Yaniv Kalish

Founder, Chief Executive Officer

Yaniv Kalish, Founder and CEO of SolarKal, has been a pioneering leader in the commercial solar sector since 2007. Yaniv has successfully built SolarKal to be the leading solar advisory and marketplace for the real estate industry, facilitating over 100 solar energy transactions worth more than $500 million for prominent real estate companies. As an author of the Solar Energy Industries Association’s commercial solar guide and a passionate advocate for the industry, Yaniv frequently speaks at events and on podcasts, sharing insights on increasing solar adoption in the U.S.

Prior to founding SolarKal, Yaniv amassed extensive experience in the solar energy sector, developing dozens of projects for private and publicly traded solar companies. Yaniv’s background includes a tenure at the Boston Consulting Group, where he honed his strategic and analytical skills. He has a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Tel Aviv University and an MBA from Columbia Business School.

Yaniv is an avid soccer player and an enthusiastic traveler, having backpacked for a year in South America. He is based in New Jersey, where he lives with his wife and three children, and works out of SolarKal’s New York City office.

Meet the rest of the SolarKal team:

Neil Sharma

Co-Founder, Chief Commercial Officer

Neil brings over 25 years of experience in finance, sales, and corporate development to SolarKal. Since 2016, his leadership has been key to the company’s growth in delivering top-tier solar advisory and procurement services. Neil leads SolarKal’s West Coast operations from San Diego.

Sohaila Abdelhamid

Project Delivery Associate

With a solid foundation in photovoltaic (PV) systems design and electrical engineering, Sohaila brings a strong technical background to SolarKal, providing commercial solar project analysis and management.

Michael Conway

Project Delivery Manager

Mike has more than 10 years of experience in social entrepreneurship, financial analysis, and business development. He oversees solar development projects, leads policy research, and manages sales requests to determine project feasibility.

Claude McGee

Senior Director - Project Delivery

Claude brings over 12 years of hands-on commercial solar experience to SolarKal. He oversees the development of comprehensive solar strategies for corporate and real estate clients, and helps executives integrate solar into their national properties portfolios. Based out of San Diego, Claude is fluent in Japanese.

Josh Newell

Senior Vice President of Project Delivery

Josh leads SolarKal’s Project Delivery Team in providing advisory services and managing the company’s 200+ solar partners. One of the solar industry’s preeminent experts, Josh has extensive experience implementing on-site solar for Fortune 500s, universities, and commercial real estate firms.

Travis O'Guin

Director of Project Delivery

Travis has over 14 years of experience in the cleantech energy sector, with a focus on commercial analysis and business development for innovative technologies. At SolarKal, Travis helps commercial and industrial real estate clients achieve their financial and sustainability goals by developing high-value solar and storage projects.

Cole Petrillo

Director of Project Delivery

Cole brings six years of solar experience to the team and is responsible for taking solar projects from initial analysis to completion. His work focuses on managing the RFP process and overseeing project development. Clients and solar providers alike appreciate his deep understanding of commercial solar project construction and energization.

Adam Simensky

Real Estate Account Executive

Adam is a Real Estate Account Executive at SolarKal with 18 years of experience in the industry. As an Advisor and Project Success Manager, he draws on his extensive commercial real estate expertise to drive solar adoption across U.S. properties.

Zachary Vaughn

Account Executive - Real Estate

Zach brings deep real estate expertise and a passion for sustainable energy to SolarKal. He provides commercial real estate clients with expert advisory, procurement, and project management services, helping them increase their property values and achieve ambitious sustainability goals.

Peter Veress

Sales Operations Manager

Peter is a leading sales development professional with over seven years of direct sales experience and a proven track record of success. At SolarKal, he oversees the company’s entire sales tech stack and facilitates lead generation and account-based marketing strategies.

David Wei

Vice President of Operations and Finance

David brings over 10 years of investment and operations experience to SolarKal, driving continuous improvement in the company’s strategy and performance. He serves as a guest lecturer on ESG Investing at Columbia Business School and frequently speaks on the intersection of sustainability and finance.

Maria Writesel

Director of Marketing

Maria leads SolarKal’s marketing and public relations, ensuring that the company’s brand quality matches its world-class service. With deep energy communications expertise and a passion for the promise of solar, Maria helps clients promote project successes and significant sustainability achievements.

Paul Abramson

Commercial Solar Energy Advisor

Paul Abramson has served as SolarKal’s Commercial Solar Energy Advisor for over eight years, providing expert guidance to businesses implementing solar energy solutions.

Holt Gollatz

Commercial Solar Energy Advisor

Holt Gollatz has served as SolarKal’s Commercial Solar Energy Advisor for the past eight years, opening new doors and developing commercial solar client relationships.

Kim Saylors-Laster

Strategic Accounts Advisor

Kim Saylors-Laster has served as SolarKal’s Strategic Accounts Advisor for the past six years. As a Solar Advisor, Kim provides strategic guidance related to key accounts, RFPs, contract negotiations, and project development. 

Jacob Susman

Board Advisor

Jacob Susman, a clean economy business builder, has served as SolarKal’s Board Advisor for the past three years.

Stan Fischer

Sales Advisor

Stan Fischer has served as SolarKal’s Sales Advisor for the past six years.

Don Van Rhyn

Sales Advisor

Don Van Rhyn has been part of SolarKal, serving as a Sales Advisor for the past five years, where he excels in simplifying the solar evaluation and procurement process for property owners and tenants. His expertise has contributed to the success of multiple megawatt-scale commercial and industrial solar projects.