Director David Solan, Ph.D.

Office: 208-426-4845 email: DavidSolan@boisestate.edu

Dr. David Solan is Director of the Energy Policy Institute and an Associate Director of the Center for Advanced Energy Studies.  He is also an Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Policy & Administration at Boise State University. 

Prior to his arrival in Idaho, Dr. Solan had a distinguished career working on energy policy in the nation’s capital.  He served as a Senior Policy Advisor at the US Environmental Protection Agency, reporting directly to the Deputy Administrator (COO) and the head of the Office of Research and Development on energy and management issues. He served as an energy policy specialist on the House of Representatives Government Reform Subcommittee on Energy and Resources, and his experience includes tenure as a Legislative Director for a Member of Congress serving on committees for transportation, resources, and science policy.

He received his PhD and MA from the University of Delaware, and he has a BA from Drew University.

 

Assistant Director Michael Louis, BSIE, MSIE, MPA

Office: 208-426-2326 email: MichaelLouis@boisestate.edu Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.

Michael Louis was named the Assistant Director of the Energy Policy Institute (EPI) and an affiliate member of the Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES) in January of 2006. In this position, he is responsible for the day-to-day management and improvement of EPI’s operation. This includes the initiation, governance, and support of energy policy research conducted by the four institutions that make up EPI and CAES. In addition, Michael serves as an adjunct professor teaching classes in Organizational Theory and Program Planning, Management, and Evaluation in Boise State ’s Department of Public Policy.

Known as an innovative strategist with a proven ability to create, implement, and oversee effective solutions to strategically important real-world problems, Michael has held several positions of increasing responsibility in private-sector enterprises prior to joining EPI. He has 10 years of experience with General Motors and Hewlett-Packard designing and implementing world class production systems and supply chains. He has also served as a Production Manager, Planning Manager, and Inventory Control manager for Hewlett-Packard and then for Jabil Circuit, Inc., the 4 th largest high-tech contract manufacturing company in the world. His most recent experience prior to joining EPI was to lead Albertsons, Inc. in an ambitious endeavor to re-design and integrate all of the company’s core business processes aligned to a new business strategy.

Michael graduated with honors receiving a Bachelor (1985) and Masters (1992) degree in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University . While getting his masters degree, he was involved in performing research on the evaluation of demand-side management programs that has applications in utility-based industries. Most recently, he also graduated with honors from Boise State University , receiving his Masters in Public Policy and Administration (MPA) in December of 2005.

Michael currently lives in Boise, Idaho with his wife Laura and their 2 children, Samuel and Terra.

 

Project Manager Carole Nemnich, MPA

Office: 208-426-1835 email: CaroleNemnich@boisestate.edu

Carole Nemnich is Project Manager of Boise State University’s Social Science Research Center (SSRC), Department of Public Policy and Administration. The SSRC produces the annual Idaho Public Policy Survey and provide primary research and analysis for both public and nonprofit sectors. Recent clients include the Idaho Department of Commerce and Labor; the Idaho State Independent Living Council; the Idaho Supreme Court Office of Administration; and the Center of Advanced Energy Policy Studies, Energy Policy Institute.

Carole earned both her MPA and BBA at Boise State University, where she also serves as an adjunct professor. She is the principal/owner of npc consulting, LLC, and past Executive Director of Choices in Community Giving, Inc. Prior to that she worked in supervision and management, from 1992-2001 at Hewlett-Packard Company, and from 1976-1992 at Ore-Ida Foods, Inc.

 

Research Assistants
Lisa Wennstrom phone: 208-426-4018 email: lisawennstrom@boisestate.edu	Nathan Bussey
Brandon Archibald phone: 426-1502	Kathy Hurley phone: 426-4018
Jenny Schmidt phone: 426-4018	Courtney Kirchner phone: 426-1502