Dr. Varun Rai is a distinguished public policy expert who is leading the organization’s policy research and guiding FutureFirst SA’s mission of driving impactful public policy initiatives for San Antonio. Dr. Rai brings a wealth of experience from his ongoing faculty role at the University of Texas at Austin, where he has held several prestigious roles including Associate Dean for Research at the LBJ School of Public Affairs and Director of the University of Texas Energy Institute. Dr. Rai holds a Doctorate in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University and has been deeply involved in extensive research on energy innovation and climate policy.

In his role, Dr. Rai also helps to lead initiatives aimed at developing sustainable energy policies that not only address today’s environmental issues but also prepare CPS Energy for future challenges. His work particularly focuses on leveraging his vast knowledge in solar energy advancements and storage technology adoption to foster sustainable growth and innovation for San Antonio’s city owned electric utility.