Symposium Speakers

retrofitMAINE's Symposuim is coming: Join us Sept. 25 in Brunswick! •

presenters & speakers

Calling all homeowners!

Our next passivhausMAINE retrofitting training happens June 9 in York. This $25, day-long session will get you started with retrofit planning in Maine.

Click here for more details.

Our 2026 retrofitMAINE Symposium is a one-day event focused on advancing high-performance retrofits and energy education, with a strong focus on policy and technical expertise via case study presentations.

We’re bringing together builders, architects, contractors, policymakers, renter and homeowners, to share case studies and expertise, and to build momentum for Maine’s retrofit movement.

Our 2026 Retrofit Symposium Speakers
(stay tuned for updates!)

Kaya Williams

Southern Maine Energy Navigator Program Coordinator

Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission

Kaya is the Program Coordinator for the Southern Maine Energy Navigator Program and supports a variety of projects in the Sustainability and Resilience Division. She joined the Energy Navigator team in January 2024 as an AmeriCorps Resilience Fellow, then stayed on as a Community Energy Fellow through the U.S. Department of Energy before becoming the program coordinator. Kaya holds a Master’s in Climate and Environmental Policy from Vermont Law and Graduate School, and a BA in Environmental Policy from Colby College. Kaya is committed to empowering residents and communities to take action for a better future and supporting a just energy transition.

Ava Moseley

Energy Navigator Fellow

Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission

Ava is an Energy Navigator Fellow at the Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission (SMPDC), where she provides technical guidance on home energy upgrades, helps homeowners access financial assistance, and supports outreach for the program. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Geography and Environmental Studies from Middlebury College and brings experience in municipal planning. Ava is passionate about expanding access to energy efficiency and strengthening community resilience across Maine.

Jesse McKinnell

Senior Vice President of Specialty Finance

Coastal Enterprises Inc. (CEI)

Jesse manages CEI’s specialty investment activities including state historic tax credits, revenue-based financing, leverage lending, renewable energy tax credits, and emerging opportunities. Jesse joined CEI in 2012 as an Asset and Relationship Manager on their New Markets Tax Credit team. In 2018 he co-founded Bright Community Capital, a Maine-based renewable energy investor and lender with a national footprint, where he served as COO. Prior to joining the CEI family of organizations, Jesse earned a JD from Maine Law and worked as a risk analyst for a large credit card processor. In his free time, Jesse enjoys writing, and activities which require partial submersion in whatever body of water is local and thawed.

Brooks Winner

Director of Community Energy Programs for the City of Boston

Brooks manages the Boston Energy Saver and Boston Community Choice Electricity programs which are delivering affordable clean energy solutions for all Bostonians. Brooks also represents Massachusetts cities and towns on the state’s Energy Efficiency Advisory Council (EEAC) which guides the progress of energy efficiency and building decarbonization in the Commonwealth and serves as the co-chair of the EEAC’s Equity Working Group. Early in his career, Brooks spent nearly a decade supporting community energy projects with island and coastal communities in Maine and pioneered the “Weatherization Week” model which delivered energy retrofits to hundreds of homes across over a dozen remote communities. He lives in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston with his wife Jen and is a big soccer fan, supporting the Boston Legacy and Arsenal Football Club.

Naomi Beal

Executive Director at passivhausMAINE

Naomi Beal is the Executive Director and founding member of passivhausMAINE [phME] and a founding board member of the Passive House Network. Naomi embraces the challenge of developing phME as a sustainable and impactful organisation through local, national and international partnerships. Naomi believes Maine’s economic development can be fostered through a framework of building efficiency and innovative and traditional wood products and prioritizing equitable retrofits as both climate mitigation and adaptation. Naomi lives in South Freeport, ME.

Jake Norris

Coordinator of External Organizing for the Maine Labor Climate Council

Jake Norris is the Coordinator of External Organizing for the Maine Labor Climate Council. He brings a strong passion for workers’ rights, climate justice, and building partnerships to strengthen the workforce. Growing up in a union family, he learned early on the value of solidarity and the power of collective action. Now a licensed Journeyman Electrician in the state of Maine and a proud member of IBEW Local 1253 since 2019, Jake continues to carry those values forward. Outside of work, he enjoys sailing on Penobscot Bay with his wife and spending time outdoors with their dogs.