Theodora Okiro Quarles is a Policy and Strategy Manager at Lightstar Renewable, LLC where she works to shape energy policy, by engaging in regulatory and legislative engagements in the Midwest and Western US. She previously held roles at Nexamp, where she was a part of the team that successfully advocated for the passage of the Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA). She works to bridge inaccessible clean energy resources by identifying policy solutions that are best suited to promoting access to and the deployment of clean energy. Her work is particularly focused on ensuring that marginalized communities can access clean energy resources and that their leadership is equitably incorporated into its transition. She envisions a world where climate change mitigation is prioritized action and where there is equitable access for all communities not only in the climate conversation but in its action.

She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a B.A. in History from the University of Illinois at Chicago and earned a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Pennsylvania. Her work has been cited by Reuters, Climate X-Change, and Yale Climate Connections. She has also been recognized by Energy News Network as one of the top clean energy leaders and innovators in the U.S. She was recently appointed as Policy Chair of the Black Owners of Solar Services (B.O.S.S) where she leads the policy interventions on behalf of the group and voted Vice Chair of the Coalition for Community Access’ (CCSA) Michigan Community, where she is working to catalyze a community solar market in the state. In her spare time, she is a yogi, avid reader and cinephile. She also likes to develop ideas on how to dress and live sustainably. She shares these thoughts on her website. She lives in Chicago with her husband.