About GSE

Global Strategic Energy is focused on bringing the benefits of Continuous Energy Improvement to clients worldwide. Explicit bottom-line benefits and more resilient and sustainable operations are just the start. We use energy performance improvement to break down communication barriers and engage your workforce.

We believe that in a world subject to energy price volatility, energy efficiency is part of the path forward for Government, Commercial, and Industrial organizations, and that a Strategic Energy Management System is a required asset for success in the new energy reality.

In the process of helping our clients reach their energy goals, we contribute toward a more sustainable and verdant world.

At Global Strategic Energy, it’s not the light bulb we turn off. It’s the light bulb we turn on.

Paul Birkeland, Founder and Principal

Paul Birkeland founded Global Strategic Energy to apply aerospace Systems Engineering discipline and management techniques to energy. He holds Bachelors and Masters degrees in Aerospace Engineering, and worked 25 years in the aerospace industry. He has since earned certificates as Certified Energy Manager (CEM) and as Certified Practitioner in Energy Management Systems (CP EnMS). He has participated in or managed energy management pilot projects organized by the US Department of Energy, the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance, and utilities. He serves clients around the US and Canada from his home in Seattle, WA.

Dresden Skees-Gregory, BS, MS, CEM, LEED-AP

Dresden Skees-Gregory holds a BS in Environmental Science, a MS in Environmental Science and Engineering specializing in water quality, and is a PhD student in Public Administration & Policy at Portland State University. She is an RABQSA ISO 50001 Auditor, an RABQSA ISO 14001 Principal Auditor, an ANSI Certified Professional – EnMS, a Certified Energy Manager, and a LEED Accredited Professional BD+C.

Dresden has over one and a half decades of experience in a variety of sustainability and environmental fields and has worked all over the Pacific Northwest. She spent eight years in environmental regulatory compliance for high tech firms. She spent three years at Xerox working on green product design, certification, recycling, and end-of-life management. For 2 ½ years Dresden was the Sustainability Coordinator at Portland State University, working on all aspects of sustainable operations and building at the University. Most recently, she spent 2 years working on energy efficiency and management with a local consulting firm.

Dresden’s recent projects include program management for the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance’s and US Dept. of Energy’s (USDOE) pilot program to implement the Draft ISO 50001 and the USDOE’s Save Energy Now and Superior Energy Performance programs in the Pacific Northwest. Dresden is also serving as a Subject Matter Expert providing technical content for development of the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance’s new version of their Continuous Energy Improvement program, focused on medium and small businesses. She is also a Qualified Verifier which conducts audits of product compliance to the EPEAT global green electronics label. This label is required by many GSA contracts.