Casey O'Connell holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication and a minor in Business from Tulane University. She has a broad range of experience in the communication field, having served as junior account executive and publicist for a leading public relations firm in New Orleans, LA. Casey also worked as marketing and communications associate for the Knight Center for International Media, a nonprofit in Miami, FL, and part of the University of Miami's School of Communication. During her time there, she aided in marketing, outreach and support of campaigns promoting clean water and sustainability to under-represented countries.

Now working as an Assistant Project Coordinator at SEI, Casey functions as a communication and public relations associate within the firm, in addition to serving as project support and management for all program sectors. Her primary roles include providing management, site coordination and marketing for the Northwest Energy Efficiency Council's Building Operators Certification program (San Francisco location); supporting project management, program development, and conducting data collection and analysis within the Utility School Energy Pledge Program; and assisting in program research and profiling within the affordable housing sector. Casey also aided in energy efficiency market research and forecasting for state utility Duquesne Light Company of Pennsylvania, and helped produce market research and analysis for the California Sustainability Alliance Toolkit for Local Governments.