Tara McDermott

Tara McDermott joined PSEG Long Island in the spring of 2026 as a Lead Customer Operations Analyst, focusing on Utility 2.0 planning for demand flexibility programs. With over two decades of experience in advancing distributed energy resources, Tara brings technical subject matter expertise on these technologies.

Tara earned her BA in Sociology at SUNY Stony Brook and her Master of Public Administration at CUNY Baruch, both with a focus on environmental studies. She is also a “Semester at Sea” alumni, where she completed part of her degree while traveling at sea through several different global ports. She represented the Department of State in Australia as a U.S. Climate Change Professional Fellow, where she worked with Australian researchers, industries, and advocates dealing with energy and climate issues.

Prior to joining the PSEG Long Island team, Tara represented EmPower Solar on the Long Island Solar & Storage Alliance where she previously served as the organization’s Chair. Tara also spent five years at Citizens Campaign for the Environment, where she organized educational and advocacy campaigns on various environmental issues on Long Island. She has been active in various professional and environmental organizations, including LIBN, the C3E Women in Energy group on LI and served on the Advisory Board for the Renewable Energy and Sustainability Center at Farmingdale State College. Tara also co-founded two nonprofit organizations focused on smart growth and keeping young professionals on Long Island.

Tara holds a Long Island Business News Top 50 Women in Business designation and was inducted into the Social Justice Distinguished Scholar Academy for her work in environmental justice issues in collaboration with Farmingdale State College.

As a charity boxer for the 2018 Long Island Fight for Charity, Tara raised over $18,000 for non-profits across Long Island. In her spare time, Tara enjoys hiking around Long Island’s parks with her husband and three children. Tara’s household has adopted a full-home clean energy electrification initiative including solar, energy storage, geothermal electric heating, smart thermostats, and an EV.

Last updated October 1, 2026