Meet the Team that's Funding the Future of Clean Energy
With decades of collective solar industry experience and expertise, Redball Energy’s expanding team is driving the development and financing of solar projects.
.png)
Brian Gottlieb
Brian leverages his ten years of experience in the solar industry to oversee Redball’s daily business functions and provide strategic advice. He has worked in solar development, asset management, and operations and maintenance, helping numerous companies grow.
Before joining Redball, Brian served as Chief Operating Officer of Skyline Innovations (later Nextility), a commercial solar developer that built and financed hundreds of commercial solar systems. Previously, he was Principal at Sunstone, a software development company that built operations management software for solar companies.
In addition to his direct work in solar, Brian is the Executive Chairman of Keller Enterprises LLC, a family office with over $200M of assets under management including over $100M of alternative energy and grid edge investments.
.png)
Greg Schmidt
Greg oversees all finance and accounting for Redball and brings over 10 years of consistent success across a wide variety of complex global energy and infrastructure investments. He has experience in all critical aspects of the investment process, including sourcing, diligence, execution, financing, active portfolio management, and value realization.
In his career, he has underwritten, managed, and sold over $1.8B in common and structured equity investments across six continents; raised over $2B in non-recourse project-level debt; and reached financial close on over $1B in new equity investments. Notable investments include IJ Global’s project finance deal of the year for a 500 MW solar portfolio acquisition (2019), raising the largest dedicated solar energy investment fund at the time in Japan (2017), and the first integrated LiON battery-wind farm in Europe (2016).
Greg received his MBA with Distinction from the Johnson School at Cornell University, his MS in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and his BS in Environmental Engineering, also from Cornell University.
.png)
Jason Klapper
Jason brings to our board unmatched expertise gained over 25 years in renewable energy finance, having structured billions of dollars of energy transactions over his career. He is a principal at Cornerstone Financial Advisors and a co-founder of Redball.
Jason works with institutional investors on the acquisition and disposition of asset-based investments in the energy, transportation, and infrastructure sectors, including investments in renewable energy (solar, wind, fuel cell, biomass, hydro); aircraft and rail (locomotives and rolling stock); energy infrastructure; and oil and gas. He has advised renewable energy investment clients on lease, inverted-lease, and partnership financial modeling, project diligence, negotiation of debt and equity financing documents, and project document review (PPA, IA, O&M, EPC, Performance Guarantees, Warranties, etc.).
Since 1999, Jason has advised Cornerstone clients on primary and secondary market transactions totaling more than $25B in asset value. Since 2010, he has advised clients on debt and tax equity investments in renewable energy, totaling over $6B. He also develops, owns, and manages C&I and residential solar facilities.
Jason graduated from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania with a BS in Economics, concentrating in Finance and Real Estate.
.png)
John Marciano
John is a co-founder and board member of Redball, a former co-head of the Allen & Overy global energy practice, and a senior partner in the firm’s U.S. projects and infrastructure team. His reputation illustrates a unique market perspective to deliver real-world, practical solutions for a balanced mix of tax-equity, bank, private capital, and other finance clients, along with sponsors, borrowers, and developers.
John’s creative approach to structuring formed the foundation for many renewable market firsts. These have paved the way for the industry’s current expansion towards all things energy transition while increasing opportunities for electric vehicle financing and their infrastructure, hydrogen and carbon capture, RNG and other advanced fuels, and energy transition manufacturing.
John is ranked Band 1 by Chambers and Partners USA for Nationwide Projects: Renewables and Alternative Energy (2017-2023) and Chambers Global for Projects: Renewables & Alternative Energy (2017-2022). He is recognized as a leading lawyer in Project Finance and Energy: Renewable Power/Alternative Power in US Legal 500 (2023).
.png)
Nick Giannotti
As one of Redball’s founders, Nick develops and maintains our investment strategy and oversees our investment portfolio. For more than a decade in the solar industry, he’s touched on most aspects of the process, from development to engineering to construction, finance, and maintenance, playing an active role in dozens of projects involving the DC government, professional sports organizations, and hospitals.
Nick is a serial entrepreneur and investor in people and projects, who has funded nearly 50 entrepreneurial endeavors in various industries. Before starting Redball, Nick co-founded a solar development and independent power producer dedicated to building small commercial solar (New Columbia Solar). He also serves as a Director on three corporate Boards.
.png)
Zach Axelrod
Zach is one our Redball’s founders and provides expert leadership and direction, bringing both capital and know-how to complex sub-utility-scale energy assets. He has spent his career at the intersection of distributed energy assets and finance.
Zach began his energy career as founder and CEO of Skyline Innovations (later Nextility), a commercial and industrial ESCO that built and financed hundreds of commercial solar systems. He went on to lead the revenue-generating business lines of SmartAC.com from $2M to more than $20M over 2.5 years. Zach next served as Chief Development Officer of SmartAC.com; a residential HVAC monitoring technology company that reduces energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions while improving HVAC contractor profit margins.
Zach is an active investor (50+ companies), advisor (12 companies), and board member (2 companies) across a portfolio of angel and venture-backed businesses. He led more than $150M in corporate and project finance fundraising in the clean energy space.
.png)
Akshat Gururani
Akshat manages several accounting activities at Redball. Prior to Redball he has worked in a variety of tax credit industries which include Renewable Energy and Housing. He has extensive experience managing tax equity partnership accounting.
He has a Masters of Business Administration from University of Maryland University College and a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Maryland.
.png)
Alex Rizk
Alex manages data, recordkeeping, and reports for the company’s assets. He began his career managing customer subscription databases for various community solar projects.
Before joining Redball, Alex spent two years on the asset management team of a residential solar third-party ownership company. He graduated from George Washington University in 2020 with an international business and sustainability degree.
.png)
Alex Winn
Alex leads the growth of Redball’s multi-megawatt community solar portfolio while driving outreach to new channel partners. For more than 15 years, Alex has worked at the forefront of solar labor analysis, government-funded soft cost reduction strategies, and project development.
He has coordinated with major lenders and energy project developers on innovative solar finance tools, including developing +20 MW of commercial solar projects, and provided advisory services on dozens of clean energy land-use and economic development policies with local governments nationwide.
Alex has worked on numerous initiatives to advance equity in clean energy by promoting employment opportunities for underserved communities and increasing access to the benefits of solar in low-income communities. He’s been cited in industry press, interviewed on public radio, and is a frequent speaker at energy conferences across the country.Alex earned a Master of Public Administration with honors and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from The George Washington University.
.png)
Caleb Barber
Caleb manages Redball’s residential and commercial solar portfolios, ensuring all projects are built with the highest quality standards and are generating electricity to their best capabilities.
Before joining Redball as the company’s first official hire, Caleb served as the chair of the student-run Renewable Energy Initiative at Appalachian State University in North Carolina, where he earned a B.S. in Computer Science.
.png)
David Hoedeman
David brings more than a decade of experience in solar and cleantech to cultivate the relationships that help Redball and its partners grow together. David began his career leading growth and business development for DC-based solar developer Nextility, developing rooftop commercial solar projects in DC, MD, CA, and Puerto Rico.
Since then, he has served as VP of Business Development for Washington DC-based energy efficiency finance firm, Sparkfund, and as Chief Growth Officer of Backpack, an energy efficiency software platform.
.png)
Gary Robinson
Gary directs Redball’s daily accounting operations and helps guide strategic financial decisions to keep our company on a growth track. He is a Virginia Certified Public Accountant who worked for six years with major accounting firms before taking his first position as controller for one of his clients.
His first concentration was in multi-entity, multi-location real estate companies including Trammel Crow and Grosvenor International. In 2006, Gary began working in the renewable energy field with companies such as SunEdison, Solar Grid Storage, Nextility, and Standard Solar, Inc.
Gary earned his undergraduate degree in Chemistry from the University of Maryland and holds master's degrees in both Accounting and Taxation from Georgetown University.
.png)
Shea Strippel
Shea helps develop energy models within the Redball Finance team. She is a passionate professional who has worked in both Renewable Energy and Corporate Sustainability.
Shea graduated from the Columbia Sciences PO Dual BA with a BA from Columbia University in Sustainable Development and a BA from Sciences PO in Economics.
.png)
Sydney Marks
Sydney oversees and raises project finance for Redball’s ever-expanding portfolio. Driven by her passion for sustainability and financial acumen, she is committed to advancing renewable energy initiatives and fostering growth within the industry.
Sydney previously spent four years at Cubico Sustainable Investments, a global IPP and the renewable energy investing arm of two of Canada's largest pension funds, where she was an integral member of the Origination and Execution team. After Cubico, she contributed her talents to Enfinity Global, another prominent global IPP and solar developer, focusing on M&A and financing activities.
Throughout her career in renewables, Syndey has developed over 5 GW of greenfield solar projects, facilitated numerous transactions on GWs of solar and wind projects across the United States, and helped secure over $.5B in combined debt and tax equity investments.
.png)
Thomas Cox
Thomas ensures day-to-day operations and maintenance align with Redball’s strategy and commitment to safety. With a career spanning over 16 years in the renewable energy sector, he’s recognized for his expertise and commitment to superior, sustainable solutions. As a testament to his commitment to excellence in the industry, Thomas is NABCEP Certified.
Before assuming the pivotal role at Redball, Thomas served as the Vice President of Construction & Asset Management at SaveSolar Corporation, overseeing the development and construction of Commercial and Industrial (C&I) projects across the Washington, DC, Virginia, and Maryland (DMV) region. His contributions were integral to the success of many initiatives in the solar development field.
Thomas has held diverse roles at NRG Home Solar, SolarCity (Tesla), Ray Angelini, Inc., and others. His experience equips him with a deep understanding of various aspects of the renewable energy landscape. Throughout his career, he has guided projects through their entire lifecycle – from initial concepts to end-of-life solutions.
Fueled by a genuine passion for environmental sustainability, Thomas embodies a commitment to creating a greener, more sustainable future. With a proven track record and dedication to advancing renewable energy, Thomas guides Redball’s mission to drive positive change in the solar finance sector.
Interested in partnering with Redball?