Margaret Cherne-Hendrick, PhD

Margaret Cherne-Hendrick works closely with Fresh Energy’s Chief Executive Officer, Executive Leadership Team, and staff to advance Fresh Energy’s mission, strategic framework, core values, and guiding principles. An expert in multi-sector decarbonization policies and strategies, Margaret steers Fresh Energy’s work to invest its resources and use highest-leverage strategies to equitably decarbonize our economy by 2050. In this capacity, she helps lead Fresh Energy’s work at the Public Utilities Commission, State Legislature, administrative channels, and local governments and businesses. Margaret also manages Fresh Energy’s work across its Transportation and Industry departments and plays a key role in multiple organization-wide functions, particularly the intersection of finance, program prioritization, and management structures and systems.

Beyond Fresh Energy, Margaret is Co-Founder and former Co-Director of the Midwest Building Decarbonization Coalition.

A member of the Fresh Energy team since 2018, Margaret previously worked for the Institute for Sustainable Energy at Boston University. Margaret’s multidisciplinary background in climate science, carbon removal and management policies and practices, and energy policy includes past work with the Environmental Protection Agency, Conservation Law Foundation, Barr Foundation, and Home Energy Efficiency Team (HEET). Margaret holds a doctorate in Geography from Boston University, a master’s degree in Organismal Biology and Ecology from the University of Montana, and a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Reed College. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her wife, daughters, and dog as well as gardening, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.