About
Our story began in the fall of 2009, when the City of Charlottesville and County of Albemarle jointly applied for and won a competitive grant to fund a community-based energy efficiency organization. After the formation of our Governance Board, the Local Energy Alliance Program (LEAP) was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2010. LEAP began its highly successful path of home energy upgrades by launching its Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program in July 2010, followed by a program for commercial property owners in 2011, and the start of renewable energy services with the first Solarize campaign in 2014.
In 2012, LEAP added a second office in northern Virginia and began offering a variety of services there. While our focus is on the greater Charlottesville and Northern Virginia regions, we’ve worked with partners and provided services and programs across most of Virginia. As we like to say, “every community needs a LEAP.” So, we go where we’re needed.
Since its inception, LEAP has established itself as a trusted leader in Virginia for home and business energy efficiency and renewables thanks to the relationships we have developed with our customers, contractors, local governments, and many other partners.
Homeowners struggling with high energy bills or uncomfortable houses, and business owners seeking to cut energy costs, come to LEAP for building science expertise and, when available, special rebates and loans to make energy upgrades more affordable.
As a trusted nonprofit, LEAP delivers direct education and services for improved energy performance to address climate change; create cost savings for families and businesses; healthier, safer, and more durable buildings; and local jobs and economic growth.
Our alliance model is a community-based, public-private partnership. Our programs help local governments meet their carbon emission reduction targets, improve the affordability and durability of our businesses and neighborhoods, and stimulate the local economy through job creation and retention. Energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy upgrades benefit the local economy first with local jobs, and secondly, by keeping utility costs down.
To that end, LEAP:
- provides energy evaluations of all building types including homes and businesses;
- provides low-income weatherization services funded by utilities;
- helps communities go solar with our Solarize campaigns that offer discounts and a streamlined process for homeowners and businesses to add solar energy systems;
- provides diverse sustainability services to local governments seeking to engage their constituents and implement clean energy technologies;
- hosts workshops and events and performs outreach to educate and empower the community on energy efficiency and clean energy topics; and
- engages partners around the Commonwealth to advance our transition to clean energy and fight climate change.
LEAP is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, EIN: 27-1155142.
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Governance Board
Louis O’Berry, Chair
Energy Services and Solutions Administrator
Rappahannock Electric Cooperative
“One of our main goals at REC lies in helping and empowering our members to manage their energy use. We strive to encourage them to use energy more efficiently, reduce usage when possible to lower energy expenses, in turn conserving our natural resources. Serving on the LEAP board provides an avenue in supporting a platform such as this to reduce energy consumption and educate for a better tomorrow.”
Kristel Riddervold, Secretary
Environmental Sustainability Manager
City of Charlottesville
“It’s an honor and an asset to have LEAP here in our Charlottesville community as such as strong partner. LEAP’s mission is aligned with important local issues of efficiency, resiliency, affordability, and environmental stewardship and delivers solutions in very personalized and effective ways. They are a key part of the solution to address local challenges and aspirations.”
Chris Weatherford, Treasurer
Director of Project Management
Apex Clean Energy
“Working in the renewable energy field at a national level has strengthened my belief that energy sustainability starts at the local level, whether it’s in Texas, Minnesota or Charlottesville, VA. By helping reduce energy usage through education, energy assessments, weatherization or residential and commercial solar power installations LEAP is championing the local movement towards sustainable energy practices. Combining the effort to cutback local and regional energy demand with the increase in utility scale renewable energy production will lead to a more sustainable future.”
Will Cleveland
Staff Attorney
Southern Environmental Law Center
Bob Lazaro
Executive Director
Northern Virginia Regional Commission
“LEAP serves as a national model in sustainability with its programs linking energy efficiency and renewable energy. I am proud to serve an organization which is making a positive impact on families that live in the community and on the environment.”
Ann Mallek
Board of Supervisors Member
Albemarle County
“The LEAP board has provided an education for me into operations of our energy companies, large and small. LEAP facilitates concrete, local steps to reducing our nation’s energy consumption, achievable by every home and business owner over time. The cooperative effort of the City, County, and University truly achieves much more than we could accomplish alone.”
Michael Payne
City Councilor
City of Charlottesville
“Transitioning to renewable energy and promoting sustainability starts at the local level. I’m excited to work with LEAP and value LEAP as a vital community partner who can reduce energy bills for Charlottesville residents and help the city achieve its emissions reduction target goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.”
Bill Prindle
Vice President
ICF International
“National leaders recognize that energy efficiency is the ‘first fuel in the race for a sustainable energy future.’ But like any energy source, efficiency needs infrastructure — pipelines, powerlines, etc. — to get it delivered. LEAP is a model for that infrastructure: LEAP’s expert staff, its contractor network, its education and outreach, and its financing tools are the pipelines and the powerlines that bring efficiency to homeowners and organizations. For these reasons, it’s vital that LEAP remain a strong and capable organization for Virginia’s communities.”
Annie Suttle
Marketing Consultant
Kim Lundgren Associates
“Communities from Charlottesville to Northern Virginia are thinking about how they can tackle climate change and be more sustainable and livable. And as individuals we are searching for the most meaningful contributions we can make in our daily lives. LEAP is the bridge that connects people — whether renters, homeowners, property or business owners — to the most effective solutions: energy efficiency and clean energy solutions for our buildings.”
Narissa Turner
Policy & Campaigns Manager – Clean Energy & Climate
Virginia Conservation Network
“Improving energy efficiency is the cheapest – and often the most immediate – way to reduce the use of fossil fuels. I have great confidence in LEAP and its mission, as it serves as an effective model for how renters, homeowners, property and business owners can take part in the most effective solutions to tackle climate change: energy efficiency and clean energy solutions for our buildings.”
Jesse Warren
Sustainability Program Manager for Buildings & Operations
University of Virginia
“I have long admired LEAP for so many reasons. Climate action should start at home with building energy efficiency, on-site renewables, and other tools which reduce customer’s utility bills. Everyone should benefit from our clean-energy economy. LEAP helps our community transition to a low-carbon future, while helping reduce the billpayer’s energy burden.”
LEAP Staff
Jamal Freeman
Weatherization Crew Manager
Nancy Kliewer
Finance Manager
Anthony Malabad
Home Energy Analyst
Dan Morgan
Home Energy Analyst
Wilson Ratliff, BPI BA
Co Executive Director and Technical Director
Katie VanLangen
Co-Exec Director and Solarize Program Director
Ross Wood
Home Energy Analyst
Wilson Ratliff, BPI BA, Co Executive Director and Technical Director
Wilson has more than a decade of experience in residential energy efficiency and Building Science. He received his degrees in Building Science, Construction Management, and Sustainable Development in 2007 from Appalachian State University and has been managing operations and production at LEAP since 2015. Wilson holds a Building Analyst certification issued by the Building Performance Institute, is a licensed Energy Analyst with the State of Virginia, and is a Class A contractor. He has performed hundreds of energy audits and helped myriad clients design and execute plans for improved energy performance and comfort in their homes.
Kara Chipiwalt, Client Relations Coordinator
Originally from Louisa, Virginia, Kara recently completed a Master’s degree in geography from East Carolina University, after completing her Bachelor’s in geography at James Madison University. She is invested in sustainability, human-environment interactions, and climate change. Starting at LEAP as our new Client Relations Coordinator, Kara is excited to help individuals find sustainable solutions to energy-efficiency issues within their homes.
Nancy Kliewer, Finance Manager
Nancy joined LEAP’s team in the spring of 2015. Her office management experience is long and exceptional. With an MBA from George Washington University and an undergraduate degree in Business Economics, Nancy’s previous history with St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, the Office of Admissions at George Mason University, and Cox Newspapers Washington Bureau bring vast experience to LEAP. Nancy is a busy mother of three boys who still keeps LEAP’s books in excellent order.
Dan Morgan, Home Energy Analyst
Dan began exploring his interest in energy efficiency at James Madison University, where he graduated with a B.S. in Integrated Science and Technology, with a double concentration in Energy and Environment. After spending several years gaining valuable office and hands-on experience in other fields, he is happy to be back in his hometown of Charlottesville, putting his education to use serving the community.
Ross Wood, Home Energy Analyst
After starting at LEAP as an Intern, Ross was trained to enter into a full-time role as a Technical Assessor in Charlottesville. A year later, he is now performing assessments, maintaining and completing projects, and providing a variety of energy-efficient installations for LEAP clients in Northern Virginia as a Home Energy Analyst. He is also spearheading LEAP’s various weatherization programs for single-family homes and multi-family units. He is excited to help LEAP continue this energy-efficient outreach for the community.
Anthony Malabad, Home Energy Analyst
Anthony Malabad joined LEAP in September 2020 after getting his bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia, where he double-majored in Environmental Science and Global Sustainability. After interning in multiple environmentally focused fields, Anthony is excited to bring his knowledge and experience to help LEAP serve the community and increase energy efficiency.
Jamal Freeman, Weatherization Crew Manager
Jamal moved to Charlottesville in 2017, but was born and raised in Northern Virginia. A jack-of-all-trades of sorts, before coming to LEAP he spent 6 years working as a Sous Chef and Chef de Cuisine. He has lived in GA, FL, PR, and MD before landing here! He loves all outdoor activities from camping and hiking, all the way to golf. Starting as an original member of the LEAP crew, he now manages the weatherization crew as they bring energy-efficiency solutions to the community.
Katie VanLangen, Solarize Program Director, Interim Executive Director
Before coming to LEAP, Katie acted as Executive Director for the Charlottesville Renewable Energy Alliance (CVilleREA), where she worked to support the growth of the renewable energy industry in Charlottesville. Katie graduated from NYU with a Master’s in Public Administration and a Bachelor’s in Marketing and Management. In her free time, she loves cheering for the Yankees, playing tennis, or hanging out with her rescue pup, Kaley.
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