Voices from the Field: Ashley Brasovan

1. Describe your current role and primary responsibilities. What industry/function do you work in?

I work as a Senior Account Executive – Energy at McKinstry, where I focus on client-facing strategic business development for energy solutions, renewable energy, and thermal energy networks. My primary responsibilities include identifying and pursuing new opportunities in the local government vertical market in Colorado, including renewable energy, energy efficiency, and design-build energy solutions. I build and maintain strong relationships with key accounts, develop tailored proposals for energy performance contracts and solar projects, and collaborate with internal teams across engineering, finance, and operations to deliver projects that meet client goals and compliance standards. I also stay informed on industry trends, regulatory changes, and emerging technologies to advise clients effectively. My work sits in the energy and sustainability industry, specifically within sales, business development, and account management in the energy solutions space.

2. Describe a business decision where environmental or climate considerations played a meaningful role. What was the challenge, and how did you approach it?

Many of my clients have ambitious carbon reduction goals—80% by 2050—which are challenging to achieve while balancing financially, technically, and politically sound project recommendations that will ultimately be approved by an elected group of officials like City Councils.

When kicking off a project, I lead McKinstry's strategy to integrate climate-driven solutions into energy performance contracts. By prioritizing certain measures during project development, we align project design with sustainability targets while balancing financial and technical viability through energy savings and avoided costs.

One recent project was an Energy Performance Contract at Denver International Airport. We are finishing up construction on an $83M project that will save the airport more than $4M per year on utilities while also upgrading an aging building automation system across multiple concourses.

Collaborating closely with engineering teams, I ensure that our recommendations for GHG reduction align with what a City Council and staff team will ultimately approve and buy into. This approach positions our team as a trusted partner for innovative, climate-aligned infrastructure solutions from day one of our project.

3. What knowledge or skills have proven most valuable in your current role? Looking back, what do you wish you’d learned earlier in your career?

The skills most valuable in my role include strategic relationship building—cultivating trust with clients and stakeholders to drive long-term partnerships—and financial acumen, particularly understanding complex energy performance contracts, operations and maintenance savings, and ROI modeling. Technical literacy is also critical, as I need to translate renewable energy and decarbonization solutions into clear, actionable proposals. Finally, project coordination and management skills help me align cross-functional teams to deliver sustainable outcomes on time and within budget.

Looking back, I wish I'd learned more about presentation building and public speaking earlier, as that is now a large part of my role. I also wish I'd gained knowledge of funding identification and the different ways to fund projects—such as lease-purchases, CPACE, COPs, and bonds—which would have been helpful to know earlier on.

4.Looking ahead 5-10 years, how do you expect environmental factors to reshape your industry? What capabilities will professionals need to stay competitive?

I expect decarbonization to become a core driver in the energy industry. Regulatory mandates at state levels, carbon taxes and fines, and corporate climate commitments with firm deadlines will accelerate the transition to renewable energy, electrification, and thermal energy networks. Resiliency and climate adaptation will also become critical, with infrastructure increasingly designed through new construction and remodels to withstand extreme weather events, requiring integrated solutions for energy reliability and grid flexibility. Additionally, circular economy practices—including lifecycle carbon accounting and material reuse—will become standard in project planning and procurement.

To stay competitive, professionals will need advanced data analytics and carbon modeling skills to quantify emissions reductions, validate sustainability metrics, and leverage predictive analytics for energy optimization. Financial engineering for green projects will be essential, including expertise in structuring performance contracts, leveraging incentives, and aligning sustainability goals with ROI. Cross-disciplinary collaboration skills will be necessary to bridge engineering, policy, and finance for holistic climate solutions, while regulatory and policy literacy will help professionals navigate evolving climate legislation, building codes, and compliance frameworks. Change leadership and communication abilities will be critical to guide organizations through cultural and operational shifts toward sustainability. Finally, the ability to navigate AI and integrate it into daily work without compromising quality will be increasingly important.

5. What advice would you give to someone who wants to work in your industry as climate change reshapes the current business landscape?

First, remember that soft skills and social skills matter a lot in the workforce, so practice being a good teammate as much as what you're learning from books. Some of the soft skills that go a long way that I use every day are my organization skills and communication. Both have helped me to excel in internal team management, external client success, and ensuring tasks get done on time and on budget for all projects. Embrace cross-disciplinary collaboration—energy solutions now involve engineering, finance, and policy teams, so strong communication and project management skills will help you lead integrated efforts. Finally, stay agile and innovative. Being open-minded and willing to pivot or learn new skills throughout your career will greatly help in both personal and professional development.

Ashley Brasovan is a Senior Account Executive in the energy sector, specializing in design-build renewable energy and energy solutions. With expertise in energy performance contracting and decarbonization strategies, Ashley partners with local governments across Colorado and organizations to deliver innovative projects that reduce emissions and optimize operational costs.