Our Team of Solar Professionals

A West Virginia native and solar veteran with more than a decade in the industry, Dan previously helped start up the largest solar installer in Vermont and served as a technical advisor to the US Dept of Energy’s SunShot Initiative. He has an MS in Energy Policy and Climate from Johns Hopkins.

Laura Nagel has been with Solar Holler since the very beginning and has worn many hats over the years. As one of our longest serving employees, Laura has wide-ranging insight into each stage of a project, making her ideally suited to be our Director of Service. She brings with her over twelve years of experience working in the energy field in areas ranging from solar operations to energy efficiency data management. On a daily basis, Laura oversees our solar monitoring platforms to quickly identify any anomalies and proactively respond.

Nhan Chung joined Solar Holler in 2020 as our Financial Controller, and he’s been diving into reports and spreadsheets since day one. With more than 20 years of experience in finance across several different kinds of industries, Nhan is uniquely suited to manage the complex financial needs of our growing company. When he’s not crunching numbers and balancing spreadsheets, Nhan likes to exercise, fish and organize. 

Jessica Edgerly Walsh entered the solar world in 2012, helping launch a solar company in Vermont.  She joined the Solar Holler team in 2020 to support their rebound from the pandemic.  Her approach to marketing is customer-centered, offering folks the solutions and information they’re looking for as they explore their energy options.  

Heath Lambert’s experience in operations management spans over ten years and two continents. As Solar Holler’s Director of Operations, Heath says his role is fundamentally about removing any roadblocks that prevent our team from taking care of our clients.

Emily is our Director of People Development, she is essential to our team’s on boarding process as well continued learning programs for all of our employees. She is based in Barboursville, West Virginia and is an alumni of both West Virginia State and Marshall where she graduated with a Master’s in HR Management. As a key asset to the leadership team Emily ensures that Solar Holler has the region’s top talent to fuel our growth throughout Central Appalachia.

Heather is our Director of Marketing and Storytelling based out of Cass, West Virginia. She has more than a decade of Marketing and Communications experience and is charged with bringing the Solar Holler story to life across Central Appalachia. When she’s not busy crafting our latest campaign and spreading the good news about solar, you can find her playing guitar, backpacking with her husband and their dog Albie, or reading the latest fantasy fiction series.

Bio coming soon

Alissa Sumerano’s background is as a theater and event technician, but when she moved to West Virginia, she wanted to start on a career path that had a positive impact on the planet and the people that live here. As the Lead Solar Guide she oversees the Solar Guide team and coordinates USDA REAP grants for our customers.

Steve Jones is a Solar Guide originally from Kansas city and now based out of Charleston, West Virginia. During his day job he is focusing on helping folks to understand the ins and outs of going Solar. When Steve is not helping folks to add solar to their home, you can most likely find him moonlighting as lead guitarist in a folk-rock band or writing original songs to play at his next gig.

Nick is originally from Williamstown, WV and recently joined our team as Solar Guide in 2022 looking to join a company that makes a positive impact on people and world at its core. As a Solar Guide he helps prospective customer to learn about their options to go solar. When he is not helping folks to go Solar you can catch him trading crypto or playing with his dog Toby and his cat Tarot.

Stephen is originally from Ohio and now lives in West Virginia. As a member of the Solar Guide team his role is to help people better understand the ins and outs of going solar with our company.

Jenny is from Summersville, West Virginia and started off as a Solar Holler customer before joining our Solar Guide team. Jenny helps folks to learn about solar after applying and discussing with them the next steps on their solar journey. As an initial customer her insights and experience are valued by each customer she speaks with. When she’s not at her desk you can find her hiking, camping and being outdoors with her family!

Coming Soon!

Karina is our Community Marketing Manager based out of Lexington, KY. In her role at Solar Holler, her mission is to connect with community leaders and is in charge of our Solar Collaborative program. When she’s not out working with community members you can find her playing at the park with her dog Valentino.

Based in Martinsburg, West Virginia, Dee brings to the team a passion for digital marketing and is focused on using creative ways to deliver our message across central Appalachia. In his free time you will probably catch him at a local coffee shop increasing his Duolingo streak or reading a new book on his kindle.

Dina Hornbaker is a Charleston native and WVU Alumni with a background in Agriculture and Natural Resources. She switched gears when she began working for Solar Holler in 2021. She is passionate about maps and the great outdoors as she continues to create positive impacts for central Appalachian communities. Dina enjoys hiking and foraging during her spare time, although she tends to shy away from sharing her GPS coordinates of her favorite morel patch.

After spending a decade in college admissions, Robyn was eager to apply her skills in a mission oriented role. She made the jump into the clean energy industry when she joined our team in 2018. She currently manages content creation through our communication channels. Robyn lives in Shepherdstown where she excels at baking and gardening.

As the daughter, granddaughter and great-granddaughter of West Virginia coal miners, Elizabeth Opyoke holds a deep appreciation for the energy-producing roots of her home state. She joined Solar Holler in 2018 because she wants the best for Appalachia and she works every day to make it better.

Huntington native, Cody Lynch started his solar career as one of our technical evaluators, but it wasn’t long before he moved over to a position as a home evaluator. Cody’s background and technical understanding of a solar installation gives him valuable insight into each aspect of your project.

Originally from Winfield, West Virginia, Jennifer Pauley is a thorough and detail oriented individual. She has an extensive professional background in the energy field and nearly ten years of experience working in domestic and international logistics. She is also certified as a NAPCEP Photovoltaic Associate and knows all the ins and outs of solar.

Originally from West Virginia, Brad Hash was looking to return to his home state when he started as our commercial solar evaluator. He came to us with six years of experience working in commercial solar in other parts of the country and seamlessly transitioned into his new role with Solar Holler. Prior to his work in solar, he once held a job teaching primitive wilderness survival skills in the Northern Rocky Mountains and has a passion for protecting the wild spaces he loves. He shares his home with his wife and son who enjoy the outdoors as much as he does.

Jennifer Varsak grew up in North Central West Virginia and its always held a special place in her heart. After a career spanning 5 continents and 56 countries, she wanted to return home to use what she’s learned to benefit the people and places she loves.

A Huntington native, Brian Stephens came to Solar Holler with a background in higher education but he’s quickly made the transition into renewable energy. He loves meeting with the wonderful people of Appalachia to help them bring their costs down with solar, he just wishes there were more opportunities to connect in person with one another. He has three children and spends his free time playing and coaching sports.

Tyler Smith had his eye on a job with Solar Holler for more than a year before a position finally opened up. A lover of all things outdoors, he wanted a job that was focused on helping both West Virginia and West Virginians. As a solar home evaluator, Tyler helps folks explore their solar options.

A native of Monongalia County, WV, Leah’s a Mountaineer through and through. She has her Masters of Public Administration from WVU, with a focus on sustainable community development. Her mission at Solar Holler is to connect with as many folks as possible and leverage solar as a vehicle to improve outcomes in Appalachia. In her spare time, you’ll find her lighting up the stage with her band Funkifly or soaking in the sunshine.

Brendan Fish decided to make West Virginia his home after he graduated from Marshall University. He originally joined our project management team and knows the ins and outs of each project. Now as a member of the Innovation team he is in charge of launching our new products and services throughout our service area.

Coming soon!

Originally from Kenova, West Virginia, Christian is not new to working with complicated electrical systems. Having spent the earlier part of his career in Florida, Christian served as the superintendent for one of the largest electrical contractors in the state and was an essential part of the team that built the Universal Studios Cabana Bay resort in Orlando. As a Master Electrician, Christian brings with him over 20 years of experience working in the commercial electric sector.

After completing her electrical coursework through the West Virginia Women Work program, Alison Dempsey was ready to put her skills to use. Alison works closely with our field crews and spends a lot of time on the phone with utility companies and permitting offices to ensure everything is ready for your installation day.