Anna Siefken

Former Executive Director | Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA, UNITED STATES

Anna Siefken's focus is on moving energy and climatetech innovation from the research lab to market.

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Biography

Anna Siefken is the inaugural executive director of the Scott Institute where she helps drive initiatives integral to the Institute’s mission and vision. Previously, she served as the Scott Institute’s associate director for innovation and strategic partnerships, a role in which she deepened engagements and developed an innovative partnership strategy that promotes collaboration with industry, government, nongovernmental organizations, foundations, universities, and several of Carnegie Mellon’s energy-related centers. The strategy focused on research, commercializing technologies, education, and outreach.

Prior to joining CMU in 2016, Siefken was the Pittsburgh 2030 District director and vice president of strategic engagement for the Green Building Alliance, one of the largest regional chapters of the U.S. Green Building Council. She previously worked at ICF International and The Home Depot headquarters. She is a founding member of the international 2030 District Network’s Board of Governors.

Siefken is one of six CMU-affiliated women who were honored with the Pittsburgh Business Times’ 2016 Women in Energy Leadership Award. In 2018, she received the Cribs for Kids’ Women of Achievement award for promoting a sustainable community, her work with the Pittsburgh 2030 District, and being an exemplary role model for women and girls. Most recently, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory selected Siefken as a member of its national Executive Energy Leadership Academy cohort.

Areas of Expertise (5)

Energy Efficiency

Energy Resources

Climatetech Innovation

Building Performance

Climate Change

Media Appearances (6)

352 - Superconnector Anna Siefken On Managing Change & Empowering The Clean Economy

SunCast online

2021-03-18

Today's guest, Anna Siefken has spent her career making the business case for energy efficiency, cleantech innovation, and building performance as a means to address the world’s energy challenges and the global urgency of climate change.

The Next Four Years of Climate and Environmental Policy

Carnegie Mellon University online

2021-02-11

Top of mind for the Biden administration's clean energy agenda should be the advancement of new technologies, leveraging recent innovations in AI, machine learning and research to drive toward a zero-carbon energy future. Their goals will be accelerated by strong collaborations in the major energy producing and energy consuming sectors: power generation, transportation, buildings, industry, agriculture and forestry, and materials. But decarbonization will require more than increasing the amount of electric vehicles, or shifting to renewable sources like wind and solar. It will necessitate deep partnerships between corporations, cities, universities, energy institutes and startups to double down on our collective energy and cleantech efforts to date, spurring future economic momentum and growth. — Anna J. Siefken Executive Director Wilton E. Scott Institute for Energy Innovation

Former Pittsburgh Steel Mill Brings Solar To New Development

Solar Industry online

2019-09-19

“RIDC’s commitment to environmentally friendly development choices mirrors our focus on energy innovation to create more resilient and sustainable cities,” says Anna Siefken, executive director of Carnegie Mellon University’s Wilton E. Scott Institute for Energy Innovation. “This solar array, which will allow students and faculty to gather data in real time for research purposes, will showcase our deep commitment to renewables in Pittsburgh and southwestern Pennsylvania.”

Pennsylvania's Solar Future Is Sunnier Thanks to Heinz College

Carnegie Mellon University online

2019-08-20

"Working with the DEP, and several commercial developers and utilities, our team identified 675 financially — and environmentally feasible sites for the deployment of grid-scale solar in a nine-county region in the Pittsburgh metro area," said Anna J. Siefken, executive director of CMU's Wilton E. Scott Institute for Energy Innovation and a Heinz College adjunct faculty member who served as the project's adviser.

PennDOT Is Tripling Its Budget For Landslide Remediation In Western PA

90.5 WESA online

2019-03-26

And the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection set a goal to have 10 percent of in-state energy sales come from solar power by 2030. That would require a “full portfolio” of options, including grid-scale solar installations, says Anna Siefken, a researcher and executive director of the Wilton E. Scott Institute for Energy Innovation at Carnegie Mellon University. This and a wide range of energy-related topics will be discussed through Thursday at CMU Energy Week 2019. Find more about the conference here.

NEXT Up: Why Anna Siefken is one of the coolest energy geeks we know

NEXTpittsburgh online

2018-10-24

Anna J. Siefken is the inaugural executive director of the Wilton E. Scott Institute for Energy Innovation at Carnegie Mellon University. She has received numerous accolades for her leadership in sustainable community work and as a role model for women and girls. A native of Charlotte, N.C., Siefken lives in Mt. Lebanon with her husband Paul, who is president and CEO of Fred Rogers Productions, their daughters, Ella and Ruby, and their dog, Sadie.

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Industry Expertise (1)

Energy

Accomplishments (5)

Women of Influence Award, Pittsburgh Business Times (professional)

2019

Women of Achievement Award, Cribs for Kids (professional)

2018

Women in Energy Leadership Award, Pittsburgh Business Times (professional)

2016