Our Team
Carianne Lee, Executive Director
As Executive Director of Build America Policy Council, Carianne brings extensive experience in federal policy development and strategic advocacy. Carianne specializes in developing strategies to engage with the federal government on energy and infrastructure policies that support economic growth and extreme weather preparedness.
Carianne has previously worked in the U.S. House of Representatives as a senior legislative staffer, where she managed a legislative portfolio including energy, environment, natural resources, and appropriations. In her role, Carianne successfully advocated for a United States Army Corps flood mitigation project which received $496 million following Hurricane Ida. She also worked extensively on emergency management planning, with a particular focus on extreme heat response coordination.
Carianne holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in Environmental Policy and International Studies from Washington University in St. Louis and a Master of Science degree in Environmental Sciences and Policy from Johns Hopkins University. Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Carianne now lives in Washington, DC.
Alex McDonough, Board Chair
Alex brings over 15 years of experience as an advisor, executive and consultant on clean energy and environmental issues, and currently serves as a strategic advisor for Pioneer Public Affairs.
For four years, Alex was a Vice President for Sunrun, the largest residential solar company in the US. He led lawyers, policy experts and communications professionals in tackling regulatory challenges and advancing legislative opportunities to expand access to solar energy.
Prior to joining Sunrun, Alex served as a senior policy advisor for energy and environment in the U.S. Senate for 11 years. In this role, he provided counsel on energy and environmental policy matters at the state, national, and international levels.
Alex is also a cofounder and board member of Clean Energy for America, an organization that advocates for policies and leaders who champion clean energy workforce development. Alex holds a BA from the University of Michigan and a law degree from the Washington College of Law at American University. He's a native of Las Vegas, NV and lives in Washington, DC.