Behind every dataset is an opportunity to make a difference—and that is exactly what Dan Robb sets out to do.
After 16 years with Frontier Energy, Dan now serves as the People Director for the Evaluation and Validation team, a role that blends technical expertise with leadership and mentorship. Dan’s team spans across two labs, the Food Service Tech Lab and the Building Science Research Lab — as well as a field monitoring unit that operates in real-world environments. “The field isn’t a controlled lab. It’s messy,” he said. “But it’s where the true performance of our technologies comes to life.” Whether testing heat pump water heaters to distributed generation; commercial kitchen appliances to networked geothermal systems, Dan’s work helps clients and policymakers make informed, data-driven decisions.
His approach is driven by a deep commitment to critical thinking and a big-picture mindset. “Every challenge we work on has layers—regulatory, technical, economic,” he explained. “If something doesn’t make sense, it probably makes sense in a different context. Our job is to figure that out.”
One of Dan’s proudest projects was a field monitoring study in Massachusetts. His team compared two adjacent low-income apartment buildings, one using high-efficiency gas and the other using electric heat pumps. The study not only informed utility decision-making but also prompted Dan to present at the American Council for an Energy Efficiency Economy Summer Study Conference. “It was a powerful moment. The data showed unintended cost burdens with electrification—something we hadn’t fully anticipated,” he said. “That shifted how the utility approached future retrofits.”
As he transitions further into his leadership role, Dan acknowledges the challenge of stepping away from hands-on work to guide and empower others. But he’s quick to see the upside. “Growth means learning to delegate, developing your team, and trusting the process,” he shared. “You’re still solving problems—just in a different way.”
That shift hasn’t gone unnoticed. His colleagues in the New York office describe Dan as the kind of leader who’s always in the trenches with his team—whether that means answering late-night emails, helping refine a proposal before the deadline, or jumping in to troubleshoot a technical issue. Chris Doty shared, “He really cares about his employees, and we all know we can count on him whenever we need anything. At the core of this company, we are a people company—and Dan embodies that 100%.”
Dan is deeply motivated by the collaborative culture at Frontier. “No one hoards information. People are always willing to help each other,” he said. “That culture of support is rare, and it makes a huge difference.” He credits longtime colleagues like Adam Walburger and Tanuj Gulati for modeling thoughtful leadership and communication. He also highlights the recent success of onboarding new team members in the New York office process that not only strengthened the team but inspired colleagues to consider leadership roles themselves.
Outside of work, Dan balances his analytical side with family life, sports, and creative pursuits. A dedicated Manchester United fan, he also coaches youth soccer, plays Magic: The Gathering, and enjoys bouldering, golfing, and cross-country skiing with his wife and two kids. He even credits his childhood love of SimCity as the spark for his interest in energy systems.
His advice to newcomers? “Let your personality shine. Be curious. Ask questions. Don’t pretend to have all the answers—because none of us do. But together, we’ll figure them out.”
