Biden-Harris Administration Names Robinson Director of Grid Deployment Office

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WASHINGTON DC – The U.S. Department of Energy announced today that recently-resigned Framingham State Representative Maria Duaime Robinson will become the Director of the Grid Deployment Office.

The Grid Deployment Office’s mission is to execute The U.S. Department of Energy’s Building a Better Grid initiative to modernize and upgrade the nation’s electric transmission lines and deploy cheaper, cleaner electricity across the country.

Robinson will be the first-ever director of the newly-created department.

Robinson was one of seven new Biden-Harris Administration appointees joining the Department to work with U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm to pursue President Biden’s ambitious clean energy goals and transition to a net-zero emissions economy by 2050, said a press release.

 With these new hires and recent promotions, DOE appointees continue making up an historically diverse team, with 58% women, 57% people of color, and 15% of staff identifying as LGBTQ+.

“We’re thrilled to welcome to the Department of Energy an amazing array of talented individuals, who bring their experience at all levels — from industry and academia, and from city halls to the White House,” said U.S. Department of Energy Chief of Staff Christopher Davis, in a press release. “These appointees understand the importance of this moment and will tackle the increasingly critical work of carrying out President Biden’s bold goals for climate action.” 

Robinson was the first Korean-American elected to the Massachusetts General Court, where she served in the House of Representatives from 2019 to 2022.

While in office, Robinson led the bicameral Clean Energy Caucus; was the Massachusetts state lead for the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators, where she also served on the board; and was the only state legislator on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Clean Air Act Advisory Committee.

She also served on the faculty at Tufts University’s School of Urban Planning and Environmental Policy, bringing her expertise in energy policy to graduate students.

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Robinson was nominated by the Biden administration last September, but her nomination failed to get out of committee, and eventually was withdrawn in June.

Rep. Robinson was nominated to be the Assistant Secretary of Energy for Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability.

Robinson, is now in the 7th Middlesex house district with Rep. Jack Patrick Lewis, after the 2020 Census redistricting. She submitted her resignation to the State House yesterday.

And this morning she released a letter to the Framingham Community in SOURCE.

Prior to her election in 2018, Robinson led Advanced Energy Economy’s (AEE) Wholesale Markets Program, including engagement with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the regional transmission organizations.

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Previously, she focused on regulatory issues relating to energy and air, including a 27-state campaign with governors’ offices, legislatures, and energy and environmental regulators. She also managed AEE’s report development and data-driven analysis at both the state and national level. She worked for Navigant Consulting in the renewable energy practice, supporting the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in analyzing and procuring contractors for statewide renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.

Robinson is a proud lifetime Girl Scout.

She holds an S.B. in chemical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Master of Jurisprudence in energy law from the University of Tulsa.

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