Key Personnel

The staff at AEAI is remarkably diverse and includes engineers, economists and lawyers.This provides us with a comprehensive understanding of the complexities of each project, and an intimate familiarity with the technical, policy and social aspects of energy and environmental activities. This expertise is complemented by our project management experience in both the private and public sectors throughout the world. Also, our Teaming experience is something that we promote in all our national and international efforts.

Gopal Kadagathur: The founder and president of AEAI, Dr. Kadagathur is a professional engineer and applied scientist who has worked throughout the world with public and private clients addressing both the technical and policy issues impacting energy restructuring and privatization. Dr. Kadagathur has more than 35 years of experience covering the spectrum of activities in energy and environmental sectors. He has extensive knowledge of energy consumption data analysis of conservation/fuel switching options, energy efficiency technologies and financial analysis of integrated power. He has worked in more than 50 countries on the continents of Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and South America. Ph.D. Applied Sciences, Harvard University; M.S. Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science; B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Mysore University. Member, Harvard University Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Alumni Council; member, Harvard University Friends of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

Suzanne Maia: a former consultant of both the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank, is based in the AEAI Brasilia, Brazil office as President of AE do Brazil and founder of BRASUS, a not-for-profit non-government organization (NGO). This NGO is composed of national and international NGOs as well as for-profit companies, with multi-disciplinary competencies aimed at improving Brazil's sustainable economic, social and environmental development. As a former Advisor for PRODEEM, the Brazilian Ministry of Energy and Mines national renewable energy program, she directed a renewable energy activity that encompasses issues of federal sector restructuring and addresses local ownership, project valuation, capacity building at government and sector levels and linking private and public financing. Ms. Maia is fluent in Portuguese and speaks Spanish. M.A. International Studies, The American University; B.A. International Relations and French, Goucher College; Certificat d'Etudes, 1 and 2 degrees, French, Hamilton College, Paris, France.

Joe Skroski: AEAI's Resident Advisor in Cairo, Egypt, Mr. Skroski has more than 40 years of experience in energy policy and regulation, project finance, and project management experience. His work for the past 14 years has been internationally focused in Central Asia, Egypt, Latin America, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Mr. Skroski's experience includes restructuring, corporatization and privatization of the electric utility sector; technical and financial appraisal of BOO/BOOT projects, due diligence reviews and risk management assessments, integrated resource planning, energy technology assessment, implementation and financing of cogeneration and independent power production projects, engineering and construction management, management and organizational reviews, electric utility planning and operations, energy conservation and load management, demand?side planning and management, product marketing, market planning and research, and utility telecommunications and control. M.B.A. Business and Finance, Fairleigh Dickenson University; B.S. Mechanical Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology.

Olga Mandrugina: Ms. Mandrugina has managed USAID power, environmental, economic and social sector activities in Armenia, Moldova, Russia, other countries of the Newly Independent States (NIS) and developing world and worked with World Bank, European Union and United Nations' counterparts. Skills and expertise in institution building, social and economic development, small business development, marketing, energy efficiency and energy conservation, strategic planning, privatization and information technology. She is presently assisting the US Department of Energy Nuclear Cities Program, has managed the Egyptian Electricity Sector Policy Group (ESPG) and Armenia Energy Efficiency efforts on behalf of USAID. Ms. Mandrugina is managing USAID's Energy IQC which requires oversight of technical and financial activities for 13 consortium partners on multiple task orders. She speaks Russian, German and French. M.P.P. Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government; M.A, Moscow State Linguistic University; B.A. Moscow State Linguistics University.

Ranjan Ravaliya, Environmental Scientist, Ph. D.: Dr. Ravaliya has been in the environmental field for over 18 years. She has an excellent grasp of and expertise in, the technical aspects of hazardous waste management programs, site assessment and remediation planning, data collection, compilation and management. She is familiar with different types of databases used for various purposes, and has successfully coordinated technical projects and provided logistic support for numerous other projects. Ph. D. Chemistry, M. S. University of Baroda, Gujarat, India, 1981; M. Sc. Chemistry, M. S. University of Baroda, Gujarat, India, 1977; B. Sc. Chemistry, S. P. University, Gujarat, India, 1974; Environmental Remediation Certification, Northeastern University, MA, 1995; Massachusetts Certified-Asbestos Project Monitor & Asbestos Inspector.

Carl Duisberg: Mr. Duisberg is a practical, results-oriented and innovative problem solver for energy development programs. He joins AEAI from Nexant,Inc. (an affiliate of Bechtel Engineering) where he served as a Principal for the Energy Consulting practice. Mr. Duisberg has spent over 18 years living overseas. He is a development professional, emphasizing energy efficiency and energy policy, with extensive international experience as a senior manager and program design and implementation strategist with USAID. For USAID, Mr. Duisberg has managed Rural Electrification projects in the Andean and Central American regions and a large utility reform and improvement program with WAPDA in Pakistan. He has also demonstrated his team-building, planning, collaboration, and cross-cultural skills on numerous international energy projects since 1980. He is known for his inclusive and consultative management style and his creative and open approach to solving complex problems and unique challenges. Mr. Duisberg has:

Jack Whippen: Whippen is a senior executive with 30 years of experience focused in the electric energy infrastructure development and management. As a senior executive he advised clients in electric infrastructure development and managed companies responsible for investing in excess of $2.5 billion (US) in generation and co-generation projects. He has served as an advisor to the governments of India, Guatemala, Jamaica and the Philippines under the auspices of the US Agency for International Development (AID) and the World Bank addressing privatization and the technical, institutional and regulatory issues concomitant with restructuring. He has served as a consultant to private sector clients addressing business development, divestiture and risk allocation issues. During his career Mr. Whippen has lived and worked in the United States, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia and England. He has also provided expert witness testimony before State and Federal regulatory agencies and written a number of professional papers, presentations and research reports.

Robert Means: Dr. Means has more than thirty years of experience in dealing with issues of energy and utility policy and regulation as a consultant, regulator and academic. Issues that he has dealt with have ranged from technical questions of ratemaking methodology to broad issues of privatization and the proper boundaries of regulation. He has published articles on alternative energy technologies, and he currently teaches courses dealing with the environmental implications of energy use and with climate change. Mr. Means hold a law degree from Harvard Law School.

Randall Nottingham: is a senior energy economist and policy analyst with more than ten years of experience in positions of increasing responsibility and exposure. Mr. Nottingham’s key areas of expertise include project management, training needs assessment, team and institutional capacity building, information management, energy market and investment analysis, political and economic risk assessment, and policy proposal and review. He has a demonstrated ability to work independently or in groups as both project leader and team member. Mr. Nottingham is an experienced presenter with strong written and oral communication skills.

Firras Traish: has been active in international development programs throughout his career. Mr. Traish worked with United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on Procurement, Budgeting, IT development and worked with many of USAID’s "Implementing Partners" or Contractors and sub-Contractors on business development programs. Firras Traish has studied worked and resided long-term throughout the Middle East. At present, Mr. Traish is currently with Advanced Engineering Associates International (AEAI), an energy and environment consulting firm engaged with public and private sector clients throughout developing energy markets. He works on business development programs, acts as international liaison, assists in employee management and client relations/promotion, and assists in coordinating project implementations and budget maintenance. He holds an M.A in Public Policy and International Relations and is fluent in Arabic.

Other AEAI Staff: information on other staff is available; all AEAI staff have international energy work experience, graduate work in related areas and language proficiency in one or more languages. AEAI has strong working relationships with and can utilize the resources of faculty at Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Georgetown University and Tufts University as well as the variety of National Laboratories that are based in the United States. We also have commitments from US agencies (i.e. Department of Energy) and other organizations to assist AEAI as is useful on any activity.

AEAI Worldwide Projects

United States

Baltimore, Boston Washington, D.C.

Middle East

Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, Morocco, Syria

Africa

Algeria, Ghana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, Tanzania, South Africa

Latin America

Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatamala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua Venezuela

Asia

Bangladesh, India Indonesia, Malaysia Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Phillippines, Thailand

CEE/NIS

Armenia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Moldova, Czech Republic Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Poland, Romania, Russia, Turkey, Slovak Republic, Tajikstan, Ukrane, Uzbekistan