Beyond the Bureaucracy: Meet Elliott
Meet Elliot
“I am a public servant at heart. I am intrinsically motivated by a mission that directly improves the lives and livelihoods of all people, especially those in greatest need.
I was drawn to the federal government for a reliable career path where I could work hard, dedicate myself to a mission, and serve the American people to the best of my ability.
I am proud of how hard I worked to be an eligible and competitive applicant for the civil service. For five years, I balanced a second job in addition to my full-time job to afford my Masters of Public Policy. After graduation, I facilitated community planning that helped rural towns and cities access state and federal funding for programs to lower energy costs for residents. When I took the Oath of Office, it was an amazing sense of pride to know all that hard work prepared me to serve my country, and that hard work ethic was validated every single day over the last year.”
TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR TIME IN GOVERNMENT. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART?
I worked as a project manager for the Industrial Demonstrations Program (IDP) under the Department of Energy’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED). IDP is investing $6 billion directly in America’s industrial companies that manufacture steel, aluminum, chemicals, cement, glass, and process heat. These projects are helping U.S. companies finance, build, and transform industrial factories with state-of-the-art technology. Not only are these new systems cleaner and more energy efficient, they also are improving manufacturing quality, output, and securing thousands of permanent jobs.
My favorite part was collaborating between industry and federal colleague teams to better align one another through the award negotiations. I particularly enjoyed helping industry teams navigate government procedures quickly and efficiently. Although the private and public sectors are often thought of as opposites, we learned a lot working together and built a tremendous amount of mutual respect in the process.
WHAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?
Broadly, I am most proud of directly negotiating 5 projects – and $1.2 billion of federal funds – in under 9 months. In terms of scale and time, this is an historic accomplishment for administering federal awards. This could not have been achieved without the talented and dedicated colleagues and leaders in OCED. The entire department is the most hardworking, collaborative, and brilliant group of people I’ve ever worked with.
Personally, I am really proud of how quickly I taught myself federal regulations, as well as the technical and financial details of each project. These projects involve highly advanced engineering and financing, and I had to learn this material quickly. By being able to conceptualize each projects’ constraints, I was able to successfully problem-solve with industry teams and colleagues.
Most of all, I am so proud to be a small part in building the next American industrial revolution. These projects will help U.S. companies make bigger and faster jumps in their innovation, and gain competitive edges as “first-movers” on industry-leading technologies. If these projects are successful, I know they will have a positive and lasting generational impact on so many hardworking communities across the America.
IF YOU’RE COMFORTABLE, SHARE A LITTLE ABOUT HOW YOU WERE SEPARATED FROM YOUR POSITION?
On February 13, I received a letter from the DOE at 6:47 PM stating I was terminated from my position effective end-of-day, stating “Per OPM instructions, DOE finds that your further employment would not be in the public interest.” The termination gave no further justifications for firing me. My supervisor, as well as the office’s senior leadership, did not have any advanced notice either.
I was 60 days from the end of my probationary period, and I had received the highest performance rating possible for the 2024 performance cycle.
What are your ideal next steps??
My ideal next step is to work in the intersection of project planning, energy efficiency, grid security, and community engagement. One of my strongest skills is scientific and technical communication, especially to diverse audiences. This is especially important in project siting for solar, industrial decarbonization, and data centers. I am interested in roles involving project management and/or community engagement for private energy companies, utilities, or the public sector (local, regional, state).
How we can support:
A note from the Arielle Lewis Studios Team:
We absolutely loved the passion and professionalism that exuded from Elliot during our session together.
Please connect with him on LinkedIn to show your support, and hopefully make a connection that can benefit him and others in their journeys moving forward!
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