PRGET Announces Appointment of Ernesto Rivera Umpierre, Esq. as Chair of the Board of Trustees
San Juan, Puerto Rico – August 2025 – The Puerto Rico Green Energy Trust (PRGET) proudly announces the designation of Ernesto Rivera Umpierre, Esq. as the new Chair of the Board of Trustees, appointed by Puerto Rico Secretary of Economic Development and Commerce, Sebastián Negrón Reichard.
Mr. Rivera Umpierre brings extensive experience in public policy, energy, and legal affairs to PRGET at a pivotal moment in Puerto Rico’s clean energy transformation. He currently serves as Director of the Energy Policy Program and Special Aide to the Secretary of the Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC), where he plays a key role in advancing the island’s energy policy framework.
Previously, Mr. Rivera Umpierre served as Senior Policy Advisor to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Grid Deployment Office, where he worked on the Territory and Recovery Assistance Program. In this role, he was instrumental in advancing Puerto Rico’s recovery efforts, ensuring the effective use of federal recovery funds for the electric sector, and championing equitable, sustainable, and resilient energy solutions.
His distinguished career also includes leadership as Director of Legal Affairs and Senior Policy Advisor at the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration (PRFAA) in Washington, D.C., as well as serving as In-House Counsel at the Puerto Rico Public-Private Partnerships Authority (P3 Authority), where he was part of the landmark procurement and implementation of the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport P3 contract.
Mr. Rivera Umpierre holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Northeastern University and a Juris Doctor from the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Puerto Rico. He is licensed to practice law in Puerto Rico, New York, the District of Columbia, the U.S. District Court for Puerto Rico, and the U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals.
“We are honored to welcome Ernesto as Chair of the Board,” said CEO Nellie M. Gorbea Díaz. “His expertise in energy policy, public-private partnerships, and legal strategy will be invaluable in guiding PRGET’s mission to accelerate Puerto Rico’s transition to clean, resilient, and community-centered energy solutions.”
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Puerto Rico Green Energy Trust Board Appoints Nellie M. Gorbea Díaz as President and Chief Executive Officer
San Juan, Puerto Rico -- The board of trustees of the Puerto Rico Green Energy Trust announced today the appointment of Nellie M. Gorbea Díaz as its first President and Chief Executive Officer. The Puerto Rico Green Energy Trust is an independent, nonprofit organization created to foster and fund research, development and infrastructure projects that promote clean and renewable energy in Puerto Rico.
“We are excited to announce the appointment of Nellie M. Gorbea Diaz as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Green Energy Trust. Her vast experience in establishing and leading non-profit organizations focused on public policy, as well as the successful implementation of strategic plans in public service, will be vital to fulfilling our mission of promoting the use of renewable energy in Puerto Rico,” stated Francisco Berríos Portela, chairman of the board of trustees. Gorbea Díaz will be instrumental in leading this Trust, which aims to support the transformation of our energy sector to clean and renewable energy, thanks to her vast expertise in the public and nonprofit sectors in both the mainland United States and Puerto Rico. One of the main challenges currently facing the Island and the world right now is the transition to green energy,” said Berríos Portela.
“I am fully committed to making Puerto Rico more energy efficient, resilient, and environmentally friendly. It is an honor to return to my native Puerto Rico and lead the Green Energy Trust's efforts to ensure greater economic opportunities and a better quality of life for Puerto Ricans with a green energy future. I am aware that I am now a part of a growing number of government, business, and the civil society efforts in Puerto Rico that are contributing to this vital task. The Puerto Rico Green Energy Trust provides a unique opportunity to leverage funds into green energy projects and build upon Puerto Rico's wealth of local resources, including its people, universities, and geography so that we can make the shift to 100% renewable energy by 2050,” added the Trust’s new President.
Puerto Rico native Gorbea Díaz has a master's degree in Public Administration from Columbia University with a focus on Financial Management and a bachelor's degree in Public Policy and International Relations from Princeton University. Her career spans successful leadership roles in the public, nonprofit and banking sectors. Most recently, she served two terms as Rhode Island’s Secretary of State – the first Hispanic in New England elected to statewide office. Prior to holding elected office, Gorbea Diaz was the first executive director of HousingWorks RI – a coalition created to address the need for affordable homes in Rhode Island. As a program officer at The Rhode Island Foundation, Gorbea Díaz led the foundation’s first investments in community economic development. Early in her career, Gorbea Díaz also worked in public finance through positions at the former Fleet Securities in Boston, the Government Development Bank for Puerto Rico and as Economic Advisor to the Governor of Puerto Rico. Her achievements in the public and community sectors have nationally elevated her as an effective Latina leader.
The Green Energy Trust, a private non-profit entity, was enabled as part of Puerto Rico's Energy Public Policy Act (Law 17 of 2019) and further defined by a public Declaration of Trust. The Trust is managed by a seven member board of experts in the green energy, environmental, private and government sectors, six of who are private sector members.
For more information about the Puerto Rico Green Energy Trust, please visit www.prgreenenergytrust.org.