The Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP) at Columbia University SIPA today announced new personnel additions, bringing extensive government experience to the Center, focused on advancing CGEP’s research priorities on advanced nuclear, climate change, and the global energy transition.
“We are thrilled to welcome this incredible group of energy and climate policy veterans to the team here at the Center on Global Energy Policy, further bolstering our deep expertise on critical issues,” said Jason Bordoff, Founding Director of CGEP. “These new experts bring a wealth of technical and policy experience to CGEP’s already formidable base of experts, helping our team further achieve our goal of providing timely, fact-based insight to policymakers on the most pressing policy challenges of today.”
CGEP Research Team:
Ashley Finan, Global Fellow
Dr. Ashley Finan serves as Chief Science Officer for the National and Homeland Security Directorate at Idaho National Laboratory. She previously served as founding Director of the National Reactor Innovation Center and a Division Director in the Nuclear Science & Technology Directorate at Idaho National Laboratory. She has also served as founding Executive Director for the Nuclear Innovation Alliance. Dr. Finan earned her Ph.D. in Nuclear Science and Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She holds an SB degree in Physics as well as SB and SM degrees in Nuclear Science and Engineering from MIT.
Kate Guy, Managing Director of the Geopolitics of Climate Change and the Energy Transition (joint with Institute of Global Politics)
Prior to joining CGEP, Kate was an appointee of the Biden-Harris Administration, directing the Department of State’s diplomatic efforts and interagency policy at the intersection of climate change, national security, and foreign policy. She served as a Senior Advisor to Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry and to the Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of Oceans, and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. She was formerly a Senior Research Fellow with the Center for Climate and Security and Deputy Director of the International Military Council on Climate and Security, where she led research into the growing global threats posed by climate change. She previously served in roles with the Truman National Security Project, Foreign Policy for America, Hillary for America, the International Institute for Sustainable Development, and the White House Council on Environmental Quality. Kate earned her B.A. in Political Science and M.A. in International Affairs from Columbia University, and she is pursuing a doctorate in international relations with the University of Oxford, where she has taught as a Lecturer in International Relations.
CGEP Non-Resident Fellows:
Ethan Zindler
Ethan Zindler currently serves as Head of Country and Policy Research at BloombergNEF, (BNEF), a provider of data, research and analysis on clean power, energy storage, electric vehicles, carbon credit markets, commodities, and other aspects of the transition to a lower-carbon economy. Zindler oversees BNEF analysts in London, São Paulo, Washington and multiple cities in Asia. From July 2023 to January 2025, Zindler served as Climate Counselor to U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. Prior to joining Treasury, Zindler served as Head of Americas at BNEF. He has also held roles at The Cape Cod Times, MTV, and the Clinton White House. Zindler holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a BA from Georgetown University.
