Who We Are

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Kalorama Strategies, founded by Sarah Minczeski Delisle, is dedicated to driving transformative innovation at the intersection of policy and technology. Our mission is to create opportunities, accelerate progress, and deliver measurable impact for a more sustainable future. We achieve this through market intelligence and positioning, government affairs and advocacy, and operational and communication support, empowering clients to navigate complexity, seize opportunities, and make a lasting impact.

Sarah Minczeski Delisle has a distinguished record of driving impactful initiatives and fostering collaboration across government and private sectors. She is a recognized expert in the defense, energy, and environmental domains. Her ability to navigate complex government bureaucracies and dynamic startup environments highlights the breadth and depth of her expertise.

Sarah's career began in Washington, DC, where she worked for several members of Congress before developing a groundbreaking program at the Center for Naval Analysis. There, she facilitated critical discussions with senior Department of Defense (DOD) leadership on energy and climate issues. Transitioning to federal service, Sarah played a pivotal role in crafting climate and energy policies for the Navy and the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

While at the Pentagon, Sarah established and led new teams to advance renewable energy development near military installations and ranges across the U.S. She also spearheaded assessments of the Pacific and Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf lease areas for oil, gas, and offshore wind development. Her efforts expanded during her tenure as National Sustainability Director for the Naval Air Systems Command, where she represented the DOD in interagency and state collaborations and oversaw compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act.

Driven by her passion for climate action, Sarah transitioned to Silicon Valley in 2020, joining a clean tech startup as Vice President of Government Affairs and Communications. In this role, she led government and policy engagement efforts at local, state, and federal levels. Her strategic leadership enabled the company to navigate complex regulatory environments, maintain competitive positioning, and secure critical funding for series investment rounds. 

Building on her extensive expertise, Sarah founded Kalorama Strategies in 2024 to help organizations navigate the intersection of clean technology, energy policy, and defense innovation.

• Secured over $5M in contracts to support groundbreaking programs for the Center for Naval Analysis, driving mission-critical insights for Department of Defense initiatives

• Secured $3M in funding to develop advanced GIS tools that optimized site selection for renewable energy projects, enhancing military energy resilience and operational planning.

• Played a key role in drafting and securing adoption of the Department of Defense's inaugural climate policy, setting the framework for integrating climate resilience into military operations and strategy.

• Created and implemented the framework for the Navy's first operational risk assessment from climate impacts.

• Successfully introduced language into the National Defense Authorization Act for energy and environmental planning.

• Shaped energy policies in California, Hawaii, and New York, advancing the adoption of virtual power plants.

• Provided strategic leadership for national virtual power plant campaigns with federal agencies.

• Securing partnerships and funding for startup companies.

• Designed and executed communication plans that increased critical stakeholder engagement and supported successful policy adoption and market entry.

Public Recognition:

• Aspen Ideas Climate: Presented the Climate Mayors with clean tech policy solutions.

• Brattle Group Report: Sarah is recognized for her contributions to Brattle's “California’s Virtual Power Potential” Report.

• 2024 RE+ Northern California: Spoke about the Inflation Reduction Act and opportunities for California.

• CNBC: Sarah was quoted discussing benefits of energy storage.

• Decentralized Grid Magazine: Sarah was quoted discussing new legislative proposals regarding energy.

• Buchanan, Alternative Power Plays Podcast: Sarah is featured on the podcast discussing the value of virtual power plants.

• Earthlings 2.0 Podcast: Sarah is featured on the podcast explaining the future of Virtual Power Plants.

• Parks Associates: Sarah was named one of the 2023 Top Leaders in Technology in Energy Management.

• 2023 Net Zero Conference: Presented on navigating evolving policy environments to maintain strategic positioning.