Heather Renée Zichal[2] (last name pronounced with long 'i') (born February 8, 1976)[3] is an American executive, consultant, and political advisor who specializes in climate change and environmental policy.

[5][6] While at Rutgers, she interned at the state chapter of the Sierra Club and was part of a panel interviewing candidates for New Jersey's 12th congressional district.

[9] In these positions she worked on legislation to address climate change, reduce the country's dependence on oil for energy, and to protect American natural resources.

[14][15] When Browner left the White House in March 2011, Zichal took over the general responsibilities of coordinating the administration's energy and climate policy, now operating from within the U.S.

Domestic Policy Council[16] (the "czar" position itself having been reorganized away by the White House and its funding subsequently abolished by Congress in the mid-April 2011 federal spending agreement that averted a possible government shutdown).

[15] With Republicans having taken over the House of Representatives following the 2010 midterm elections, chances of the large-scale climate and energy legislation passing that Browner had worked towards were essentially nil.

[3][7][20] At first the administration pursued more modest goals that could attract bipartisan support, such as reducing oil imports and promoting clean or renewable energy sources.

[7] The White House subsequently gave credit to Zichal for putting into place policy changes that would lead to a doubling of wind and solar power generation.

[14][15] During the early portion of Obama's second term, Zichal was one of the public faces of the administration's approach of addressing climate change via federal regulatory action.

[29] In 2019, she became an advisor to the Joe Biden 2020 presidential campaign, helping him craft a "middle ground" climate and energy policy, in contrast to the Green New Deal.

"[35] During the presidential transition of Joe Biden there was speculation she might join the new administration, but her stint on the board of Cheniere Energy brought opposition against her from progressive organizations who were pushing against anyone being appointed to an environment-related position if they had worked in the fossil fuel industry.

[38] Shortly before leaving the American Clean Power Association, she endorsed legislation proposed by West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin to reform permitting processes in order to speed up the development of both fossil-fuel and renewable energy projects[39] – a proposal that was endorsed by President Joe Biden and other Democratic Party leaders but failed to pass the Senate.

[40] In September 2022 she left the American Clean Power Association to join multinational investment bank JP Morgan Chase, where her role was to be "global head of sustainability".

[38] The position change prompted new accusations from some environmental advocates that she has used her "green-sounding credentials" to advance her career and favor corporate interests.