Experienced nonprofit executive and national climate leader will guide GPI into its next chapter of impact
The Great Plains Institute (GPI) announced today that Lotte Schlegel will become the organization’s next president and CEO, beginning October 19.
Schlegel brings two decades of experience working at the intersection of climate, energy, commercial development, markets, and public policy. She has led organizations and teams, built partnerships across the public and private sectors, developed new programs and business opportunities, and helped turn ambitious climate and energy goals into practical implementation strategies.
Most notably, Schlegel served as executive director of the Institute for Market Transformation (IMT), a national nonprofit focused on advancing building decarbonization. During her tenure, the organization experienced significant growth and numerous strategic accomplishments, including the launch of the National Building Performance Standards Coalition with the Biden administration. The initiative brings together local and state governments committed to improving building performance and fighting climate change by inclusively designing and implementing equitable building performance standards and complementary programs and policies.
“Throughout our search, we were looking for more than an accomplished executive,” said Scott Zastoupil, chair of GPI’s Board of Directors. “We wanted a leader who understands what makes GPI distinctive: our commitment to bringing people with different perspectives together, finding practical solutions to complex challenges, and building the conditions for lasting progress. We found that in Lotte.”
Schlegel will succeed longtime GPI President and CEO Rolf Nordstrom, who retired this summer after two decades leading the organization. Louise Miltich, GPI’s executive vice president, has served as interim president and CEO since August and will continue in her role as executive vice president.
Fostering consensus and turning ideas into action
Schlegel’s career has spanned the nonprofit, business, and government sectors. In addition to her leadership at IMT, her consultancy has focused on building connections across divergent interests to address housing affordability and supply, climate resilience, energy, finance, and community outcomes. Schlegel’s work included co-developing a multi-organizational strategy to address the national housing shortage, incorporating insurability and utility affordability, and building partnerships and raising support to implement it.
This combination of experiences has reinforced Schlegel’s approach to leadership centered on understanding diverse interests, building consensus, and developing strategies that deliver measurable results.
“What drew me to GPI is its ability to bring people with genuinely different perspectives together and stay focused on what it takes to make progress,” said Schlegel. “We face complex challenges in our energy system, and no single sector or organization can solve them alone. GPI understands that collaboration is how durable solutions get built.”
Building on a strong foundation
Schlegel joins GPI at an important point in the organization’s history. As it approaches its 30-year anniversary, GPI has grown from a small regional organization into a national nonprofit working across the energy system and broader economy with governments, businesses, communities, and other partners.
“GPI has an extraordinary foundation,” Schlegel said. “The team is impressive. The GPI staff has a breadth of subject-matter knowledge and a proven ability to convene diverse perspectives and stakeholders around shared goals. Paired with a strong and growing network spanning government, nonprofit, academic, business, labor, and philanthropic sectors, that talent makes GPI a uniquely valuable partner in addressing climate change while building a world that is prosperous and beautiful for everyone.”
Schlegel’s immediate priority will be to introduce and implement GPI’s new multi-year strategic plan. Among her first steps will be getting to know GPI’s staff and programs and listening to the partners, communities, businesses, public officials, and other stakeholders who work with the organization.
“Lotte understands that lasting progress requires strong organizations, trusted partnerships, functioning markets, thoughtful public policy, and people willing to work across differences,” Zastoupil said. “We are excited to see where she and the extraordinary team at GPI take the organization next.”
