Dr. Tony G. Reames is an internationally recognized scholar in the fields of energy and environmental justice, as well as a senior government policy advisor. He is the Tishman Professor of Environmental Justice position and an associate professor at the University of Michigan School for Environment and Sustainability (U-M SEAS). He is the founder of the Urban Energy Justice Lab and the Energy Equity Project, and he also serves as the Director of the U-M SEAS Detroit Sustainability Clinic. His research focuses on investigating fair and equitable access to affordable, reliable, and clean energy, and exploring the production and persistence of energy disparities across race, income, and geography. 

Dr. Reames served as a Presidential appointee in the Biden-Harris Administration from 2021 to 2023, holding several senior roles at the U.S. Department of Energy. He was a Senior Advisor in the Office of Economic Impact and Diversity (now Office of Energy Justice and Equity). As Deputy Director for Energy Justice, Reames established and led the first-ever Office of Energy Justice Policy and Analysis to conduct research and evaluation on Federal energy policy and programs for advancing racial and socioeconomic equity. As Principal Deputy Director for the Office of State and Community Energy Programs, Reames worked with state and local organizations to accelerate place-based clean energy deployment strategies involving a wide range of government, community, business, and other stakeholders.

Dr. Reames holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration from the University of Kansas, a Master of Engineering Management from Kansas State University, and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University. He is a licensed professional engineer with experience in the public and private sectors. He was a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army, reaching the rank of Captain and serving a tour of duty in Iraq.