Our Team

Steve Levitas currently serves as the Interim Executive Director of New Energy Economics (NEE), a non-profit organization that provides research and analysis to support energy policy making at the state level.  Steve is leading the expansion of NEE’s programmatic work, including deeper engagement in state utility regulatory proceedings, the production of timely analysis and publications, and the development of large-load customer tariff designs that meet rapidly growing energy demand while protecting ratepayers from unnecessary price increases.

A nationally respected authority on energy policy, Steve was appointed in 2025 by Governor Josh Stein to the North Carolina Utilities Commission to fill a temporary vacancy. Prior to that, he served as Senior Vice President for Regulatory and Government Affairs at Pine Gate Renewables, where he led policy strategy and expanded offtake opportunities for independently owned solar through competitive procurement program design, voluntary customer programs, PURPA implementation, and market reform. He worked extensively on the development and passage of landmark clean energy legislation in North Carolina in 2017 and 2021, and on the 2022 North Carolina Utilities Commission proceeding leading to adoption of a plan to reduce Duke Energy’s carbon emissions by 70%. He has also been heavily involved in transmission and interconnection policy and process matters.

Steve previously served as Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs and Strategy at Cypress Creek Renewables, leading regulatory and government activities and advising on the commercial impacts of public policy. Earlier, he was Vice President for Business Affairs and General Counsel at FLS Energy and spent more than 20 years in private law practice focused on renewable energy project development and environmental regulatory matters.

From 1993–1996, Steve served as Deputy Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources. Prior to state government, he opened the North Carolina office of the Environmental Defense Fund in 1988, serving as Director and Senior Attorney. He has served on the boards of numerous nonprofits, including New Energy Economics, the Center for Energy Education, the Solar Energy Industries Association, the Carolinas Clean Energy Business Association, and the North Carolina Justice Center.

Steve is a graduate of UNC–Chapel Hill and Harvard Law School.

Dan Bruer leads organizational development, communications, and operations for New Energy Economics in support of the organization’s utility regulatory initiatives and strategic objectives. With more than 25 years of experience, he has led major philanthropic initiatives, public policy efforts, and political campaigns at both the state and federal levels.

His career highlights include directing strategy and management for:

• Billion-dollar fundraising campaigns at the University of Missouri – Columbia and the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill.
• Corporate philanthropy and conservation collaborations with major brands including Walmart, Lowe’s Home Improvement, McDonald’s, and State Farm.
• The “Our Water, Our Land” campaign, a $5.5 million fundraising initiative with matching government funds that was the largest land trust campaign of its kind in North Carolina.
• Political fundraising for U.S. Senate candidates across six states.
• National disaster relief efforts with the American Red Cross that exceeded more than $50 million.

Dan is an active member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, where he supports public affairs and community engagement, and is also a member of the Rotary Club of Wilmington in North Carolina. He served on the Board of Directors of the North Carolina League of Conservation Voters for more than 10 years, including six years as treasurer on the Executive Committee.

Dan holds an undergraduate degree in sociology and political science from Missouri State University and completed more than fifty credit hours of graduate study at the University of Missouri–Columbia, with advanced coursework and research focused on political economy, mass communication, and the environment.

Ivan Urlaub is an impact entrepreneur who brings over 25 years of domestic and international experience to his role as Director, Energy & Infrastructure with New Energy Economics. Serving in a fractional role, Ivan is focused on iteratively improving energy affordability, equity, and economic competitiveness. Ivan works with NEE’s growing team and expert Board members to lead programmatic strategy, helping to build out NEE’s regulatory, market, and econometric research and analysis capacity, managing projects, and providing expert testimony and analysis.
Ivan is a former SAFE Energy Security Fellow, US EPA NNEMS Fellow, recipient of multiple business journal, state-level, and non-profit clean energy awards, an Eagle Scout, and he holds Master of Public Policy and Master of Environmental Management degrees from Duke University. He is Principal and founder of Urlaub Strategies, LLC where he also helps clients devise strategic roadmaps supported with research and analysis to realize their vision in the global clean energy and climate transition.
Outside of work, Ivan is based in the Southeast and enjoys baseball, soccer, scouting, travel, and family activities.
Select relevant accomplishments include:
Founded or helped grow several national and state-level not-for-profit organizations
Advised hundreds of clean energy sector, digital infrastructure, and transmission infrastructure firms, state and local governments, not-for-profits, and large energy consumers, helping them successfully navigate energy policy challenges
Co-developed North Carolina’s first clean energy consumer adopter surveys, ratepayer bill impact analysis and reporting, and the nation’s first state-level survey of clean energy jobs and investment
Collaboratively led and supported diverse coalitions that have secured the adoption of dozens of laws and more than one hundred beneficial regulatory outcomes
Supported design and iterative improvement of inclusive utility investment programs and related financial mechanisms
Advised on energy market and policy development in 20 U.S. states

Dr. Bamadou Ouattara is a PhD-trained Economist specializing in Resource and Environmental Economics, with extensive experience in utilities regulation and public policy analysis. As an Energy Economist, he has developed and defended expert testimony on energy efficiency, clean energy transitions, and regulatory frameworks, helping shape policy decisions with rigorous economic analysis. His research and professional practice center on the intersection of energy markets, environmental sustainability, and economic development. Driven by a passion for clean energy and environmental stewardship, Dr. Ouattara is dedicated to advancing innovative, data-driven solutions that support equitable and sustainable energy systems.

Anna Sommer, with Energy Futures Group (EFG), has more than 15 years’ experience working on a wide variety of energy planning related issues, with a primary focus on integrated resource planning (IRP). Along with Chelsea Hotaling at EFG and the transmission and grid reliability experts at Telos Energy, she is providing capacity expansion and system dispatch modeling consulting support to New Energy Economics. More information about Anna and her team is available at: https://energyfuturesgroup.com/team/anna-sommer/