Nicole Steele
Nicole Steele is a nationally recognized leader with over 20 years’ experience in clean energy, focusing on equitable deployment and workforce development. She recently joined Amalgamated Bank as the Director of Climate Policy where she is leading the bank’s climate policy strategy.
Prior to joining Amalgamated, she was instrumental in the development of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) programs including the National Clean Investment Fund (NCIF), Clean Communities Investment Accelerator (CCIA), and Solar for All (SFA) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and worked in partnership with the U.S. Treasury on the Inflation Reduction Act’s solar tax credits including the Low-Income Communities Bonus Tax Credit.
She was also the Program Manager of the Workforce and Equitable Access Team in the Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the head of the National Community Solar Partnership (NCSP) that created the Community Power Accelerator and many other initiatives that developed solutions for the rapid deployment of clean energy with true meaningful benefits.
Prior to joining the federal government, she was the founding executive director of GRID Alternatives Mid-Atlantic, policy director at the Alliance to Save Energy, and ran the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program for Loudoun County Virginia. She started her career in affordable housing, community and land-use planning, and grassroots advocacy. She is an AmeriCorps alumni and passionate supporter of community service.