Milena leads Go's Distributed Energy Resources team, working with renewable energy, demand response, energy storage and grid interactive technologies. Milena has helped government, non-profit, utility, university, and other entities make decisions on whether to and how to invest in or support the development of distributed energy resources. Specifically, she has helped entities identify and prioritize goals for renewable energy and energy storage projects, engage stakeholders, study the technical and economic feasibility, engage the market, and navigate the complex world of renewable energy procurement for both on-site and off-site opportunities. To do so, Milena helps facilitate conversations with stakeholders, analyzes complex data, performs in-depth research and documentation, assists in RFP writing and response evaluation, and helps to effectively communicate our findings.

Milena has a Master of Science in Renewable and Clean Energy from the University of Dayton (UD). As a Graduate Assistant for the UD Hanley Sustainability Institute, Milena led the Campus Waste Team, participated in the campus carbon neutrality planning, and worked with students and staff on a wide range of sustainability initiatives. For her master’s project, Milena developed an energy model for her own home and used it to design solar photovoltaic and geothermal systems to make it zero energy. Her roof is now adorned with solar panels, and while the “pipe dream” didn’t pan out, her home is almost fully electrified.

Milena has a Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree also from the University of Dayton. Inspired by her ETHOS experiences in Honduras and Cameroon as an undergraduate, Milena obtained a U.S. Fulbright Scholarship to return to Honduras for a year after graduation to work as a Community Development Coordinator for the non-profit, Heart to Honduras. She then moved to Austin, TX to discover a new part of the world and work as an Engineer in Training at Texas Engineering Solutions, LLC. In this role, she designed and permitted infrastructure for water quality measures, detention facilities, streets, and stormwater and wastewater lines.

Before moving to Ohio, Milena and her husband took the opportunity to hike much of the western United States. They explored nineteen National Parks, camping and living out of their Prius, on a three-month adventure. Escaping into nature is still one of Milena’s favorite activities, especially with her husband and two young kiddos. Milena also enjoys throwing pottery, tending their backyard garden, and cooking with the fresh eggs provided by one of their hens!