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The Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP) at Columbia University SIPA today announced new research and operations team personnel including Robin Millican, who most recently served as Head...
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The US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright has directed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to make a rule that would help rapidly move electricity onto the US grid in large amounts.
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The Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP) at Columbia University SIPA today announced new research and operations team personnel including Robin Millican, who most recently served as Head of Strategic Initiatives and Integration at Breakthrough Energy and has joined the Center as Director of Research Programs and Strategic Partnerships. An energy and climate policy expert, Millican will oversee the development of research products and strategic programs that CGEP produces, ensuring that they are aligned with policy, engagement, and development goals of the Center.
“We are thrilled to have Robin Millican join our leadership team to ensure the Center on Global Energy Policy’s cutting-edge expertise and insights are strategically aligned with the needs of our key stakeholders and achieve real-world impact,” said Jason Bordoff, Founding Director of CGEP. “Today’s decision-makers are increasingly navigating a fragmented global landscape, and Robin’s extensive experience will contribute enormously to delivering on the Center’s mission to advance evidence-based and actionable solutions to today’s most complex energy challenges through research, dialogue, and education.”
CGEP also announced new staff who will contribute to the organization’s operations, procurement, and administrative functions, and to the Center’s ongoing focus on trade and the clean energy transition.
Prior to joining CGEP, Robin Millican served as Head of Strategic Initiatives and Integration at Breakthrough Energy, the global organization founded by Bill Gates to accelerate the transition to affordable, reliable, and clean energy. Previously, she served as Senior Director of US Policy and Advocacy at Breakthrough Energy, where she oversaw a team of policy experts, managed a significant annual grantmaking portfolio, and directed strategies to advance federal and state policy priorities across the power, industrial, transportation, buildings, and agriculture sectors. Earlier in her career, Ms. Millican led the energy innovation policy and grantmaking portfolio at Gates Ventures; advised public sector clients as a strategy consultant with Booz Allen Hamilton; and served as a legislative aide to United States Senator John Cornyn, supporting policy development on energy, environmental, and economic issues. Ms. Millican serves on the boards and advisory councils of several organizations, including ClearPath, Silverado Policy Accelerator, and Nature is Nonpartisan.
Swad Sathe most recently served as a Climate Intern at the Niskanen Center in Washington, DC, where he conducted research and wrote articles on permitting reform, transmission expansion, and geothermal energy. He has also held internships with Observer Research Foundation America, a think tank specializing in US-India relations, and the Climate Leadership Council, a think tank focused on market-based solutions to reduce global emissions. Swad previously worked at Sezzle, an alternate payments platform. Swad also holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of Minnesota – Twin-Cities.
Najoice K. Strong George is a seasoned financial professional with over 20 years of experience leading accounting operations and financial management across industries including higher education, energy, healthcare, and professional services. Najoice has held roles at Columbia University, Eurasia Group, and Ubiquity Solar, where she developed and implemented financial systems, managed multi-country operations, and improved reporting accuracy and compliance. She holds an MBA from Pace University and a BS in Chemistry from Trinity College.
What does that mean for power grids?
Blue states have higher electricity prices than red states. We need more infrastructure — including fossil fuel infrastructure — to ensure that electricity is affordable.
On November 6, 2025, in the lead-up to the annual UN Conference of the Parties (COP30), the Center on Global Energy Policy (CGEP) at Columbia University SIPA convened a roundtable on project-based carbon credit markets (PCCMs) in São Paulo, Brazil—a country that both hosted this year’s COP and is well-positioned to shape the next phase of global carbon markets by leveraging its experience in nature-based solutions.
Last month, the Trump administration imposed fresh sanctions on Russia’s two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, signaling a renewed desire to drive Moscow to the negotiating table in its war against Ukraine. But although these measures have the potential to harm the Russian economy, just how much damage they inflict will depend largely on one actor: Beijing. China bought almost half the oil Russia exported in 2024, evading Washington’s existing restrictions in the process. And new sanctions alone will do little to push China into significantly reducing its purchases.
