Leslie Abrahams

Deputy Director and Senior Fellow, Energy Security and Climate Change Program
Leslie Abrahams

Dr. Leslie Abrahams is a leading expert in energy systems, clean technology innovation, and climate policy. As deputy director and senior fellow with the Energy Security and Climate Change program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), she provides strategic insight at the intersection of energy security, emerging technologies, and decarbonization pathways. Prior to joining CSIS, Leslie served as assistant director for clean energy and energy systems innovation at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy where she helped shape federal energy policy and advance technology deployment. She previously served as a policy fellow with Elemental Impact where she focused on climate finance and emerging clean energy technologies. She was also previously the director of energy systems analysis at Clean Air Task Force where she led research on decarbonization pathways and scaling clean energy infrastructure to manage risk and uncertainty. Leslie holds a doctorate in engineering and public policy and civil and environmental engineering from Carnegie Mellon University and a BS in chemical engineering from Washington University in St. Louis.

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Experts React: Energy Policy in the Reconciliation Debate

The House of Representatives released its initial budget reconciliation bill, significantly changing the energy policy landscape in the United States. In this Experts React, our team examines the most momentous, surprising, and nuanced aspects of the proposed legislation.

Commentary by Joseph Majkut, Clayton Seigle, Kyle Danish, Leslie Abrahams, Jane Nakano, Arushi Sharma Frank, and Mathias Zacarias — May 15, 2025

Audio Briefs

Experts React: Energy Policy in the Reconciliation Debate

An audio version of “⁠Experts React: Energy Policy in the Reconciliation Debate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,” a new commentary by CSIS's Joseph Majkut, Clayton Seigle, Kyle Danish, Leslie Abrahams, Jane Nakano, Arushi Sharma Frank, and Mathias Zacarias. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by Joseph Majkut, Clayton Seigle, Kyle Danish, Leslie Abrahams, Jane Nakano, Arushi Sharma Frank, and Mathias Zacarias — May 15, 2025

Audio Briefs

The Impacts of Tariffs on Clean Energy Technologies

Newly proposed tariffs threaten to derail the United States’ clean energy sector’s recent boom, jeopardizing progress, and grid reliability while failing to expand domestic clean tech manufacturing capacity.

Critical Questions by Leslie Abrahams — April 10, 2025

Audio Briefs

The Impacts of Tariffs on Clean Energy Technologies

An audio version of “The Impacts of Tariffs on Clean Energy Technologies,” a new Critical Questions by CSIS's Leslie Abrahams. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs.

Podcast Episode by Leslie Abrahams — April 10, 2025

Audio Briefs

Energy in the Trade War Crossfire

Please join the CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change Program as we discuss the policy and industry implications of the escalating trade war.

Event — April 8, 2025