Mary joined the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in 1995 as an engineer in the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP). She provided technical assistance and supported development of alternative financing mechanisms for numerous energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. Mary became the team leader for the Utility Energy Services team focusing on utility financing mechanisms in 1997 and became the FEMP program manager, where she developed new program areas and brought innovative concepts to realization.

In 2005, Mary became the program manager for NREL's Building Technologies Program, managing the buildings activities across NREL including technology research, development, validation, and applied research for residential and commercial buildings. Through her continued success with NREL, Mary was asked to create the Integrated Deployment corporate function at NREL and develop and direct projects that focus on integrated deployment across a portfolio of energy efficiency, renewable energy, fuels, transportation, and grid integration technologies that use the technical expertise across all areas of the lab.

In 2013, Mary was asked to establish another new position at the laboratory to manage the portfolio of projects funded by non-DOE partners in the Deployment and Market Transformation organization. This portfolio consisted of 60 active projects and $30 million in contract value and has led to NREL establishing several similar positions across the lab to manage non-DOE work. Mary was then asked to return to the Building Technologies lab program manager position to turn around a challenging situation. In 2015, Mary became the program manager for the Solar Program, the flagship program at the lab.

Prior to joining NREL, Mary worked for the Sacramento Municipal Utility District as an engineer in the Advanced and Renewable Technologies group. 

Education

Executive MBA, University of Colorado, Denver

B.S. Mechanical Engineering, California State University, Sacramento