Our Team
Built on decades of trust.
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Deep Sector Expertise
SER’s team combines 110 years of private equity success with senior executive operating experience at private and public companies. We have amongst the deepest relationships across sustainable industrial, environmental, and renewable sectors.
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Partnering with Management
SER actively aligns with management teams to implement key initiatives for success. We deliver capital, creative solutions, strategic insights, and an active partnership to our portfolio company management teams.
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Creating Value
SER looks to ensure its portfolio companies are well-situated to thrive for decades to come. We leverage our experience and pursue multiple paths to create value: choosing to buy vs. build opportunistically, supplementing our efforts through prudent financing, expertly navigating complex regulatory regimes, measuring sustainability authentically, and managing risk optimally.
Map of prior investment activities in the U.S.
This map depicts the states in which SER team members have invested in, developed, managed, and financed companies and projects within the sustainable industrial, environmental, and renewable sectors.
Investment Team
Rahul Advani
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Rahul established SER Capital Partners in 2018 and serves as its CEO and Managing Partner. Rahul is responsible for overall firm strategy, investment origination and execution, and setting a team-driven and inclusive culture. Rahul has a 20-year successful track record in acquiring, building, and financing clean power, renewable, and environmental businesses.
Previously, Rahul was a partner at Energy Capital Partners (ECP) where he was involved in all areas of the firm’s investment activities with a dedicated focus on renewable and environmental sectors. Prior to departing ECP, Rahul also concurrently led the firm’s fundraising efforts. Rahul joined ECP at its founding in 2005. Previously, Rahul worked at Orion Power Holdings (a Goldman Sachs portfolio company) as a Director of Finance from its early days of formation, through its IPO and sale; at Morgan Stanley as an investment banking Analyst; and at PriceWaterhouseCoopers as an Associate.
Rahul is also a founder, former Board Chair, and current Board and Executive Committee Member of StreetWise Partners, a non-profit that mentors individuals who face barriers to professional career opportunities.
Rahul received a B.A. in Mathematical Economics from Colgate University, where he competed for four years and served as the Captain of its NCAA Division I men’s swim team. Rahul also received an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
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Sara joined SER Capital Partners in 2019 and serves as Partner and Chair of the Investment Committee. In this role, Sara is responsible for investment origination and execution and portfolio management. Sara has 17 years of experience in the energy storage, power, renewable, and environmental sectors.
Prior to joining SER, Sara served as the Senior Vice President of Corporate Development & Strategy at Vistra Energy Corp (NYSE: VST) where she was responsible for strategy formation and strategic projects, mergers and acquisitions, project development, and market analytics.
Prior to joining Vistra, Sara was a Principal at Energy Capital Partners, where she was involved in all areas of the firm’s investment activities and also worked frequently with SER partner Rahul Advani. Prior to joining Energy Capital Partners, Sara was the head of strategies and analysis at FirstLight Power Enterprises, a primarily hydroelectric and pumped storage portfolio of power plants in New England. FirstLight was Energy Capital Partners’ first portfolio company in its first fund, and Rahul was one of FirstLight’s board members. Sara began her career in the energy industry at Charles River Associates, consulting for clients in the power and natural gas industries.
Sara received a B.A. in Economics from Wellesley College, summa cum laude, and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School where she was a Baker Scholar.
Sara Graziano
Rhem Wooten
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Rhem joined SER in 2019 and serves as a Partner. Rhem is responsible for origination efforts and implementing the firm’s ESG policy, including chairing the Sustainability Committee. Rhem has 35 years of experience in both public and private companies spanning the full spectrum of the electric power industry, including grid-connected and behind-the-meter power production, energy efficiency, and other distributed infrastructure and energy services. Rhem's executive management experience spans real asset development, construction, ownership and operations, commodity risk management, technology development/commercialization, and sustainable credit.
Prior to joining SER, Rhem was Executive Vice President of Hannon Armstrong Sustainable Infrastructure (NYSE: HASI) leading origination of approximately $1 billion annually. Prior to joining Hannon Armstrong in 2010, Rhem was the Founder and President of Allied Syngas. Rhem was also the President of Duke Energy’s independent power unit.
Over the past 32 years, he has served as a CEO/President four times and EVP, Origination twice. He has led the formation and management of several joint ventures and directed a number of M&A transactions. Since founding Duke Energy’s independent power unit in 1988, Rhem’s career has been devoted to pushing to the next frontier of investment opportunities as deregulation, technology development, environmental drivers, and decentralization have impacted the sector.
Rhem received a B.S. in Business Administration with Honors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Edward Kim
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Ed joined SER in 2023 and serves as Principal. He is responsible for investment origination, execution, and portfolio management. Ed has 13 years of experience in energy, clean tech, and renewables.
Prior to joining SER, Ed was Vice President of Corporate & Business Development at Bloom Energy (NYSE: BE) where he drove over $6 billion of strategic transactions including equity investments, project financing, and long-term revenue contracts.
Prior to joining Bloom Energy, Ed was at J.P. Morgan where he specialized in mergers and acquisitions, tax equity, and leveraged finance in the Power & Renewables group. Ed began his career in the energy industry at Charles River Associates, advising clients in the power and natural gas industries.
Ed received a B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering with a Minor in Economics from Columbia University, and an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School.
Lela Jgerenaia
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Lela joined SER in 2024 as a Principal with eleven years of experience in power, energy, clean fuels, and renewables. She is responsible for strategy, investment origination, execution, and portfolio management.
Prior to joining SER, Lela was actively investing in sustainable infrastructure most recently at Carlyle and previously at Starwood Energy, where she was responsible for strategy formation, mergers and acquisitions, project development, and asset management.
Prior to joining Starwood, Lela was at GE Capital where she specialized in mergers and acquisitions and asset management in thermal power and renewables sectors. Lela began her career in the power and energy industry at Bloomberg New Energy Finance, forecasting environmental commodity prices and the levelized cost of energy.
Lela received a B.A. in philosophy and economics from Wellesley College, and an M.A. in Finance and Energy, Resources and Environment from Johns Hopkins University.
Nicholas Chambers
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Nick joined SER in 2021 and serves as Vice President. In this role, Nick is responsible for portfolio management and investment origination, execution, and due diligence. Prior to joining SER, Nick was an investment banking analyst at Citigroup, where he worked across renewables, power generation, energy, and industrials sectors. He has 4 years of investment banking and private equity experience.
Nick received a B.B.A. with distinction in Finance and Real Estate in 2018 from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, where he competed for four years and served as Captain of its NCAA Division III varsity baseball team.
Ryan Thompson
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Ryan joined SER in 2023 and serves as an Associate. In this role, Ryan is responsible for portfolio management and investment origination, execution, and due diligence. Prior to joining SER, Ryan was an investment banking analyst at Nomura Greentech, where he worked across renewable energy value chain, energy and industrial technology, and advanced transportation sectors. Ryan received a B.A. in Economics with honors and distinction in all subjects in 2022 from Cornell University, where he competed for four years and served as Captain of the triathlon team.
Sonya Liu
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Sonya joined SER in 2024 as an Associate with four years of investment banking and private equity experience. In this role, Sonya is responsible for portfolio management and investment origination, execution, and due diligence. Prior to joining SER, Sonya was an investment banking associate at Bank of America, where she worked in its financial institutions group. Prior to joining Bank of America, Sonya was an analyst at JP Morgan specializing in alternative investments.
Sonya received a B.Sc. in Global Business and Economics in 2020 from Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service.
Gil Melman
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Gil has served as SER’s Chief Compliance Officer since 2022. He also provides legal services to SER Capital and certain portfolio companies in his capacity as outsourced counsel. Gil has over 30 years’ experience as an attorney practicing in the energy and renewables sectors. His focus is primarily on mergers and acquisitions, finance, SEC compliance and general corporate matters.
Prior to his current role, Mr. Melman served as the General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer for three publicly traded companies where he managed the legal and compliance functions for such companies. Most recently, he was the Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer of Infrastructure and Energy Alternatives, Inc. (NASDAQ: IEA), a construction company focused on the renewables sector. Over his career, he has served in a variety of roles both in house and as an external legal advisor for clients in the energy and renewables business. Gil began his career as an associate attorney in the Corporate Section of Vinson & Elkins, LLP in Houston, Texas.
Gil received both his B.B.A. in Accounting and his J.D. from the University of Texas at Austin.
Christina Song
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Christina joined SER in 2023 and serves as Controller. She is responsible for all fund and management company activities across accounting, finance, reporting, tax compliance and investor relations.
Prior to joining SER, Christina was the Director of Fund Accounting and Operations at Fremont Group, a San Francisco based private investment company, where she managed financial reporting and operations for the private equity and real estate strategies.
Christina began her career at PricewaterhouseCoopers in their audit practice where she focused on financial services clients.
Christina is a licensed CPA in the state of California. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture from University of California, Berkeley and a Master of Accounting from University of Southern California.
John Duncan
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John Duncan joined SER in February 2024 from its portfolio company, Perfect Power. He is responsible for developing and implementing IT strategies, policies, and systems that align with the firm's vision and goals. He also oversees the design, development, and deployment of solutions that optimize the performance and security of the firm's portfolio companies. During his 10+ years of working in IT leadership, engineering, and support roles, he has primarily served government agencies, DoD, and startups.
Jean Frey
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Jean Frey joined SER Capital in early 2021. She serves as Operations Manager and is responsible for keeping projects and day to day back office items running on a timely and efficient basis. Jean also manages all company events.
Prior to SER, Jean was employed with The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in Boston for 18.5 years. There she served as a Senior Executive Assistant and supported the Head of Health Care, then the CFO, and finally, the Head of Global Impact, and worked with all of the respective teams.
Jean has over 30 years of experience working in various types of organizations, from small to middle sized.
Sheila Flynn
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Sheila Flynn joined SER Capital Partners in March 2024 as an Executive Assistant. Prior to joining SER, Sheila was employed with Talbots, Inc. headquarters in Hingham, MA for 3.5 years. There she served as an Executive Assistant to the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Information Officer. She also worked for The Boston Consulting Group for 20+ years where she held various roles throughout her career with the most recent role as Learning and Development Coordinator.
Advisors
Steve Herman
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Steve is an Advisor to SER and was formerly a Managing Director at Energy Capital Partners, where he was focused on investments in the renewable and environmental services sectors and worked closely with SER team members.
Scott Helm
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Scott is a Senior Advisor to SER, a private investor, and the Independent Chairman of the Board of Vistra Energy. Scott has worked extensively with SER team members in his roles at Vistra Energy, Energy Capital Partners, its portfolio company, FirstLight, and Orion Power.
Silda Wall Spitzer
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Silda Wall Spitzer is an Advisor to SER, businesswoman, lawyer, and former First Lady of New York State. Also having practiced corporate law for ten years, Silda brings robust financial and deal experience and sustainability and ESG fluency to companies in the environmental opportunities sector.