Meet Michelle Vigen Ralston (she/her), Principal and Founder of Common Spark Consulting! Michelle is an energy policy professional with 12+ years of experience. She is passionate about bringing people together to build better policies for our health, climate, and communities. Throughout her career, she has become well-known for her ability to swiftly grasp new and complex topics and translate that understanding into impactful advocacy or strategies.
With Common Spark, Michelle consolidates her full range of experience in the public, nonprofit, and private sectors to deliver tailored solutions that set the pace in terms of depth and quality.
-
Prior to launching Common Spark, Michelle was the Senior Policy Manager with the California Efficiency and Demand Management Council where she represented member companies in their state energy efficiency and distributed energy resources regulatory advocacy. Her prior experience with Montgomery County, Maryland; the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE); the Minnesota Clean Energy Resource Teams, spans state energy policy work across the country and includes areas of efficiency program development, financing, and behavioral strategies for sustainability.
Michelle earned a Masters of Public Policy from the University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Policy specializing in energy policy and community development. She holds a B.A. from Saint Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota. -
Michelle’s leadership, management, and facilitation practice endeavors to foster community and connection, growth and wholeness. She is passionate about supporting others on their journeys as human beings, and normalizing and recognizing acts of vulnerability, transparency, and bravery.
-
Michelle loves being a mom to her two littles, Elliott and Mina, and traveling with them and her partner, Stu, to her home state of Minnesota on the regular. She loves to bake, when she has the time, whether sourdough breads from scratch, quick morning scones, or highly decorated and fun birthday cakes!