Jennifer Granholm is an American lawyer, educator, author and politician who served most recently as the 16^th United States Secretary of Energy, and previously as the two-term governor of Michigan. As governor, she spearheaded Michigan’s economic recovery after the Great Recession by diversifying the state’s economy to focus on clean energy and revitalizing the auto industry to build electric vehicles. 

As Secretary of Energy (2021-2025), Granholm restructured the U.S. Department of Energy to focus on research and development of advanced clean energy solutions and, importantly, deployment of zero-carbon technologies. She oversaw $200 billion of U.S. DOE investments into companies and projects to accelerate the clean energy transition. During her tenure as Secretary, thanks to the policies and laws that she helped to shape, the country saw record deployment of clean energy — adding the equivalent of 30 Hoover Dams of zero-carbon energy to the nation’s electricity grid in 2024, more than twice as much solar power deployed as ever before. Due to incentives to manufacture in America, businesses announced almost 1,000 factories were coming or expanding in the U.S. to build clean energy products -- solar panels, EVs, batteries, small nuclear reactors, clean hydrogen, geothermal and more. Thanks to DOE’s work, the nation’s transmission grid is seeing an 11X expansion of new transmission miles.

During her tenure as Secretary, DOE with its 110,000 employees was ranked among the Top 10 Best Places to Work in the Federal Government. Secretary Granholm was named in 2024 to the "TIME 100 Most Influential People" list, and Forbes’ list of "Top Climate Leaders."

Secretary Granholm taught law and public policy at UC Berkeley from 2011-2020, specializing in clean energy and public leadership. A former Attorney General of Michigan (1998-2002) and an honors graduate of Harvard Law School (1987), she is the author of A Governor's Story: The Fight for Jobs and America’s Economic Future, has penned scores of articles and opinion pieces on clean energy, and continues to play a leading role in shaping America’s energy future. Heralded for her forward-looking insight, Granholm brings a balanced and nuanced perspective sorely needed in today's divisive times. 

After 12 Years in Office, Gov. Jay Inslee Leaves a Legacy of Climate Action and Crisis Leadership

Jay Inslee is a fifth-generation Washingtonian who has lived and worked in urban and rural communities on both sides of the state. Governor Inslee worked his way through college and graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in economics before earning his law degree at Willamette University. He and his wife, Trudi, then moved to Selah, a small town near Yakima where they raised their three sons. Jay worked as an attorney and prosecutor.

Governor Inslee first became involved in public service in 1985 when he and Trudi helped lead the effort to build a new public high school in Selah. Motivated to fight against proposed funding cuts for rural schools, he went on to represent the 14th Legislative District in the state House of Representatives. Governor Inslee continued serving communities in the Yakima Valley when he was elected to Congress in 1992. The Inslees later moved back to the Puget Sound area where Governor Inslee was elected to Congress in 1998, serving until 2012 when he was elected governor. He was re-elected in 2016 and 2020.

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee’s tenure ended in 2025 after three consecutive terms marked by bold leadership on climate change and crisis management. First elected in 2012 after serving in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Washington State Legislature, Inslee joins Republican Dan Evans (1965–1977) as one of only two Washington governors to serve three consecutive terms.

In his 12 years in office, Inslee transformed Washington into a national leader in climate policy, spearheading groundbreaking initiatives like the Climate Commitment Act, which positioned the state at the forefront of clean energy and carbon reduction. Under his leadership, Washington implemented one of the most ambitious cap-and-invest programs in the country, driving investment in renewable energy, green jobs, and carbon reduction efforts that will have a lasting impact for generations. His work was honored with the TIME Earth Award in 2025. 

Beyond climate and public health, Inslee’s administration also delivered historic investments in transportation, education, and housing. His efforts led to the passage of Washington’s first long-term care program, expansion of apprenticeship programs, and reforms that increased fairness in the state’s tax system, including the voter-backed capital gains tax. His leadership on homelessness included the successful Rights of Way initiative, which moved thousands of individuals off highways and into permanent housing with critical support services.