Obama DOE official named New Mexico energy secretary

By Christian Robles | 04/30/2024 06:47 AM EDT

Melanie Kenderdine was a top adviser to then-Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz.

Former Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz holds a fly-fishing rod for Melanie Kenderdine at a cabin in southern Colorado.

Former Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz holds a fly-fishing rod for Melanie Kenderdine at a cabin in southern Colorado. Kenderdine/Special to E&E News

New Mexico Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Monday that former Obama Department of Energy official Melanie Kenderdine will lead the state’s top energy agency.

Kenderdine will become New Mexico’s secretary-designate of the Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department on May 8, the governor’s office said.

“I look forward to the positive impact she will have in helping New Mexico shape our clean-energy future,” said Lujan Grisham in a statement.

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Kenderdine co-founded the Energy Futures Initiative in 2017 with former Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz and ex-DOE Chief Financial Officer Joseph Hezir. The think tank, now known as the EFI Foundation, analyzes and makes recommendations for clean energy technologies. Kenderdine currently serves as the group’s executive vice president and corporate secretary.

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