Overview
Personal Profile
Faith Martinez Smith is a senior energy policy and regulatory analyst within the Policy Analysis group in NLR's Strategic Energy Analysis Center. She primarily focuses on the intersection of policy and energy technologies, including policy and regulatory challenges associated with energy development and transmission as well as stakeholder engagement. Previously, Martinez Smith spent time in the Texas state regulatory space and as a policy analyst for ClearPath, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on decarbonizing the energy and industrial sectors in Washington, D.C. While in Washington, D.C., she directly engaged with policymakers and their staff to connect science and policy by writing and presenting educational materials on Capitol Hill, stakeholder engagement, and in providing feedback for proposed legislation. Martinez Smith has previously worked in permitting for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, including industrial, municipal, and underground injection control permitting. As a policy analyst, she managed portfolios in geothermal, hydropower, and energy storage technologies.
Research Interests
State and federal energy, environmental, and water policy analysis
Electricity sector planning, policy, and regulatory analysis
Energy markets and policy analysis
Energy-water nexus
Geothermal energy
Stakeholder engagement
Professional Experience
Engineering Specialist III, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (2020–2021)
Policy Analyst, ClearPath (2018–2020)
Research Associate, AIQUEOUS (2017)
Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant, Webber Energy Group, University of Texas at Austin (2014–2016)
Engineering Specialist I, Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (2014)
Education/Academic Qualification
Master, Energy and Earth Resources, University of Texas at Austin
Master, Global Policy Studies, University of Texas at Austin
Bachelor, Environmental Science, Westminster College, Salt Lake City
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Collaborations and Top Research Areas From the Past 5 Years
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An Analysis of High Opportunity Geothermal Leasing Areas on BLM and USFS Lands
Martinez Smith, F., Ho, J., Trainor-Guitton, W., Thomson, S.-M., Smith, L. & Heimiller, D., 2024, 41 p.Research output: NLR › Technical Report
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Topics and Considerations for Developing State Geothermal Regulations
Levine, A., Martinez Smith, F. & Buchanan, H., 2023, 48 p.Research output: NLR › Technical Report
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Geothermal Interagency Collaboration Task Force: Summary of Findings
Levine, A. & Martinez Smith, F., 2023, 95 p.Research output: NLR › Technical Report
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Evolving Competitive Markets in SAPP: Leveraging Competitive Wholesale Electricity Markets to Drive Renewable Generation Capacity in the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP)
Wright, J., Simeone, C., Martinez Smith, F. & Banda, M., 2024, 82 p.Research output: NLR › Technical Report
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2025 U.S. Geothermal Market Report
Akindipe, D., Martinez Smith, F., Witter, E., Pauling, H., Oh, H., Podgorny, S., Rane, J., Harmon, J., Javed, S., Simpson, J., Shlosberg, D., Holt, E., Trainor-Guitton, W., Levine, A., Schmidt, B. & Pedersen, A., 2026, 79 p.Research output: NLR › Technical Report
Activities
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Geothermal Rising (External organization)
Akindipe, D. (Member), Pauling, H. (Member), Acero Allard, D. (Member), Davalos Elizondo, E. (Member) & Martinez Smith, F. (Member)
0001Activity: Membership › Membership of network
Awards and Honors
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Outstanding Research Award, Geothermal Rising
Martinez Smith, F. (Recipient), 2024
Prize: Honorary award