Tarak Shah

Former Chief of Staff, Department of Energy (DOE)

Tarak is an accomplished climate and energy policy and political expert, currently consulting for Breakthrough Energy. Over the past decade, Tarak has held a variety of energy policy roles within the federal government, and most recently served as Chief of Staff for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in the Biden-Harris Administration. As DOE’s Chief, Tarak designed and implemented the largest reorganization of DOE in its history, standing up a new division on clean energy demonstration and deployment. In addition, Tarak also played a key role in reinvigorating DOE’s Loan Programs, restarted the appliance efficiency standard program, developed a new focus area on industrial decarbonization, and required the agency to create procedures to incorporate equity, justice, domestic manufacturing, and jobs considerations in financial grants and awards. Tarak was the first person of color, first Indian-American, and first LGBTQ person to serve in the position. Prior to that, Tarak served as personnel lead for the climate and science team on President Biden’s Transition Team.

Prior to his time in government, Tarak worked for then-Senator Barack Obama in a variety of roles on his 2004 and 2008 campaigns. Tarak holds an MBA from Cornell’s Johnson School of Graduate Management and Bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and Urban Planning from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.