Patrice ‘Pete’ Parsons
Executive Director Texas Solar Energy Society
Patrice ‘Pete’ Parsons is a seasoned strategist with more than two decades in public policy development, alliance building, community networking, and administration and management in the public and nonprofit sectors. A veteran of energy and air quality issues, her experience has focused on climate change in the areas of mitigation, resiliency and sustainability with an emphasis on clean and emerging technologies in both stationery and mobile applications.
Currently, she is Executive Director of the Texas Solar Energy Society where she advocates and creates programs to educate and inspire every Texas to adopt solar energy as part of an equitable 100% clean energy future.
Prior to TXSES, Pete’s experience includes Director of External Relations for ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability; Director of the Houston Advanced Research Fuel Cell Center; and Toyota. As Director of the Alternative Fuels Program at the Texas General Land Office, she was on a National Alternative Fuels Task Force created by President Clinton which helped the Department of Energy develop the US Clean Cities Program. As Associate Deputy Land Commissioner, Pete was the Commissioner’s spokesperson on climate change, renewable energy and represented him on the U.S. Clean Air Act Advisory Committee.
In her politically appointed position as the Director of the Texas State Energy Conservation Office (SECO), Pete managed 33 different energy conservation program areas with a $200M budget where she created the SECO LoanStar Revolving Loan Program that has become a model for other states.