Ben Abram

Ben Abram is a proud Duke alum who has long been involved with the Nicholas School and Energy Initiative, clearly wishing there had been a Nicholas curriculum for undergraduates when he attended. He’s been "around the hoop" for years: first joining the School's Board of Visitors at Bill Chameides' request after completing his term on Duke's Board of Trustees in 2010, and later as a BoV member of the Energy Initiative at Brian Murray's invitation when that board was first formed. Chances are, you’ve crossed paths with Ben during his time supporting Duke’s sustainability efforts.

In 2016, Ben teamed up with forever-in-our-hearts Nicholas Institute Board Member Mark Laabs to co-found Modern Energy Group, a partnership they cherished and used to bring a few gigawatts of renewable energy and energy efficiency to market. Although Mark has since passed, the values that shaped their work together continue to drive the company forward.

Ben lives near Duke's East Campus with his wife, Sophia Chitlik, and their three-year-old son, where they are members of Beth El Synagogue.