Sushma MasemoreAssistant Secretary for Environment

Sushma Masemore was named Assistant Secretary for Environment in May of 2021 and guides the regulatory divisions of DEQ through the complex issues facing North Carolina. 

Masemore brings more than 30 years of public and private sector experience to the role, including 13 years with DEQ. She was named Deputy Assistant Secretary for Environment in 2018 and State Energy Director in 2019. 

For the State Energy Office, Masemore led statewide initiatives related to energy and resiliency, including the development of the state’s Clean Energy Plan and Risk Assessment and Resilience Plan. She also oversaw programs related to low-income weatherization assistance, energy planning, energy efficiency, and transportation alternatives. 

She joined the Division of Air Quality as a permit engineer and moved into managing teams of engineers and scientists to develop air quality rules and state implementation plans. 

Her private sector consulting experience included building partnerships with technology developers, the oil & gas industry, coal mines, electric power plants, and the chemical industry to implement environmental solutions that made business sense. 

Masemore earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from University of Maryland Baltimore County, and is a licensed Professional Engineer in North Carolina.