Who We Are
Mission Clean Energy (“Mission”) is a values-driven company focused on accelerating the clean energy transition. Our mission is to decarbonize the grid responsibly, one renewable energy project at a time. We are leading the way by providing clean, abundant, and reliable energy to communities throughout the US. Our staff is located in Arizona, California, Colorado, New York, Montana, Texas, Washington DC, and beyond.
Mission is well-capitalized and uniquely positioned to grow and execute on our expanding pipeline. With decades of combined experience, the Mission team expertly manages even the most complicated projects from concept to completion, and helps utilities, municipalities, cooperatives, and corporate customers deliver dependable, customized energy solutions.
Our uniquely tailored strategies, well-targeted site campaigns, and ability to navigate complex development efforts have resulted in over 4 gigawatts of contracted and operational projects. Our extensive experience reduces risk and maximizes the viability of every project we develop.
Our team is united in our passion for renewable energy and storage and their role in creating positive impacts on local communities while decarbonizing the grid. Every step of the way, we work with host communities to create jobs, deliver tax dollars and contribute to the betterment of the locations in which we operate.
Mission Values
Our Team
Mission Clean Energy is a newly founded company with a well-established leadership team that has worked together for many years, delivering extraordinary results. Mission’s leadership has managed energy projects through all stages of the development cycle including site control and permitting, power offtake negotiations, financing and construction.
Executives
Max Bakker
Chief Executive Officer
With over fifteen years of industry experience, Max drives the long-term planning and vision of the company, overseeing market entry strategy, pipeline development and growth, and revenue origination activities. Prior to joining Mission Clean Energy, Max founded Atlas Renewable Power (Atlas), a renewable energy consulting firm offering market entry strategy, site acquisition, and development services to top-tier US developers and private equity. While at Atlas, Max led the origination and development of over 4 gigawatts of utility scale solar and battery projects including the 900 MW Sun Streams complex, which secured a cutting-edge offtake agreement with Microsoft and other parties. Prior to founding Atlas, Max was responsible for project development and utility system sales at First Solar. Max was an early employee of NextLight Renewable Power, where he supported and managed the origination and development of 970 MWs of US solar projects with PPAs that were won through utility power solicitations.
Valentina Cabrera
Chief Operating Officer
Bringing decades of experience from her time as an Environmental Scientist at the EPA, Valentina is responsible for the company’s day-to-day operations, overseeing the development, real estate acquisition, GIS, accounting, legal, and administrative functions. Max and Valentina first started working together at Atlas, where she led the company’s expansion to over 40 states, identifying suitable sites and negotiating real estate agreements for more than 100 solar and battery projects representing over 11 gigawatts of generation on behalf of various industry-leading clients. While at Atlas, Valentina developed customized hiring, training, retention, CRM, and reporting programs designed to accommodate utility-scale development with a limited team, building an efficient and professional front line for market analysis, landowner outreach, and early-stage development.
Leadership
Audrey Copeland
Head of Development
About Audrey
Audrey leads our development team, with a focus on origination and development of greenfield solar and battery energy storage projects across the continental United States. Prior to Mission, Audrey had over 15 years of experience in renewable energy and sustainability including greenfield development, origination and offtake, mergers and acquisitions, and project management. Audrey holds a BA in Environmental Studies and Anthropology from Eckerd College and an MBA in Sustainable Management with a concentration in Renewable Energy from Presidio Graduate School.
Austin Quig-Hartman
VP of Pre-Construction
About Austin
Austin oversees development engineering and EPC management across the Mission portfolio. Austin has almost 20 years of experience in the renewable energy industry holding various roles at SunPower, First Solar, and most recently Leeward Renewable Energy. Austin holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.
Laure Bakker
Associate Director of Real Estate
About Laure
Laure manages our real estate team, including greenfielding and site acquisitions. Prior to Mission, she worked as a teacher in Arizona. Laure holds a BA in History from Ottawa University and a MA in Education from Arizona State University.
John Richardson
Vice President of Finance
About John
John brings over a decade of renewable energy and infrastructure investment banking expertise. He co-founded Acadia Infrastructure Capital in 2023 and previously served as Director of Business Development & Investor Relations at CohnReznick Capital before joining Mission. His experience includes $2 billion in transactions and 15GW of renewable energy projects. John founded Juniors in Energy Finance (JiEF) in 2015 and holds a B.B.A. in Business, Economics, and Public Policy from The George Washington University.
Mission Team
The Mission team has proven experience to navigate complex regulatory markets, identify profitable opportunities, finance projects, and build them on time. We value our strong employee culture rooted in transparency and mutual respect.
Colleen McHugh
Officer Manager
About Colleen
Colleen is responsible for overseeing daily business operations of the Mission office out of our office in the San Francisco Mission District. Prior to joining Mission, Colleen spent ten years managing operations for large real estate offices in the Bay Area. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Comparative Literature with an emphasis in Latin American literature and a Minor in Education from the University of California, Berkeley.
Shaun Duggan
Finance Manager
About Shaun
Shaun is responsible for financial modeling and acquisition opportunities nationwide. Prior to joining Mission, Shaun was a Finance Associate at Vesper Energy, a Corporate Development Associate at Ecoplexus, and an Analyst in the Global Natural Resources Investment Banking group at Barclays. Shaun holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and a Master’s of Engineering from the University of Melbourne.
Ethan Frazier
Permitting Manager
About Ethan
Ethan is responsible for assessing permitting risks during preliminary siting campaigns and for successfully permitting utility-scale battery and solar projects across all American power markets. Prior to joining Mission, Ethan worked as an environmental compliance consultant at Black & Veatch. Ethan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies with an emphasis in Natural Resource Policy from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln.
Gabe Bolio
Development Manager
About Gabe
Gabe leads greenfield efforts and project development in the CAISO, Pacific Northwest and Southwest regions. Prior to joining Mission, Gabe worked in healthcare technology in San Francisco, CA. Gabe holds a BS in Science, Technology & International Affairs with a concentration in Energy & the Environment and a Minor in Spanish from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.
Carly Grossman
Development Manager
About Carly
Carly leads project development, greenfield campaigns, and market strategy in NYISO, MISO, and the Southeast. Prior to joining Mission, Carly worked in financial services and data analytics in New York. Carly holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from Georgetown University.
Will Corvin
Project Developer, Senior
About Will
Will is focused on greenfield developments of solar and battery energy storage projects in ERCOT and PJM. Prior to joining Mission, he honed his project management skills while working as a teacher through the Fulbright Program and Teach for America. Will holds a MA in Urban Education Policy from Loyola Marymount University and a BA in History and Political Science from Northwestern University.
Japhet Koteen
Project Developer, Senior
About Japhet
Japhet Koteen is focused on greenfield development of solar and battery energy storage projects the South and Texas. His previous work includes commercial real estate development, energy conservation, technology and food systems startups, and consulting. He most recently led the data systems consulting practice at Community Attributes, a boutique economics, land-use and strategy practice. Japhet holds a Master’s degree in Urban Planning from University of Washington and a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from Swarthmore College.
Emma Riley
Project Developer
About Emma
Emma is focused on greenfield developments of solar and battery energy storage projects in California. Prior to joining Mission, Emma interned for the Nature Conservancy for the Nature-Based Solutions research team while finishing her graduate studies. Emma holds an MA in International Economics with a concentration in Energy, Resources, and the Environment from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and a BA in Philosophy from Columbia University.
Jesse McNeill
Project Developer
About Jesse
Jesse works primarily on solar and battery energy storage projects in Colorado and Idaho. Before Mission, Jesse worked in Education in Washington, D.C. Jesse holds a BS in Environmental Biology from Georgetown University.
Natasha Anderson
Project Developer
About Natasha
Natasha is responsible for greenfield development in CAISO, the Northwest, and the Southwest. Prior to joining Mission, Natasha worked in various environmental education roles, engaging with students and the general public to raise awareness about the natural environment in the Bay Area, Santa Cruz, and Vermont. Natasha holds dual BA’s in Conservation & Resource Studies and Sociology from University of California, Berkeley.
Anna Conley
Renewable Energy Associate
About Anna
Anna is focused on landowner relationships and land acquisition in New York, Texas, the Midwest, and the South. Prior to joining Mission, Anna worked in the sustainable private equity field to launch green technology and later in pro-bono community-based infrastructure. Anna holds a BS in Environmental Science from Dickinson College.
Amy Atangan-Rinne
GIS Analyst, Senior
About Amy
Amy is responsible for all aspects of mapping Mission development projects. Prior to joining Mission Clean Energy, Amy did GIS work at the County of Napa, CAL FIRE – Forest Practice, and Washington Mutual Bank for a collective 18 years. Amy has a BA in English and a BA in Geography with a concentration in Geographic Information Systems.
Ben Karni
Development Engineer
About Ben
Ben is focused on performing site layouts, energy modeling, cost estimating, and design optimization. Before joining the Mission, he had previously interned at the Khalid Nanotechnology Lab at UC Berkeley as well as the Zucker Environmental Materials and Processes Lab at Tel Aviv University while in undergrad. Ben holds a BA in Mechanical Engineering with a Minor in Energy Engineering at UC Berkeley.
Matthew Friday
Real Estate Acquisitions Manager
About Matthew
Matthew primarily works within the Northwest, ERCOT, and ISO New England power markets on both BESS and PVS projects. Prior to joining Mission, Matthew worked as a teacher and instructional coach in public education, specifically with adjudicated and probationary youth of San Francisco. Matthew holds two Bachelor of Arts Degrees from Penn State University and a Master’s Degree from St. John’s College.
Jamie Farrell
Real Estate Associate, Senior
About Jamie
Jamie Farrell is focused on landowner acquisition and contracting. Prior to joining Mission, Jamie worked with homeowners, businesses and non-profits at the largest solar and battery installer in Montana, designing systems tailored to meet customers’ environmental and economic goals. Jamie holds a BS in Environmental Biology from Georgetown University.
Trudie Grattan
Renewable Energy Associate
About Trudie
Trudie is primarily focused on Texas, California, and the Midwest. Prior to joining Mission Clean Energy, Trudie worked for the Stanford Wrigley Field Program where she assisted in leading undergraduate field education on the Big Island of Hawaii. Trudie attended Stanford University, earning an MA in Earth Systems and a BS in Human Biology with a concentration in Human-Environment Interaction.
Shirin Vora
Senior Interconnection Engineer
About Shirin
Shirin is responsible for overseeing the transmission and interconnection processes for Mission’s solar and battery energy storage projects. Prior to joining Mission, Shirin was an Interconnection Engineer at a renewable energy developer based in the Northeast. Shirin holds a Master’s of Engineering in Energy Systems from Northeastern University, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering.
Dominic LeBel
Real Estate Acquisition Manager
About Dominic
Dominic is responsible for managing land acquisition for solar and energy storage facilities in the Northwestern and Southwestern United States. Prior to joining Mission, he played a key role at Olivewood Energy, specializing in fostering stakeholder, town, and landowner engagement while leading successful land campaigns for utility-scale solar projects across New England and New York. Dominic holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology – Mental Health from Plymouth State University.
Austen Larson
Senior Real Estate Associate
About Austen
Austen is responsible for landowner outreach in the ERCOT and Southeast regions as well as Colorado and Idaho. Prior to joining Mission, Austen worked as an Acquisitions Manager and Title Expert for a real estate investment company. Austen holds a Bachelor’s in Political Science from Brigham Young University.