Abigail Ross Hopper ‘93 serves as a Distinguished Industry Fellow at the Irving Institute, where she leads special projects that leverage her legal, policy, and energy experience to accelerate the transition to carbon-free energy systems, and serves as a mentor for the Master of Energy Transition (MET) students.

Abigail previously served as President and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association, the national trade organization for America's solar energy industries. During her nine-year tenure at SEIA, from 2017 to 2026, she helped spur the remarkable growth of solar and storage, which went from 35 gigawatts in 2017 to 255 gigawatts by the end of 2025. She also previously served as an Advisory Board Member of the Irving Institute, where she helped launch the MET program.

Since leaving SEIA, Abigail has founded GEM Advisory, LLC, and joined the Advisory Board of the Energy Act for Ukraine Foundation. She continues to grow the Solar Sisters community, which she founded several years ago.

A lawyer by training, her energy career began in state regulatory commissions, leading her to direct the Maryland Energy Administration, where she managed a diverse portfolio including nuclear, liquefied natural gas, coal, natural gas, energy efficiency, and renewables. She later led the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, overseeing oil and gas permitting and offshore wind development.

Abigail graduated cum laude from the University of Maryland School of Law and earned an A.B. from Dartmouth. She is the very proud mom of three children and loves to read fiction and watch live theater.