Staff
Andy Romanoff
Executive Director
Since receiving a B.S. in Environmental Toxicology from New York’s Clarkson University, Andy has worn a variety of hats: community organizer; wilderness guide; tourism business owner and boat captain; graphic designer; and dad. Andy sits on the board of Juneau nonprofit Renewable Juneau where he developed and launched the Alaska Carbon Reduction Fund. Andy is honored to be able to bring his passion, energy, and love of heat pumps and energy efficiency to Alaska Heat Smart.
Aaron Blust
Regional Energy Assessor
Aaron grew up in Juneau before heading to the east coast to earn a mechanical engineering degree from Olin College. He followed his passion for buildings to Colorado, where he worked at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory as a Building Science Research Engineer. He’s thrilled to be back in Alaska as an Energy Assessor, supporting electrification and energy savings to improve resilience and sustainability in our communities. When not helping homeowners with energy efficiency, Aaron loves fishing, running, and skiing.
Bob Deering
Technical Advisor / Energy Assessor
Bob is an environmental and mechanical engineer with a 32-year career with the federal government. He worked on hydropower, renewable energy, and energy efficiency projects for the Army Corps of Engineers, Coast Guard, and Forest Service. He was educated at the Universities of Wisconsin and Washington. Bob currently provides technical assistance to Alaska Heat Smart and helps the community better understand how heat pumps can integrate with existing home heating systems.
Mike Hekkers
Energy Assessor
With an M.S. in Geography (glaciology) from Portland State University, Mike had the rewarding position of teaching environmental science at UAS and monitoring the Mendenhall Glacier. His background includes positions as naturalist guide, conservation specialist, construction remodeler, and mortgage loan officer. For decades Mike has helped lead non-profit boards and currently shares his love of skiing as a cross country skiing coach. Mike was an early heat pump adopter (2008) and has been a fan ever since.
Brennen McCulloch
Regional Energy Assessor
Brennen is an electrical engineer passionate about tackling climate change through electrification and greenhouse gas emission reduction. He has worked on projects mitigating methane emissions from abandoned coal mines and dairy farms, EV infrastructure design, and local sustainability initiatives through the Juneau Commission on Sustainability. He recently had a heat pump installed in his home and is stoked to be part of the AHS team helping others to do the same!
Maureen O’Hanlon
Regional Energy Assessor
Maureen is our Sitka-based home energy assessor. A graduate of Yale, Maureen brings a plethora of talents to Alaska Heat Smart. From construction work, to assisting with sea cucumber fisheries, to summer guiding as a boat captain, to sailing, surfing, and distance ocean swimming, and of course aiding homeowners in their quest for home electrification, Maureen rarely finds herself bored and we are lucky to have her as a member of our crew!
Ariana Roberts
Program Coordinator / Data Jedi
AHS is saving the world, one heat pump at a time. It couldn’t be done without a partner in crime. While AHS consults, empowers, and brings home the heat, Ariana pulls the levers, steers us straight, never misses a beat. She’s bright, an Alaskan with a bio degree. She previously saved lives as an EMT. Today, she nurtures her much-loved three – Tristan, Lyra, and dear Amelie. Our Heat Smart ‘Data Jedi’ works hard, she crushes her part. And she’s thankful to support her crew at Alaska Heat Smart!
Sally Schlichting
Energy Assessor
Despite being well-known around town as a classical musician, Sally Schlichting earned her master’s in environmental science and policy from Johns Hopkins and has worked in the environmental field for some 27 years, including as a government regulator, a consultant cleaning up heating oil spills, in climate policy working on carbon forest projects, and doing a stint on the Sustainability Commission finding ways to reduce Juneau’s carbon footprint. Sally is thrilled to be working at Alaska Heat Smart and helping our town switch to 80% renewables by 2045.
Ria Smyke
Program Assistant
Ria grew up in Cordova, Alaska and is a lover of the outdoors. She has performed field work researching Red Knots and Aleutian Terns, worked a session in the Alaska legislature as an aide, and recently earned a B.S. in Environmental Resources from the University of Southeast Alaska. Ria is excited to be a part of the AK Heat Smart team and work towards the goal of furthering energy efficiency in communities across Alaska.
Hannah Wilson
Alaska Programs Manager
Hannah comes to AHS after several years spent working to help develop a sustainable mariculture industry for Alaska. Hannah has been a conservation organizer, an educator, and a wilderness guide. Born and raised in Juneau, she is thrilled to bring her love of coastal Alaska to the AHS team to support sustainable, affordable living in this special place. She holds a B.A. in Geology-Environmental Studies from Whitman College and an M.S. in Resource Conservation from the University of Montana.
Board of Directors
Gretchen Keiser
President
Besides the outdoors (and rock ‘n roll), Gretchen has had a longstanding passion and commitment to energy efficiency, especially since taking an UAS construction course and building an Alaska Craftsman Home in the 1980s. Gretchen is motivated to help other homeowners through AHS now that she enjoys the benefits of heat pumps added to an older Juneau home she moved to — heating cost savings, healthier indoor air and circulation, and smaller carbon footprint.
Paul Voelckers
Vice President
Paul is excited to work with Heat Smart because heat pumps and their adoption can capitalize on Juneau’s advantages of mild climate and hydro power to really offer economic benefits to households across our community. It is also compelling that heat pumps will substantially reduce Juneau’s carbon footprint, while helping our households.
Paul is the owner of MRV Architects and sits on the Juneau Planning Commission.
Lori Sowa
Treasurer
Lori is currently the Director of Energy Services for Alaska Electric Light and Power Co, and has previously worked for CBJ’s Engineering and Public Works department and taught at the University of Alaska Southeast. She thrives at the intersection between her technical engineering background and her passion for working with and for the community. She is excited to join the AHS team, bringing energy efficiency (read cost AND energy savings) to homeowners and fostering conversations around energy.
Sally Saddler
Secretary
Sally Saddler is a retired economist/policy analyst who spent 35 years in the world of community & economic development, education and workforce development. She is excited to be a part of Alaska Heat Smart team, and support the development of an environmentally sound community and the creation of green jobs. She serves on the board of Renewable Juneau, served two terms on the Juneau Board of Education, and holds a BA in Economics from the George Washington University.
Steve Behnke
VP Program Development
Steve is a founding board member and past president of Alaska Heat Smart. He also helped found the non-profit Renewable Juneau. He is a lifelong Alaskan who grew up on a homestead in the Mat-Su Valley, attended UAF, and retired from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. He likes finding ways to help people reduce their energy costs and carbon footprint. He’s glad he got a ground-source heat pump installed 15 years ago in his Juneau home.
Margo Waring
Member
Margo sits on the board of both Renewable Juneau and Alaska Heat Smart. Margo is a retired state government policy analyst and planner and former member of the Juneau School Board. She has worked actively on issues of climate, sustainability and renewable energy for more than a decade.
Lorraine DeAsis
Member
Lorraine is a Director of Construction Management for Tlingit-Haida Regional Housing Authority (THRHA). THRHA’s construction team is recognized for their expertise in energy efficiency and Healthy Homes. The construction department builds new homes, apartment buildings and remodels homes throughout 12 remote Alaskan island communities, using multiple grant and private funding sources.
Alan Wilson
Member
Alan has always been an early adopter of energy efficiency building methods and equipment. As a contractor, one of the most common complaints he hears is that no one called them back or the process was not clear and was too confusing. This generally resulted in the owner not taking action on their home improvement project. AHS was formed to take the mystery out of air source heat pump installations, assist home owners through the process, and bring uniformity to the bidding process benefiting homeowners and contractors alike.
Robin Gilcrist
Member