OUR Team

Jake HIGDOn

Founding Director

Jake founded the Advanced Industrial Zones initiative in early 2026. He is a Fellow at California Forward and Center for Public Enterprise.

Previously, he served as a Senior Advisor for U.S. Manufacturing at the Department of Energy, where he stood up new manufacturing grant programs; co-led the development of 45X, 48C, and FEOC tax guidance; and launched a partnership with the Department of Commerce to foster regional economic clusters. Prior to DOE, he worked on energy and climate policy at Environmental Defense Fund, Columbia’s Center on Global Energy Policy, Data for Progress, and the Obama White House.

Jake holds an M.P.A. from Columbia University and a B.A. from UNC-Chapel Hill.

ADVISORY GROUP

  • Noah Deich

    Non-Resident Fellow, Columbia University Center on Global Energy Policy

  • Kate Gordon

    CEO, California Forward

  • Chirag Lala

    VP of Research and Chief Economist, Center for Public Enterprise

  • Costa Samaras

    Director, Scott Institute for Energy Innovation, Carnegie Mellon University

  • Priyanka Mohanty

    Executive Director, UAW Center for Manufacturing a Green Economy

  • Will Toaspern

    Senior Researcher, UC Berkeley Labor Center

  • Margaret Hansbrough

    Principal, Third Coast Climate Solutions