THE MCEC TEAM
MEET OUR STAFF
I. KATHERINE MAGRUDER
Executive Director
MS. MAGRUDER is the Executive Director of the Maryland Clean Energy Center (MCEC), a corporate instrumentality of the state created to advance the adoption of clean energy products, services, and technologies. In addition to administrative and budget management for MCEC she is engaged in government and industry stakeholder relations, event production, and innovation advancement.
Magruder led efforts to launch programs designed to provide access to capital for energy projects including the the Maryland Home Energy Loan Program, Maryland Clean Energy Capital Program, the Maryland Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (MDPACE) Program, and most recently- the Clean Energy Advantage Loan Program.
In her prior position Ms. Magruder served as Chief of Staff at the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute; known for performing cutting edge research and transfer of newly discovered technologies to commercial applications; when it existed as part of the University System of Maryland.
As Director of Resource Based Industries, for the Maryland Department of Commerce, she initiated and managed a program focused on sustaining agriculture, forestry, mining, fisheries and maritime industry sectors. Working in collaboration with multiple agencies and in partnership with the Maryland Energy Administration, she helped develop a statewide approach to implement evolving energy policies and technologies.
Ms. Magruder previously served at the regional and county level in tourism, community and economic development as Director of the Department of Economic Development & Tourism for Queen Anne’s County, Maryland. Emphasizing sustainability In that capacity, she led numerous agribusiness and ecotourism initiatives focused on environment, economy, and cultural character. Related efforts include creation of an interactive exhibit for visitors at the Chesapeake Heritage Center, state designation of the Stories of the Chesapeake Heritage Area, and national designation for the Chesapeake Country Scenic Byway.
Kathy holds a professional Certificate in Destination Marketing & Management from George Washington University School of Business & Public Management, and is recognized as a Certified Economic Developer by the International Economic Development Council. She earned her BFA in Fine Art from Maryland Institute College of Art in 1982, and looks forward to every opportunity to use her creative skills.
STEVEN M. COWAN
Chief Investment Officer
MR. COWAN is a veteran energy corporate finance professional with over 20 years of experience focused on the energy and renewables sectors. He has executed over 80 debt, equity, and M&A transactions globally valued at more than $15 billion. In addition, he has significant expertise in originating, structuring, managing, and executing complex transactions. Mr. Cowan has worked previously in the energy groups of Jefferies, Deutsche Bank, Canaccord Genuity Inc., and Clarksons Platou plc, among others. More recently, Mr. Cowan served as the Chief Financial Officer of Global Energy Solutions, Inc. and Global Environmental Solutions, Inc.
Mr. Cowan earned an MBA in Accounting and Finance from the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago and a BBA in Accounting from the University of Texas at Austin.
SABRINA L. BACHMAN
Communications Director
With over 15 years of program management experience, MS. BACHMAN has built her career around working with organizations that have a strong commitment to sustainability and protecting the environment. As MCEC’s Communications Director, Sabrina is responsible for marketing and communications strategies to help MCEC meet its mission to advance the adoption of clean energy, and energy efficiency products, services and technologies.
Prior to joining the MCEC team in 2018, Ms. Bachman served the U.S. Green Building Council as their Community Director for Maryland and West Virginia. She has also worked at the local level with several government offices and nonprofit organizations, in Maryland and California, to implement programs to protect the environment and offer educational resources. Ms. Bachman holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Systems from the University of California, San Diego.
BENJAMIN J. RUPERT
Director of Procurement and Technical Assistance Services
MR. RUPERT brings more than 15 years of experience developing, creatively financing, and implementing clean energy projects and programs to the Maryland Clean Energy Center. He has spent significant time working in both the public and private sectors, and has unique experience developing collaborative procurement solutions to implement cost effective clean energy projects. He has provided technical support and leadership for a wide array of energy projects, including energy efficiency, combined heat and power, microgrid, energy storage, and renewable energy systems including solar, wind, renewable natural gas (RNG), and biomass.
Beyond technical energy expertise, Ben holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Policy. He has significant experience developing and implementing climate and energy policy at the state and local levels, and has served as a building codes and standards advisor for the States of Washington and California. He is a Certified Energy Manager (CEM), has served on the board of directors for the Association of Energy Engineer’s National Capital Chapter since 2016, and is a past president of the organizations Pacific Northwest Chapter.
PAMELA R. POWERS
Legislative Affairs & Administrative Manager
MS. POWERS joined the Maryland Clean Energy Center team in 2017. As MCEC’s Legislative Affairs and Administrative Manager, she oversees and coordinates activities of the Legislative Committee, including legislative research and tracking, and update calls while acting as a liaison to elected and appointed government officials. Pamela also coordinates the MCEC continuing education solar training for realtors. Ms. Powers manages the overall administrative functions of the organization, develops and maintains all recordkeeping systems while assisting with procurement and contract management. Pamela supports senior staff with event development and management including, logistics, and site selection. She provides clerical support for matters relating to the activities of the Board of Directors and day-to-day operations. Pamela acts as a liaison with stakeholders, business representatives, vendors, and the general public.
Ms. Powers is the former Chief of Staff to Former Delegate Tawanna P. Gaines, Vice Chair of the House Appropriation Committee. Pamela received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at the University of Maryland, College Park.
LIMUNGA MINGO
Project Manager, Procurement and Technical Assistance Services
Born and raised in Cameroon, Limunga Mingo moved to the US after high school and got a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and M.S. in Engineering Management (Cost and Finance Engineering) from The George Washington University. She specializes in managing technical projects and is often working to create or refine processes to streamline operations. She is fluent in French and has experience working across various technical fields for foreign companies. Limunga is a powerful force in the workplace and uses her positive attitude and energy to encourage others to succeed. She’s passionate about encouraging young females in STEM fields, enjoys traveling, and spending time with her daughter.
CHARMAINE BROWN
Advisor - Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Strategies & Initiatives
Named “A Leading Lady in Housing” by MReport in 2016 and Diversity Journal’s Woman-Worth Watching 2018, Charmaine Brown is recognized as a diversity and inclusion thought leader, innovator, and advocate. MRS. BROWN previously led Fannie Mae’s Diversity and Inclusion Engagement and Outreach in its Office of Minority and Women Inclusion (OMWI) for the last decade, where she was responsible for developing and implementing diversity and inclusion external engagement and outreach strategies for the enterprise.
With over 25 years of experience in housing and financial services, Mrs. Brown has been lauded for her success as a leader in business development, corporate social responsibility, diversity and inclusion, and community relations. Prior to joining Fannie Mae’s Diversity and Inclusion Practice, she developed and implemented strategic initiatives for multicultural and underserved markets as part of Fannie Mae’s Housing and Community Development Division and Single-Family Mortgage Business. Brown has held inaugural DEI positions for Charles County Government, Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), and most recently as the Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Finance of America Companies (FOA), where she was also President of the Finance of America Foundation, and Chair of Finance of America’s ESG Committee. She was appointed one of three Co-Chair of the Maryland Commission on Climate Change and currently leads the Climate Justice team.
Mrs. Brown holds a Master of Arts degree from The Johns Hopkins University. Additionally, she is credited with completing the Diversity Management Program at Cornell’s ILR School, as well as the Harvard Kennedy School for Executive Education, Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Program. She is also certified in the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI), a cross-cultural competency assessment tool, and ranks in the top 2% for cultural competency.
Mrs. Brown is a member of the American Association for Access, Equity, and Diversity, a former member of Securities Industries and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) Diversity and Inclusion Committee. She serves on the Vice-Chair of the American Mortgage Diversity Council (AMDC) and sits on the Housing Advisory Board of HomeFree USA. She is also the recipient of the Council for Inclusion in Financial Services (CIFS) Prism Award for promoting diversity and inclusion education in expansive thought as well as the National Urban League’s McGannon award for relationship management and promoting diversity and inclusion. In 2019, Charmaine was a Five Star Keystone Award Winner and named one of the Top 25 Influencers in the Mortgage Industry. Charmaine is also a member of the National Speakers Association.
DOROTHY KOLB
Controller
MS. KOLB is an operations and finance executive with over 20 years experience in the sports, media and creative/marketing agency space including production, operations, and finance roles at CBS Sports, FOX Sports, NBC, Scripps Networks and CBS Radio as well as a foundational accounting start with Deloitte in NYC.
Dorothy holds a Bachelor's in Accounting/Economics from Long Island University-Post, and professional certificates in Executive Women in Leadership from Cornell University and Human Resource Management from Villanova University. She is a CPA and a Society for Human Resource Management Senior Certified HR Professional (SHRM-SCP).
AZIZ KAMULEGEYA
Clean Energy Advantage Loan Program Coordinator
MR. KAMULEGEYA comes to MCEC from the commercial real estate finance industry, where he spent the last 12 years helping a small entity with 70 employees grow into a major player in the market with more than 1100 team members. During his tenure there, he helped develop several lending and investment platforms providing solid support from finance, accounting, audit, tax, management, regulatory and technological perspectives.
Aziz manages the Clean Energy Advantage (CEA) Loan Program, which provides affordable financing to Maryland home owners looking to complete residential energy efficiency projects. He also looks forward to joining the team and providing unhealthy sugary treats at all in-person team meetings.
Aziz holds a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics from Makerere University in Uganda, and a Masters in Accounting and Finance from Kingston University in London, United Kingdom.
MAURA L. ROSS
Wood Energy Coordinator
MS. ROSS is the Maryland Clean Energy Center’s Wood Energy Coordinator. Maura is responsible for increasing the use of woody biomass as a viable energy source across Maryland, while ensuring proper forest management. She has prior program management and web development experience with the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. In Indiana, she redesigned the state-wide sustainability program, Clean Communities, by creating 150 project templates with clear metrics for communities to meet and developed a website to help communities leaders track their progress. Additionally, Maura brings technical knowledge to MCEC after working as a solar panel designer at Solar Holler.
Maura holds a Bachelor of Science in Energy Engineering from Purdue University, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies and Bachelor of Art from Butler University. During her undergraduate career, Maura conducted research and published her peer-reviewed paper, Writing Climate Change Assessments: Scientific Author Challenges and Rhetorical Negotiations in The Journal of Technical Writing and Communication.
RYLEE P. KENNEDY
Marketing Program Assistant
MS. KENNEDY is the MCEC Marketing Program Assistant. She supports the development of the Center's outreach and education initiatives, marketing and communications strategies, and campaign logistics. Rylee has earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Geography and Environmental Studies from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.
Rylee has experience working with organizations throughout the entire Chesapeake Bay Watershed through grant management and outreach. Through her prior work at the Maryland Pesticide Education Network and the Chesapeake Bay Trust, she has experience communicating the importance of community-wide participation in increasing environmental literacy and conservation efforts to Chesapeake Bay residents.
Interested in joining our team? View open positions.