Elgie Holstein

Senior Director for Strategic Planning

Areas of expertise: Climate change, Land, Water & Wildlife programs, rivers and deltas, energy policy

Work

Elgie Holstein coordinates strategy and policy work and represents EDF’s programs to policymakers, supporters, and the media. Elgie brings extensive career experience — having held a number of senior positions in government and the private sector — with a focus on energy, natural resources, and environmental policy.

Background

Prior to joining EDF, Elgie was a senior advisor to the Obama presidential campaign on energy and environmental policy matters and co-director of the Department of Energy presidential transition team.

Elgie’s government service has included senior positions in which he has been responsible for a variety of natural resources, environmental, science, energy, and economic policy issues. Those positions include:

Associate Director of Office of Management and Budget for Natural Resources, Energy and Science;
Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, White House National Economic Council;
Assistant Secretary of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and
Chief of Staff, U.S. Department of Energy.

As a private consultant, Elgie served as a member of an advisory committee for Sandia National Laboratories and worked as an advisor to local governments on water and energy matters. Elgie has worked for Serco, Inc. — a leading provider of professional, technology and management services to the federal government — where he led several projects for the Department of Energy, led a post-9/11 workforce analysis of the FBI and advised the Department of Defense on military family support and benefit programs.

Elgie also has served as Energy and Environment Staff Director for the National Conference of State Legislatures, worked as a congressional staff member specializing in environment and energy policy;, and served as president of a national non-profit consumer financial education organization.

Publications

Co-author of the chapter "Department of Energy — Implementing the New Energy Opportunity" with Ronald Minsk, in Change for America — A Progressive Blueprint for the 44th President.