.{{cite news | url=https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/189720-utech-to-be-obamas-top-climate-adviser/ | title=Utech named Obama's top climate adviser | first=Laura | last=Baron-Lopez | newspaper=The Hill | date=November 8, 2013}}
=Consultant, board member and executive=
Zichal subsequently became an independent energy consultant, working at her own firm called Zichal Inc.{{cite web | url=https://greenbuildexpo.com/Attendee/Conference/SpeakerDetails?id=574957 | title=Heather Zichal | publisher=Greenbuild Expo | accessdate=January 2, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170103093904/https://greenbuildexpo.com/Attendee/Conference/SpeakerDetails?id=574957 | archive-date=2017-01-03 | url-status=dead}} In January 2015 she was named a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council.{{cite press release | url=http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/news/press-releases/top-presidential-adviser-heather-zichal-to-add-strategic-foresight-expertise-to-atlantic-council-global-energy-center | title=Top Presidential Adviser Heather Zichal to Add Strategic Foresight Expertise to Atlantic Council Global Energy Center | publisher=Atlantic Council | date=January 12, 2015}} There she is part of the council's Global Energy Center. She served on the board of Cheniere Energy, a liquified natural gas company, from 2014 to 2018, as well as the board of Spanish multinational-owned Abengoa Bioenergy.{{cite web|title=Heather Zichal|url=http://www.broadscale.com/heather-zichal|accessdate=May 30, 2018|publisher=Broadscale}} In addition she is an operating advisor at Broadscale, an energy-focused investing firm, and a senior advisor at an enterprise called Sensity. She joined the board of non-profit Solar Foundation and Naturevest, the conservation investing organization within the Nature Conservancy. In 2018, she became the Nature Conservancy's vice president for corporate engagement, serving until 2019.{{cite news|last=Bogardus|first=Kevin|date=January 10, 2018|title=Obama aide joins Nature Conservancy|newspaper=E&E News|url=https://governorswindenergycoalition.org/obama-aide-joins-nature-conservancy/}} In 2019, she was announced as the executive director of the Blue Prosperity Coalition,{{cite press release | url=https://www.blueprosperity.org/heatherzichal | title=Former Obama Aide Heather Zichal Joins Blue Prosperity Coalition as Executive Director | publisher=Blue Prosperity Coalition | date=June 17, 2019}} another conservation and climate-oriented group.
She remained active in the public debate over climate change and energy policy.{{cite web|title=Heather Zichal|url=http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/about/experts/list/heather-zichal|accessdate=January 2, 2017|publisher=Atlantic Council}} During the 2016 Democratic Party presidential primaries, she supported Hillary Clinton.{{cite news | url=https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/287034-former-obama-climate-aide-slams-sanders-platform-push/ | title=Ex-Obama aide slams Sanders climate platform push | first=Devin | last=Henry | newspaper=The Hill | date=July 8, 2016}}
In 2019, she became an advisor to the Joe Biden 2020 presidential campaign, helping him craft a "middle ground" climate and energy policy, in contrast to the Green New Deal.{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-biden-climate-exclusive/exclusive-presidential-hopeful-biden-looking-for-middle-ground-climate-policy-idUSKCN1SG18G|title=Presidential hopeful Biden looking for 'middle ground' climate policy|work=Reuters|date=May 10, 2019|last=Volcovici|first=Valerie}} Zichal said of those backing the Green New Deal, "I respect where they are coming from. What we learned from the Obama administration is unless we find middle ground on these issues, we risk not having any policies. ... [Biden will] build a new climate coalition. Unions and environmentalists are searching for common ground. We can't drive a common agenda unless we work together." During the presidential transition of Joe Biden there was speculation she might join the new administration, but her stint on the board of Cheniere Energy brought opposition against her from progressive organizations who were pushing against anyone being appointed to an environment-related position if they had worked in the fossil fuel industry.{{cite news | url=https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/03/climate-purity-tests-biden-nominees-split-enviros-442547 | title=Climate purity tests for Biden nominees split enviros | author-first=Zack | author-last=Colman | work=Politico | date=December 3, 2020}}
Instead, in December 2020 she was named as the chief executive of the American Clean Power Association, a newly formed trade group representing companies involved in wind and solar energy, storage and transmission, but also natural gas companies and utilities.{{cite news | url=https://www.axios.com/renewable-energy-group-heather-zichal-ceo-441a4a87-ef94-4828-a237-d9f29da139b0.html | title=New renewable-energy group taps Heather Zichal as CEO | author-first=Amy | author-last=Harder | work=Axios | date=December 10, 2020}} It is the successor organization to the American Wind Energy Association. The Biden administration's environmental policy placed an emphasis on developing wind power, such as a goal announced in October 2021 to have seven major offshore wind farms operating off U.S. coasts by 2030; Zichal said that goal was "ambitious but achievable" and a vital part of any plan to achieve complete carbon pollution-free electricity generation by 2035.{{cite news | url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/10/14/new-wind-farms-would-dot-us-coastlines-under-biden-plan/ | title=New wind farms would dot U.S. coastlines under Biden plan | author-first=Matthew | author-last=Daly | agency=Associated Press | newspaper=The San Jose Mercury News | date=October 15, 2021}} During her tenure she supervised a merger with the U.S. Energy Storage Association. Shortly before leaving the American Clean Power Association, she endorsed legislation proposed by West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin to reform permitting processes in order to speed up the development of both fossil-fuel and renewable energy projects{{Cite press release |last=Ryan |first=Jason |title=ACP Statement on Permitting Reform Legislation |url=https://cleanpower.org/news/acp-statement-on-permitting-reform-legislation/ |date=September 21, 2022 |publisher=American Clean Power Association |language=en-US}} – a proposal that was endorsed by President Joe Biden and other Democratic Party leaders but failed to pass the Senate.{{Cite news |last=Frazin |first=Rachel |date=December 15, 2022 |title=Senate rejects Manchin's energy permitting amendment to defense bill |url=https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/3776418-senate-rejects-manchins-energy-permitting-amendment-to-defense-bill/ |work=The Hill |language=en-US}}
In September 2022 she left the American Clean Power Association to join multinational investment bank JP Morgan Chase, where her role was to be "global head of sustainability".{{Cite web |title=Zichal Takes JPMorgan Chase Sustainability Post |url=https://www.odwyerpr.com/story/public/18566/2022-09-30/zichal-takes-jpmorgan-chase-sustainability-post.html |date=September 30, 2022 |work=O'Dwyers PR |publisher=J. R. O'Dwyer Company |author-first=Kevin |author-last=McCauley}} She said that to leave the association was the most difficult decision of her career, but that she had accomplished a lot with it.{{cite news | url=https://www.politico.com/newsletters/politico-influence/2022/09/27/zichal-departs-renewables-lobbying-group-00059101 | title=Zichal departs renewables lobbying group | first=Caitlin | last=Oprysko | work=Politico | date=September 27, 2022}} The position change prompted new accusations from some environmental advocates that she has used her "green-sounding credentials" to advance her career and favor corporate interests.{{Cite web |last=Marsano |first=Emma |title=Meet the former Biden Advisor Using 'Climate Advocacy' as a Trojan Horse for Corporate Interests |url=https://revolvingdoorproject.substack.com/p/meet-the-former-biden-advisor-using |date=December 19, 2022|publisher=Revolving Door Project |language=en}}
References
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External links
{{commons category}}
- [https://www.leadingauthorities.com/speakers/heather-zichal Speakers biography]
{{Obama Executive Office|state=collapsed}}
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Category:American environmentalists
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Category:American women environmentalists
Category:Obama administration personnel
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Category:American women nonprofit executives