Our Team

Patricia Zavala

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Patricia Zavala is the Executive Director of PowerHouse Texas. She has nearly 15 years of experience in grassroots organizing, program management, training and advocacy. Previously, she served as the Senior Policy Analyst for Jolt, where she led the organization's legislative advocacy agenda for the state’s largest Latino civic engagement organization.

While living in Europe, she worked with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and organized transnational climate actions with the UN Climate Vulnerable Forum. Her research at FAO examined agrarian peasants’ movements' influence on international climate policies and environmental justice frameworks.

For over five years she worked at Workers Defense Project, an advocacy organization that uses legislative and legal action to improve working conditions for low-wage workers. She served as the Director of the Employment and Legal Services program, which she expanded to the statewide level.

Patricia holds two masters degrees in Public Affairs and Latin American Studies from the University of Texas at Austin, and an undergraduate degree from the University of California Santa Barbara. She is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese and has worked as an interpreter for a language justice organization that she co-founded. Patricia previously served on the Steering Committee for the Austin Immigrants Rights Coalition and is currently serving on the Board of Directors for the Texas Electric Transportation Resources Alliance.

Anagha Uppal

ACTING PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Anagha Uppal is the Policy & Program Manager for PowerHouse Texas. She joined our team after completing our inaugural Energy Policy Fellowship at the Texas Capitol.

In prior years, she has been a project manager for a $5M DOE-funded EV charger installation project with 40 partners; created an international disaster resilience database for an office of the UN; contributed to a decarbonization report for California EPA; and spent time in academic and startup spaces leading arboreal health efforts and wind turbine data provision.

Anagha is a computational social scientist with a master's in GIS from UC Santa Barbara.

Nisha Ramesh

DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Nisha is an energy veteran, having spent over 15 years in the industry across hydrogen, wind, biofuels, solar, hydroelectric power as well as digital solutions (Web 2.0 & 3.0). She has built energy project pipelines worth over $800 million and has worked in well-known organizations such as Vestas, Opower, the United Nations and CNBC. 

A startup founder herself (CEO, Regeneration Energy Inc.), she has advised and fundraised for early-stage Cleantech companies across Silicon Valley, Austin and Singapore.

Nisha has a Finance degree from the Australian National University and a Master's in Trade Policy from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. 

  • Megan Thompson

    Spring 2025 Intern

    Megan Thompson is a 4th year Government and Sociology student at The University of Texas at Austin. She is passionate about policy research and creating interdisciplinary and comprehensive solutions to address complex societal challenges.

    Previously, Megan worked as a Lead Consultant with the Global Sustainability Leadership Institute, during which she led a team in analyzing state-level environmental legislation and advising clients on strategies to integrate sustainable practices and reduce single-use plastics. Additionally, she worked for the Ramos Research Institute, where she conducted research on the environmental impacts of fast fashion and developed comprehensive policy recommendations for state legislatures to regulate the fashion industry and reduce its ecological footprint.

    Upon graduation,  Megan plans to pursue a career in policy analysis and advocacy, using her skills and experience to advance impactful public policies.

  • Brianna Schaff

    Spring 2025 Intern

    Brianna Schaff is a third-year undergraduate student at the University of Texas at Austin majoring International Relations and Global Studies with a focus in Science, Technology, and the Environment, with a minor in Government. She is a Liberal Arts Honors/Plan I Scholars student. In her final year of study she will pursue a senior thesis concerning international climate change mitigation with a focus on international energy security.

    Brianna has previously held executive and volunteer positions for several nonprofit organizations in Austin, including Project Princess and Citizens Climate Lobby. She regularly participates in grassroots advocacy and lobbying activities to promote civic engagement in local climate change resolutions. She is passionate about learning and working towards policy initiatives for energy innovation, sustainable development, and environmental protection.


  • Joshua Bober

    Spring 2025 Intern

    Joshua is a Mechanical Engineering and Plan II Honors student at the University of Texas at Austin, hoping to specialize in the intersection between energy, policy, and engineering design/manufacturing.

    As a Policy and Program Intern for PowerHouse Texas, he cares deeply for the legislative and administrative future of Texas energy and infrastructure. He has a long history of policy, research, and rhetorical excellence through speech and debate and various service projects and organizations at the national, state, and local level. Joshua has previously worked with the Colin Allred for Senate Campaign as a Finance Intern. On campus, Joshua is an active member of the Terry Scholars Student Association, Society of Plan II Engineers, Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers, and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.


  • Bhavik Menon

    Spring 2025 Intern

    Bhavik Menon is an undergraduate student at UT Austin, pursuing a double major in Economics and Plan II Honors. He is passionate about exploring an "all-of-the-above" energy strategy that balances innovation with sustainability. He is particularly excited to observe and engage with the transformative energy policymaking and market dynamics that many consider to be shaping the most important legislative session in the state's recent history.

    Beyond his involvement with PowerHouse Texas, Bhavik serves as the Editor-in-Chief of The Daily Dynamo, an energy-focused publication, and as President of Texas Energy Consulting, a student-run consulting group on campus. In his free time, he enjoys playing sports, writing, trying new experiences, and spending time with friends.

Board Members

Lanson Burrow Jones, Jr.

VICE CHAIR

Lanson Burrows Jones Jr. is the Founder and CEO of Everlast Energy, one of the fastest growing energy brokerage companies on the market. Lanson is a passionate entrepreneur with experience in launching early stage innovative companies in the energy and technology sectors.

He has extensive transitional experience before and after a successful Mergers & Acquisitions in the deregulated energy sector and brings key thought leadership in understanding, recognizing, establishing and staying ahead of market trends by leveraging technology and unique go to market strategies. 

Raina Hornaday

BOARD MEMBER

Raina Hornaday is an accomplished leader in the renewable energy sector and the General Manager and Co-Founder of Caprock Renewables. With extensive experience in wind and solar energy development and expertise in the ERCOT market, she has successfully led numerous projects.

As a landowner, developer, and Board Member at CleanTX, she actively promotes clean energy initiatives and environmental sustainability. Rain holds a Bachelor’s from Eastern New Mexico University and a Master’s in Energy from Texas Tech University.

Doug Lewin

BOARD PRESIDENT

Doug Lewin founded Stoic Energy, LLC, an energy advisory consulting firm focused on markets, technology, and policy in 2018. Previously, Doug led government and regulatory affairs work for CLEAResult, an energy efficiency program implementer for over 250 utilities in 40 states and provinces. Prior to joining CLEAResult, Lewin was the founding Executive Director of the South-central Partnership for Energy Efficiency as a Resource (SPEER). SPEER was recognized by the US Department of Energy as the regional energy efficiency organization for Texas and Oklahoma, working with a network of similar organizations throughout the US to advance energy efficiency. 

Lewin worked at the Texas Legislature for five years as a legislative aide, primarily on energy, environment, and climate issues for three different elected officials in the House and Senate. There, he established a successful bipartisan energy policy working group which deepened the knowledge base of a wide group of Capitol staffers and members by bringing in guest speakers from industry and academia. 

Lewin is a nationally recognized energy expert, particularly in the electric grid, renewable energy, energy efficiency, demand response, utility regulation, and pollution reduction. He is contributor of articles on Texas energy to Renewable Energy World and has been featured in newspaper articles and TV/radio segments throughout Texas and nationally, including the Texas Tribune, the New York Times, the Austin American Statesman, the Dallas Morning News, the Houston Chronicle, Texas Monthly, the Texas Observer, Texas Public Radio, and more. Lewin earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Texas at Austin and is a proud husband and father of four children.

Pat Wood III

BOARD MEMBER

As a former Chairman of the Federal Regulatory Commission and the Public Utility Commission of Texas, Pat has championed customer-focused, technology-driven competition and infrastructure.

Now as the CEO of Hunt Energy Network, he oversees a portfolio of distributed power assets, including 25 grid-connected batteries in Texas, while serving on boards of leading energy companies including Dynegy and SunPower. A Texas A&M Civil Engineering alum and Harvard Law School graduate, he has played a pivotal role in shaping the U.S. energy landscape.

Micalah Spenrath

BOARD SECRETARY

Micalah Spenrath brings expertise in energy policy, science, engineering, and project management to PowerHouse Texas. As Deputy Director of Policy & Energy at the Houston Advanced Research Center, she leads legislative engagement and contributes to ERCOT’s ADER Pilot Project.

With prior experience managing federal projects and advancing energy policies, she is a trusted voice in Texas’s energy sector. A Stanford engineering graduate with a PMP Certification, Micalah combines technical expertise with strategic leadership.

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