Kathleen O’Brien-NeJame

Kathleen O’Brien-NeJame was named General Counsel of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) in April 2026. She also serves as Secretary to the Authority.

In this position, Ms. O’Brien-NeJame is the Authority’s chief legal officer, responsible for the overall direction and supervision of NYSERDA’s legal department and all legal matters concerning the Authority, including advice and counsel on laws, rules, and regulations governing clean energy development and operations. As a member of NYSERDA’s executive team, she also participates in formulating and implementing strategy and policy.

Work History

Ms. O’Brien-NeJame has more than 20 years of public sector service, with expertise in relevant functional areas including procurement law, audits and litigation, ethics, employment, and labor law.

Prior to joining NYSERDA, Ms. O’Brien-NeJame served as Deputy Counsel for the Office of the New York State Comptroller (OSC). In this role, Ms. O’Brien-NeJame collaborated across OSC’s many program areas, worked with agency partners and third parties, and managed all operations of the Division of Legal Services, which included more than 60 staff members across eight bureaus, encompassing ethics, legislation, budget and policy, State audit and litigation, State finance, municipal law and finance, the retirement system, and the common retirement fund. In addition, she provided strategic legal and management counsel to executive leadership on complex and evolving fiscal and legal matters affecting the State.

Before joining OSC, Ms. O’Brien-NeJame served as an attorney with Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP, in Quincy, Massachusetts. While there, she advocated for public school systems and provided counsel with regard to special education matters, counseled public and private sector clients in the areas of labor and employment law, and litigated cases in state and federal court.

Education

Ms. O’Brien-NeJame has a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from the Carroll School of Management at Boston College. She also holds a Juris Doctor from Syracuse University’s College of Law.