Full Name
Elizabeth Kocs
Job Title
Program Manager
Company
GTI Energy
Speaker Bio
As Program Manager for External Engagement at GTI Energy’s Hydrogen Technology Center (HTC), Dr. Elizabeth Kocs manages key initiatives to assess the environmental justice (EJ) impacts of hydrogen and low carbon technologies, integrated energy networks, and the broader hydrogen and low carbon energy ecosystem. She serves as the subject matter expert overseeing the development of environmental, energy, and climate justice (EECJ) components for GTI Energy’s low-carbon energy initiatives including the development of metrics to measure Justice 40 (J40) and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) success. With a focus on human-centric approaches, Elizabeth manages industry and community stakeholder engagement for low-carbon energy programs to ensure disadvantaged and EJ communities receive measurable benefits.
Dr. Elizabeth Kocs has over 28 years developing and managing environmental projects and leading stakeholder engagement and community participation in applied research, planning, and policy initiatives locally, regionally, and globally.
Before her current role, Elizabeth served as Director of Partnerships and Strategy at UIC Energy Initiative, where she led strategic energy, sustainability, transportation electrification, and environmental and climate justice programs. She served as Principal Investigator (PI) for Accelerating University-Community Partnerships for Climate Justice to identify best practices for climate justice partnerships and utilize asset based community development (ABCD) methodology and led the development and execution of tools and processes for collaborative partnerships with EJ communities, in partnership with Green Era and Urban Growers Collective
(UGC), a Black and women-led non-profit located on Chicago's Southside. She authored the report “Guiding Principles for Beneficial Electrification of Transportation: A Framework for Transportation Electrification in Illinois,” which has been foundational for local and statewide agencies in planning for EV infrastructure since the passing of the Illinois Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA.) Elizabeth was also co-founder of the Illinois Center for Urban Resilience and Environmental Sustainability (CURES) leading strategic energy-focused stakeholder engagements and leveraging tools for implementing integrated solutions addressing environmental disparities across urban and rural communities.
Recently she received the Chicago Area Clean Cities (CACC) Community Leadership Award for her work in transportation electrification, and the COP26 Climate Challenge Cup for the climate justice research project. Elizabeth holds an executive MBA, a Ph.D. in Environment Behavior Science, and a 5-year professional B.Arch.
Dr. Elizabeth Kocs has over 28 years developing and managing environmental projects and leading stakeholder engagement and community participation in applied research, planning, and policy initiatives locally, regionally, and globally.
Before her current role, Elizabeth served as Director of Partnerships and Strategy at UIC Energy Initiative, where she led strategic energy, sustainability, transportation electrification, and environmental and climate justice programs. She served as Principal Investigator (PI) for Accelerating University-Community Partnerships for Climate Justice to identify best practices for climate justice partnerships and utilize asset based community development (ABCD) methodology and led the development and execution of tools and processes for collaborative partnerships with EJ communities, in partnership with Green Era and Urban Growers Collective
(UGC), a Black and women-led non-profit located on Chicago's Southside. She authored the report “Guiding Principles for Beneficial Electrification of Transportation: A Framework for Transportation Electrification in Illinois,” which has been foundational for local and statewide agencies in planning for EV infrastructure since the passing of the Illinois Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA.) Elizabeth was also co-founder of the Illinois Center for Urban Resilience and Environmental Sustainability (CURES) leading strategic energy-focused stakeholder engagements and leveraging tools for implementing integrated solutions addressing environmental disparities across urban and rural communities.
Recently she received the Chicago Area Clean Cities (CACC) Community Leadership Award for her work in transportation electrification, and the COP26 Climate Challenge Cup for the climate justice research project. Elizabeth holds an executive MBA, a Ph.D. in Environment Behavior Science, and a 5-year professional B.Arch.
Speaking At
