Meet the team

Learn more about the people that make Luminalt dedicated to the community, a leader in industry trends, and known for excellent customer service.

Leadership Team

Jeanine Cotter

Jeanine Cotter

President and CEO

Jeanine co-founded Luminalt to bring clean, reliable, local power to cities and create career path quality local jobs. One of few women CEOs in solar, and one of fewer still who holds the company’s solar contractors license, she is widely considered an industry expert.  Jeanine is on several national and local committees focused on establishing solar industry standards, renewable energy advocacy, creation of inner city jobs, small business and sustainable business practices. Since 2013, she’s been on the Board of Directors of CALSSA (formerly CALSEIA), California’s solar industry trade organization. Jeanine established Luminalt as the first workforce development certified solar company in San Francisco because she is committed to creating pathways into solar for people underrepresented in the field. She was appointed by the Mayor to the San Francisco’s Workforce Investment Board, a position she holds to this day. Her work has earned her recognition from the CA Legislative Assembly, including the 2015 Woman of the Year award for District 19, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, and several nonprofits.  

Noel Cotter

Noel Cotter

Chairman of the Board

Now retired co-founder of Luminalt, Noel built his first solar electric system in 1981, a 50kW grid-tied solar and battery back-up system in Cork, Ireland. Committed to craftsman level quality solar electric and paired energy storage installations, he and Jeanine founded Luminalt in 2004. An avid supporter of continuing education for installers and for keeping training relevant to the practical skills installers need to ensure safe and high performing systems. He developed the curriculum and taught the first solar thermal course at City College of San Francisco, and has been a Subject Matter Expert (SME) on the California State License Board panel that creates questions for the C-10 electrical contractor’s licensing exam. Noel has worked with most renewable energy technologies, including wind and micro-hydro. 

August Goers

August Goers

Chief Technology Officer

August built his first solar electric system in 1997. He has devoted his career to the craft of designing and installing quality solar and energy storage systems. A national solar expert, he started teaching best practices classes as Solar Power International in 2009 and now teaches regularly at San Francisco’s Pacific Energy Center. He is a Cal Poly trained mechanical engineer and a NABCEP® PV Installation Professional. You can read more about his background in solar on the NABCEP® website. August also holds Luminalt’s C-20 HVAC contractor’s license and a C-10 electrical contractor’s license. He was an active participant in the SF Department of Building Inspection’s revision of the PV permitting requirements and actively works on CALSSA’s Codes and Standards committee. August participates on Luminalt’s leadership team and oversees our project management team.

Eric Schoonbaert

Eric Schoonbaert

Director of Engineering

With Luminalt since 2007, Eric helms our design department. Eric and the rest of the Design and Engineering Team plan the technical aspects of our installations, from pre-installation visit, to permitting and beyond. Despite the overwhelming number of conflicting and ever changing solar and energy storage codes throughout the Bay Area, Eric stays up to date on them. Eric holds a NABCEP® PV Installation Professional certification. When commuting to the office, Eric uses a mix of bicycle and public transportation. 

Melissa Brewster

Melissa Brewster

Vice President of Operations

With her upbeat, positive and can do attitude, Melissa drives a successful customer experience by ensuring clients are engaged, informed and benefiting from the full value of Luminalt’s services. As a strategic leader, she develops and implements best-in-class processes to delight Luminalt’s growing customer base. She is responsible for the overall direction, coordination, and performance of the Project Administration, Installation, Warehouse and Service Teams. 

Melissa is passionate about policies that forge career pathways for people with barriers to employment. Through collaboration with policymakers, employers and community-based organizations she works to improve workforce development systems that ensure equitable access for local, underrepresented communities. She is a graduate of Asian Neighborhood Design’s Green Building Program and serves as Treasurer of the Board of Directors at Legal Services for Prisoners with Children.