Heather Zichal

Heather Zichal
Born	(1976-02-08) February 8, 1976 Elkader, Iowa, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Executive, consultant, political strategist
Known for	Deputy Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change (2009–2013), CEO of American Clean Power Association (2020–2022), global head of sustainability at JPMorgan Chase (2022–present)

Heather Renée Zichal (surname pronounced with a long 'i') (born February 8, 1976) is a U.S.-based executive, consultant, and political strategist with expertise in environmental and climate change policy.

Zichal's professional journey commenced as a legislative director and campaign strategist for multiple Democratic members of Congress. In 2009, she was appointed Deputy Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change during the Barack Obama administration. Following Carol Browner’s departure in early 2011, Zichal took charge of the administration’s energy and climate initiatives and played a pivotal role in designing the Clean Power Plan.

She transitioned from government service in November 2013 to pursue private consulting and became a fellow at the Atlantic Council. Her governance roles have included board membership at Cheniere Energy, a company specializing in liquefied natural gas, and serving as vice president for corporate engagement at The Nature Conservancy. Between late 2020 and September 2022, she headed the American Clean Power Association, an organization focused on wind and solar energy. In October 2022, she assumed the position of "global head of sustainability" at JPMorgan Chase.

Early life and education

Raised in Elkader, Iowa, Zichal is the daughter of a family doctor and a hospital administrator. She completed her secondary education at Central Community School District in 1994. Zichal pursued higher education at Cook College of Rutgers University, where she studied environmental policy and graduated in 1999.

Legislative assistant and campaign advisor

During her time at Rutgers, Zichal interned with the New Jersey chapter of the Sierra Club and took part in a candidate interview panel for the state's 12th congressional district. Following Democrat Rush D. Holt, Jr.'s victory over Republican incumbent Michael J. Pappas, Holt appointed Zichal as his legislative director. She subsequently held the same position for Representative Frank Pallone from 2001 to 2002 and later served as both legislative assistant and director for Senator John Kerry between 2002 and 2008. Additionally, she contributed to the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee. Throughout these roles, her legislative emphasis centered on combating climate change, decreasing reliance on oil, and conserving natural resources.

Zichal provided strategic guidance on energy and environmental matters for the 2004 Kerry and 2008 Obama presidential campaigns, having initially met Obama during his Senate service.

Obama administration

After participating in the Energy and Environment Policy Working Group of the Obama-Biden Transition Project, Zichal was named Deputy Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change in December 2008. She worked under Carol Browner, who led the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy—commonly referred to as the "Climate Czar." Zichal officially began this role in January 2009. She was instrumental in shaping the administration’s response to the 2010 BP oil spill disaster and managed revisions to offshore oil and gas safety regulations.

When Browner left in March 2011, Zichal assumed expanded duties overseeing energy and climate policy coordination within the U.S. Domestic Policy Council after the elimination of the "czar" post due to budget reductions. She spearheaded execution of the Presidential Climate Action Plan by engaging with stakeholders from energy industries, environmental organizations, and Congress. With Republicans gaining control of the House after the 2010 midterms, comprehensive climate legislation stalled; instead, efforts focused on bipartisan objectives such as cutting oil imports and promoting clean energy expansion. The White House credited Zichal with policies that resulted in a doubling of wind and solar power production.

In President Obama’s second term, Zichal emerged as a prominent spokesperson for federal regulatory initiatives addressing climate change. She developed a June 2013 strategy directing the Environmental Protection Agency to establish carbon emission limits for both new and existing power plants—the first regulations of their kind. This framework later became known as the Clean Power Plan (2015), which generated political contention during the 2016 election cycle and faced judicial obstacles that delayed its enforcement.

A profile published in 2013 characterized her as a pragmatic leader respected across various energy sectors. Industry lobbyists commended her ability to communicate effectively and build consensus to advance clean energy policies. Conversely, environmental figures such as Al Gore criticized the administration’s overall climate priorities, highlighting Zichal’s relatively limited authority.

In October 2013, Zichal announced her decision to resign, turning down other positions within the administration despite President Obama’s appeals for her to remain. She was among the last advisors from Obama’s original 2008 campaign team still serving in government. Her departure took effect on November 8, 2013; Dan Utech succeeded her as lead climate policy adviser.

Consultant, board member, and executive roles

Zichal established herself as an independent energy consultant through her own company, Zichal Inc. In January 2015, she joined the Atlantic Council as a senior fellow within its Global Energy Center. From 2014 until 2018, she held board positions at Cheniere Energy, a company specializing in liquefied natural gas, and at Abengoa Bioenergy, a subsidiary of a Spanish multinational corporation. Furthermore, she serves as an operating advisor at Broadscale, an investment firm focused on the energy sector, and acts as a senior advisor at Sensity. Her nonprofit board involvement includes the Solar Foundation and Naturevest—the investment division of the Nature Conservancy—where she fulfilled the role of vice president for corporate engagement between 2018 and 2019. In 2019, Zichal took on the role of executive director at the Blue Prosperity Coalition, an organization dedicated to conservation and climate initiatives.

Remaining engaged in discussions around climate and energy policies, Zichal endorsed Hillary Clinton during the Democratic primaries in 2016. She later provided counsel to the Joe Biden 2020 presidential campaign in 2019, contributing to the development of a centrist climate strategy that differed from the Green New Deal. Her approach highlighted the importance of uniting labor unions and environmental groups to promote pragmatic policy solutions. Although there was speculation about her joining the Biden administration during the transition phase, her prior affiliation with Cheniere Energy’s board generated opposition from progressive factions concerned about connections to the fossil fuel sector.

In December 2020, Zichal was appointed CEO of the American Clean Power Association, a trade organization representing companies in wind, solar, energy storage, transmission, natural gas, and utilities. This association emerged as the successor to the American Wind Energy Association. During her leadership, the group backed the Biden administration’s ambitious target of establishing seven major offshore wind farms by 2030—a critical milestone toward achieving carbon-free electricity by 2035. She managed a merger with the U.S. Energy Storage Association and supported Senator Joe Manchin’s permitting reform bill intended to expedite development of both renewable and fossil fuel energy projects; despite endorsement from President Biden and Democratic lawmakers, this legislation did not pass in the Senate.

In September 2022, Zichal departed from the American Clean Power Association to take on the role of "global head of sustainability" at multinational investment bank JP Morgan Chase. She described this career move as her most challenging decision yet while acknowledging significant achievements throughout her tenure. This transition attracted criticism from some environmental advocates who accused her of using "green-sounding credentials" to further corporate agendas.