Zichal joins lighting tech advisory board

Source: Robin Bravender, E&E reporter • Posted: Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Former White House energy and climate adviser Heather Zichal is getting back in the game.

Zichal, who left the administration late last year, has joined an advisory board of Sensity Systems, a Sunnyvale, Calif.-based lighting technology company, the company announced today.”The conversion of legacy lighting to LED technology is inevitable,” Zichal said in a statement released by the company. “By taking advantage of the worldwide, outdoor lighting upgrade to LEDs, Sensity is building out a new network using that infrastructure to deliver both energy-efficient lighting and a real-time, global database of information that will enable greater productivity, efficiency and security.”Since leaving her administration post, Zichal has done occasional speaking events but largely kept a low profile. She said today that joining the board of Sensity Systems is one of several projects she’s taken on since leaving the administration.

“I’m also doing some public speaking and working in support of other major players in the energy space when I’m not busy planning my wedding, that is,” she said in an email. Zichal got engaged in March to Senate Finance Committee staffer Jayme White atop a mountain in Vail, Colo., Politico reported.

Zichal is just one of several former public officials, of both political parties, to sign up for the advisory board. Former House Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt; former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge; and Marcia Hale, a former Clinton White House official and president of the infrastructure advocacy group Building America’s Future, are also on the board.

“The rapid growth for this innovative technology platform calls for diverse, skilled experts to guide us on business and public policy issues,” said Hugh Martin, chairman and CEO of Sensity. “We look forward to the new perspectives and practical counsel that our strategic advisory board members will provide to our team and to the expanding worldwide [Light Sensory Networks] ecosystem.”