About

Mission & Focus Areas

Our mission is to connect individuals and communities in Minnesota to the resources they need to identify and implement community-based clean energy projects.

Our Approach

We're having an impact across Minnesota

Stay in the loop on clean energy news!

How We Work

We Have Teams In Every Part of Minnesota

Staff:

Heidi Auel
Central CERT Coordinator
hauel@umn.edu

Steering Committee:

  • BJ Allen, Region 5 Development Commission
  • Andrew Boyd, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe
  • Amy Collins, Missouri River Energy Services
  • Jane Eastes, Lakes Country Service Cooperative
  • Jon Fabre, Otter Tail Power Company
  • Gwe Gasco, 8th Fire Solar
  • Bridget Guiza, White Earth Tribal College
  • Mark Kaelke, West Central Initiative Foundation
  • Charlie Lippert, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe
  • Molly Zins, U of M Central Regional Sustainable Development Partnership

Staff:

Diana McKeown
Metro CERT Director
612-278-7158
dmckeown@gpisd.net

Steering Committee:

  • Kessa Andrews, Center for Energy and Environment; MPA Student in Sustainability
  • Melody Arteaga, COPAL (Comunidades Organizando el Poder y la Acción Latina)
  • Sally Bauer, Hennepin County
  • Jamila Boudlali, City of Bloomington
  • Carmen Carruthers, Citizens Utility Board
  • Olivia Dorow Hovland, City of Coon Rapids 
  • Emma Ingebretsen, CenterPoint Energy
  • Denise Lindom, MN Department of Commerce
  • Annie Pottorff, City of St. Louis Park
  • Gerardo Roca, Center for Energy and Environment
  • Bill Sierks, Retired Environmental Manager & Attorney
  • Sofia Troutman, Xcel Energy
  • Kerry Wang, Nextera Analytics
  • Billy Weber, William Weber Consulting, LLC
  • Say Yang, Center for Earth, Energy and Democracy

Staff:

Nik Allen
Northeast CERT Coordinator
218-726-6480
dallen12@umn.edu

Steering Committee:

  • David Abazs, U of M Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships
  • Sam Friesen, owner, sustainable design+build company
  • Jim Goodman, resort owner
  • Reno Gunderson, Kanabec County engaged resident
  • Emily Heiken, Minnesota Power/ALLETE
  • Jason Janisch, Iron Range Resources & Rehabilitation (IRRR)
  • Joan Markon, Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Community Services
  • Chris O’Brien, Cook County Local Energy Project (CCLEP)
  • Craig Wainio, City of Mountain Iron
  • Lora Wedge, Ecolibrium3 

Staff:

Anna Peterson
Northwest CERT Coordinator
218-281-8697
annap@umn.edu

Steering Committee:

  • Chet Bodin, MN Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED)
  • Brandon Johnson, Otter Tail Power Company
  • Dan Juhl, Hybrid Renewables
  • Jordan Lutz, Bemidji State University
  • Donald Martodam, Northern Municipal Power Agency
  • Aaron Sigette, Otter Tail Power Company
  • Shannon Stassen, UMN Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships
  • Taylor Wyum, Crookston Housing Development Authority

Staff:

Jennifer Lindahl
Southeast CERT Coordinator
507-258-8771
jlindahl@umn.edu

Steering Committee:

  • Jennyffer Barrientos, Growing Up Healthy (Northfield)
  • Sabri Fair, Region Nine Development Commission
  • Melissa Feine, Semcac
  • Brian Hammarsten, Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency (SMMPA)
  • Lauren Jensen, Destination Medical Center (DMC)
  • Annie Jurrens, Refill Goods
  • Mark Oeltjenbruns, AgriSun Energy and Repair
  • Briana Parr-Baker, Minnesota Valley Action Council
  • Andi Sutton, UMN Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships

Staff:

Nadya Bucklin
Southwest CERT Coordinator
nadyab@swrdc.org

Steering Committee:

  • Anne Dybsetter, UMN Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships
  • Jim Haler, South Central Electric
  • Cora Hoffer, Center for Rural Affairs
  • Eric (Rathman) L’Abbé, UMN Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships, Energy Committee
  • Gene Metz, Nobles County Commissioner, Rural Minnesota Energy Board (RMEB)
  • Vince Robinson, Development Services, Inc.
  • Brianna Sanders, City of St. James
  • Logan Schrader, Minnesota State Energy Center of Excellence
  • Harold Stanislawski, Agriculture Utilization and Research Institute
  • Mic VanDeVeere, Lincoln County Commissioner, Rural Minnesota Energy Board (RMEB)

Staff:

Imani Mosher
West Central CERT Coordinator
320-203-6050
moshe144@umn.edu

Steering Committee:

  • Syd Bauer, Morris Transit, Stevens County Organics, West-Central MN Climate Network, Mask Up Morris
  • Clovis Curl, Clean Up the River Environment (CURE)
  • Anne Dybsetter, UMN Regional Sustainable Development Partnership
  • Pete Kennedy, West Central Research and Outreach Center
  • Michelle Marotzke, Kandiyohi County Economic Development
  • Rachel Mitchell, Center for Energy and Environment
  • Griffin Peck, West Central Initiative
  • Kalley Pratt, Youth Eco Solutions (YES!)
  • Chris Toenjes, Missouri River Energy Services

We Help Guide Your Clean Energy Projects

  1. Events
    Upcoming tours, workshops, webinars, conferences, and more to help you learn and get connected.
  2. Tools & Guides
    Resources by topic and technology to help you understand your options and move projects forward.
  3. Storytelling
    Read stories about people from across Minnesota who are building a clean energy future in their communities.
  4. Job Board
    Find your next opportunity in Minnesota's quickly growing clean energy industry.

Downloads

CERTs Factsheet 2025
CERTs Region Map
2024 Annual Report
2023 Annual Report