GSA Hires New Climate Adviser, Names Permanent Strategic Communications Chief

The General Services Administration has announced several leadership and personnel changes. Jetta Wong, an expert in energy and environment policy, joined GSA as a senior climate adviser to the administrator.

Wong most recently served as a senior fellow at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation’s Center for Clean Energy Innovation, GSA said Monday.

From 2012 to 2017, she held technology and clean energy leadership roles at the Department of Energy, her LinkedIn profile says.

She is credited with launching the National Laboratory Impact Initiative, an effort to strengthen the relationship between DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and the 17 national laboratories.

GSA also promoted Channing Grate to associate administrator in the Office of Strategic Communications. She previously served as acting associate administrator and as deputy associate administrator. Grate is now responsible for enabling GSA’s missions through effective strategic communications. 

Before she joined the agency in 2021, Grate served as director of public affairs at GPS Impact, a media company that specializes in targeted communications, her LinkedIn profile says. She was previously communications director in the Missouri governor’s office.

GSA also announced that Zoe Garmendia, who has been serving as senior adviser to the administrator for coronavirus, will serve as deputy chief of staff for operations. 

Gennie Duncan, a special assistant in the GSA administrator’s suite, will serve as a policy adviser in the Office of Congressional and Intergovernmental Affairs.