Who we are
About
Solar Village Project is a nonprofit dedicated to providing clean, renewable, and reliable energy to underserved communities — beginning with those who can least afford it. We install solar arrays for rural schools and clinics that are off-grid or have unreliable power, we install solar street lights that serve entire villages at once, and we power homes directly with complete solar home systems. In doing so, we empower communities and help reverse the impacts of climate change.
Our mission
To bring clean, renewable, and reliable energy to underserved communities — powering the schools, clinics, homes, and businesses that need it most, and proving that the developing world can leapfrog fossil fuels entirely.
Our vision
A world where all people have access to affordable, reliable, and renewable energy — enabling them to lift themselves out of poverty, improve their quality of life, and combat the negative impacts of climate change.
What guides us
Our Values
Sustainability
We prioritize the long-term well-being of communities and the planet, promoting renewable energy and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
Inclusion
Everyone deserves the opportunity to access energy and build a better future; we serve all members of underserved communities.
Empowerment
We help communities take control of their own energy needs and chart their own path toward prosperity.
Innovation
We pursue new and better ways to deliver energy access, grounded in real data and continuous learning.
Partnership
Lasting change comes from collaboration; we work hand-in-hand with local organizations, governments, and communities.
Leadership
Board of Directors
Joe Kselman
Executive Director & Founder
Joe founded SVP in 2013, along with his wife Cristeen, after visiting an off-grid untouchable caste village in Bihar. A believer that solar is a "leapfrog technology" to bring reliable energy to the over 2 billion people living in energy poverty.
Jerry Hartz
Board Member
Director of Government Relations and Communications at the National Democratic Institute. Nearly 29 years on Capitol Hill, most recently as Senior Adviser and Director of Legislative Floor Operations for Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Ruth McElroy Amundsen
Board Member
BS in Physics from Stanford; dual engineering master's from University of Michigan. Thermal engineer at NASA Langley, in-demand speaker on solar energy, and a parent-group leader who put $1M of solar on local schools.
Maryellen Frawley
Board Member
Thirty years of leadership in strategic planning, business development, and environmental consulting. M.S. Environmental Management & Policy and B.A. Economics.
Jack Hawkins
Board Member
Former senior USAID official who directed a White House initiative expanding international volunteer service. Senior positions across nonprofit management, ICT, consulting, and banking; BA Pittsburgh, master's GSPIA.
Thomas Kselman
Board Member
Professor Emeritus at the University of Notre Dame (1979–2018). Ph.D. from the University of Michigan; widely published in French history, including Conscience and Conversion (Yale, 2018).
Sumeet Rawla
Board Member
An activist at heart across conservation, sustainability, and inequity. Former VP Strategic Alliances at Aidmatrix; two decades at Tata Consultancy Services; leads Philanthropic Initiatives at Community Pure Water Foundation.
Richard Shusman
Board Member
Managing Director at Manulife Investment Management, focused on private equity and private credit. Previously at Capital Dynamics, a leader in clean energy infrastructure across solar and wind. CFA and CAIA charterholder.
Gene Lengdorfer
Board Member
Mechanical engineer combining software with hard technology — controls, deep learning, and data science. BS Mechanical Engineering, University of Nevada, Reno.
Brandt Maxwell
Board Member
Retired 30-year National Weather Service meteorologist (B.S. and M.S. atmospheric sciences, University of Kansas), now a consultant and a strong advocate for clean renewable energy.
The people doing the work
Our Team
Joe Kselman
Executive Director
Joe founded SVP in 2013, along with his wife Cristeen, after visiting an off-grid untouchable caste village in Bihar, India. What started with providing solar power for a small village school turned into today's Solar Village Project.
Walter Branson
Chief Financial Officer
Walter's 30-year finance career spans roles as a commercial and investment banker, corporate CFO, and institutional investment manager with Regiment Capital Advisors. Graduate of the University of Massachusetts and Columbia Business School.
Jaiveer Verma
Managing Director, India
Jaiveer brings over 23 years of experience in the solar industry, managing end-to-end operations for residential, commercial, and utility-scale projects. He has played a key role in the green energy revolution, working with leading companies.
Shubham Gupta
State Head, Business Development
An accomplished business development & operations manager with extensive experience in customer relations, marketing, management, market analysis and business development, with over 6 years in the renewable energy industry.
We work alongside
Our Partners
The Solar Village Project is proud to work alongside a diverse and committed group of partners who share our belief in a more just and sustainable world. Together, we're bringing clean, reliable energy to communities that need it most.
Global Partners
Local CSR Sponsors
We're a U.S. 501(c)(3) working alongside our local foundation in India, the Solar Village Social Services Project Foundation (SVSSPF) — a registered Section 8 organization that manages projects on the ground, builds community relationships, and ensures every installation delivers lasting impact.
