Kate Ringness

Kate Ringness draws from her experience in policy, law, and finance to address climate change and affordable housing by working with diverse teams to design multifaceted energy efficiency, renewable energy, storage, and water conservation solutions for urban communities. She currently serves as a Strategic Advisor to the Oakland EcoBlock project. She is a visiting scholar at UC Berkeley, where she has led coursework on advanced energy and economic development and conducts research on community microgrids. Kate previously served as Co-Founder and Managing Director of The American Jobs Project, developing impactful strategies to grow local economies and create jobs for the millions of Americans who struggle to meet basic needs. She has a track record of constructing practical pathways to capitalize on the advanced energy economy and has authored more than 10 state-specific comprehensive publications. Earlier in her career, Kate gained significant private sector experience, first as a small business owner and then as in-house counsel for Merrill Lynch in Europe, where she launched subsidiaries in three countries and advised the investment banking group. She is a Phi Beta Kappa honors graduate of Bucknell University, earned J.D. and LL.M. degrees from Duke Law School, and holds a Master of Public Policy from UC Berkeley.