The Hon. Sharon E. Burke and Jon Powers Join Guidehouse as Senior Climate and Energy Advisors

WASHINGTON—April 20, 2022—Guidehouse, a leading global provider of energy, sustainability, infrastructure, and climate consulting services to public sector and commercial clients, is pleased to announce the appointment of the Honorable Sharon E. Burke and Jon Powers as Senior Climate and Energy Advisors. These highly respected leaders will provide expert perspectives on infrastructure and energy resilience, and work with Guidehouse to help the U.S. military adapt to today’s sustainability and energy security challenges.

Burke is a leading expert in climate security, energy security, defense, and critical mineral issues and served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Operational Energy and Programs and is the founder and president of Ecospherics, a research and advisory firm. Throughout her career, she has worked to balance national security and environmental sustainability, with a focus on ideas that scale through public policy. She has been a leader at several civic organizations, including the Center for a New American Security, where she initiated Natural Security, a novel policy research program. She has also served in the U.S. government in Congress, the State Department during the George W. Bush administration, and the Pentagon, most recently as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Operational Energy in the Obama administration and as part of the Biden-Harris presidential transition team.

Powers is a recognized expert in clean energy, sustainability, and national security. An Army veteran, and formerly the U.S. Federal Chief Sustainability Officer, he has dedicated his career to public service, renewable energy, and sustainability. In 2012, he was appointed by President Obama as the Federal Chief Sustainability Officer overseeing the government's climate, clean energy, and sustainability efforts. Prior to that post he served in the U.S. Army in Iraq and helped revolutionize the Army’s energy program as Special Adviser for Energy to the Assistant Secretary of the Army. Powers co-founded the clean energy investment platform CleanCapital in 2015 and serves as the company's president and head of business development.

Climate change and energy considerations are already affecting military operations and readiness. On Oct. 7, 2021, the White House released Climate Adaptation Plans from each agency, as required by Executive Order 14008, “Tackling the Climate Crisis At Home and Abroad.” The Department of Defense Climate Adaptation Plan, released with these plans, articulates a bold vision for climate adaptation and aligns adaptation and resilience efforts with the department's warfighting mission. 

“We are extremely honored to welcome Sharon and Jon to Guidehouse,” said Ed Meehan, Partner and Guidehouse Defense Segment Leader. “Our clients are advancing increasingly ambitious, multi-decade initiatives focused on sustainability, resilience, and delivering positive social impact through their projects and services. We are looking forward to their support, extensive knowledge and leadership to further the solutions we bring in helping the DoD advance their mission.”  

Guidehouse is the go-to partner for leaders creating sustainable, resilient communities and infrastructure, serving as trusted advisors to utilities and energy companies, large corporations, investors, NGOs, and the public sector. This past October, Guidehouse announced its selection by the U.S. General Services Administration Office of Fleet Management to support federal offices and agencies in electrifying the U.S. government’s vehicle fleet.

“The global climate crisis is at the forefront of U.S. national security and foreign policy planning processes,” added Jan Vrins, leader of Guidehouse’s Energy, Sustainability, and Infrastructure segment. “Guidehouse brings the unique combination of truly understanding the implementation of commercial sustainability, climate, and energy best practices coupled with a deep understanding of the mission. We welcome Sharon and Jon as they join us in combating climate change, driving sustainability, and helping to create an equitable clean energy future.”

To learn more about Guidehouse, please visit: www.guidehouse.com.

About Guidehouse

Guidehouse is a leading global provider of consulting services to the public sector and commercial markets, with broad capabilities in management, technology, and risk consulting. By combining our public and private sector expertise, we help clients address their most complex challenges and navigate significant regulatory pressures focusing on transformational change, business resiliency, and technology-driven innovation. Across a range of advisory, consulting, outsourcing, and digital services, we create scalable, innovative solutions that help our clients outwit complexity and position them for future growth and success. The company has more than 13,000 professionals in over 50 locations globally. Guidehouse is a Veritas Capital portfolio company, led by seasoned professionals with proven and diverse expertise in traditional and emerging technologies, markets, and agenda-setting issues driving national and global economies. For more information, please visit www.guidehouse.com.