Sharon Burke

President, Ecospherics

Honorable Sharon E. Burke is the President of Ecospherics, a research and consulting firm that focuses on energy security, critical minerals, the geopolitics of natural resources, and climate security. Throughout her career, Burke has worked to balance national security and environmental sustainability, with a focus on ideas that scale through public policy. She has been a leader at several civic organizations and in the U.S. government, most recently as a member of the Biden-Harris transition team. Burke served on the State Department’s Policy Planning staff In the George W. Bush Administration and in the Obama Administration as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Operational Energy. In that post, Burke released the first departmental operational energy strategy, invested in RDT&E, and promoted the rapid fielding of renewable and efficient energy technologies into combat operations. In recognition of her work, the Secretary of Defense awarded her the Distinguished Civilian Service Medal. Burke is a frequent public speaker, published writer, and strategic advisor to corporate boards, national laboratories, and U.S. government agencies.