Colleagues,

Many of us are grieving the passing of Michael Goldstone. Michael was the rare individual whose impact transcended across offices and geographic locations. It is a testament to his spirit and passion for the mission.

I want to share a little bit about my history and knowledge of Michael for those of you who did not have the opportunity to know him well or for a long time. I remember the 2nd year law student I interviewed for a summer internship. I was taken with his drive and commitment. He impressed us so much that we kept him on as a law clerk throughout his third year and later offered him his first and only job he ever had as an attorney at the Department of Energy. I remember his joy when he passed the bar, accepted his new attorney position, and when he and his mom stopped by my house to borrow my truck as he moved into his first house. What milestones for him! It is so hard to believe that it has been seventeen years since he first walked through the doors at DOE.

Michael was smart, cocky, mischievous, and extremely loyal. Reesha Trznadel vowed she was going to turn Michael, a known “idea guy”, into an effective legal writer as well, no small task from where Michael started! Reesha did so much more. She was a surrogate mom to Michael, mentoring his legal career. Michael idolized Reesha and she was always there for him professionally (often with tough love), and more importantly, as a person. One could find Michael staying with Reesha’s family when he was between residences. It was not unusual for Michael to stay with other colleagues. Working with Michael was relational, not transactional. Michael was a proud member of the Office of Chief Counsel in Golden and loved his colleagues. He treated them as siblings, which meant they were on the receiving end of his pranks and questionable choices in white elephant gifts.

Michael pushed the boundaries of what could be done from the very beginning. I remember getting strongly worded emails and calls from other departments demanding an apology because Michael had insulted someone. Michael would respond with the mature retort of “they started it” or pleading truth as a defense to the insult. Reesha or I would discipline Michael, while working with him to develop diplomacy, grace, and collaboration (that is the G rated version of how it went down!); Michael would apologize to the individual; and then he would go right back to pushing the boundaries and getting things done. He, more than others, understood the urgency of our mission.

It has been my experience that for many lawyers it is easier to just say no rather than find a creative solution within the law. That was not Michael. Michael used the law as a sword for change. Whether he was brainstorming with his partner in crime, Victor Kane, or figuring out how to be most impactful with Garrett Nilsen and his beloved colleagues at the Solar Energy Technologies Office, Michael took it personally that he must be the change. As Michael grew as an attorney and as an adult, he blossomed. He figured out how to push boundaries while cultivating relationships with other Departmental elements, most recently innovating with Victor, Mary Yamada, and colleagues at the Office of Technology Transitions.

One of my favorite pairings was Michael and Carol Hellmann. Imagine this pitch for a DOE sitcom -- Michael was the cowboy who made a living challenging the status quo; Carol is the classically trained contracting officer, now Office Director who has become the FAR and financial assistance guru. Together, they were magic -- like Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg; think peanut butter and chocolate; or Mac and C.H.E.E.S.E. for you Friends fans. The result was pure poetry. Yes, many others contributed to the success of prizes within the Department, but the combination of Michael and Carol was the perfect recipe for negotiating the labyrinth of laws and regulations to devise innovative solutions. The current batch of prizes across DOE owe a great deal of debt to this collaboration. Most recently, Michael and Victor approached me with a pilot to run an opportunity that went from prizes to a FOA. They had me at hello! I remember sharing this innovation with Maria Robinson at the Grid Deployment Office. She was blown away. This is just one of many examples of Michael’s efforts that have impacted the Department (don’t get me started about applicant teaming arrangements and Partnership Intermediary Agreements).

Many of you may not know that in addition to his DOE career, Michael was a real estate entrepreneur. What started with his own bungalow in Denver became a small portfolio of rentals right before prices exploded. He was all in with Airbnb as short-term rentals became a new way to secure lodging when traveling. Conversations between us would usually start with me asking: “Hey Slumlord, how are the rentals going?” Then, he would talk about how outdated regulations prevented people from having access to affordable short-term housing. His mind was always thinking about a better way to do things. As a result of those regulations, he pivoted his fiefdom to long-term rentals with property managers taking care of his portfolio.

Michael was proud of his work on Biosphere 2. For those of you who don’t know what that is, Biosphere 2 is an American Earth system science research facility located in Oracle, Arizona. Its mission is to serve as a center for research, outreach, teaching, and lifelong learning about Earth, its living systems, and its place in the universe. Not a huge jump in logic to see what drove him to the DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy! Michael also studied in New Orleans and served as a volunteer for the Student Hurricane Network. He lived a life of service while enjoying all that NOLA has to offer. I remember telling him I was going to New Orleans for the first time. He made me a huge list of his favorite things to see and do while there. I am eternally grateful for his recommendation of where to go to eat red beans and rice while listening to the jazz stylings of Kermit Ruffins. Michael had dabbled in many diverse trades, traveled across the US and the world as a lifelong experiential learner.

Over the years we rejoiced as Michael fell in love and consoled him as he experienced the heartbreak at the end of relationships. Michael was a real, living breathing human being. He was so much more than who he was at DOE. You may not know that Michael was an accomplished whitewater guide. He participated in and led rafting expeditions in some very treacherous waters. I remember a Columbus Day federal holiday when Michael decided that he and I should go rafting in my inflatable kayak. After wrapping it around a boulder and experiencing some bumps and bruises downstream, we sat at Snarfs in Golden and laughed at how wonderful it was to be alive.

Michael was an avid cyclist, snowboarder/skier, and hiker. He would send pictures when he was overwhelmed with the beauty of nature. He sent me the attached amazing time lapse movie he took when he was biking in the hills of California. If you look closely, you can see him in the bottom right corner with his bike helmet on.

My last interaction with Michael was to congratulate him for receiving not one, but two (!) Secretary Honors awards this year for his work on Puerto Rico and the Industrial Assessment Centers. I told him he was kicking ass. He was at the top of his game. One of his texts to me captured how Michael saw this place: “amazingly this job continues to get better as time goes on”. How can you not be smitten with his enthusiasm?
Sometimes events happen that we cannot process or understand. I take solace that on Michael’s last vibrant day on the planet he was on an adventure with a cherished colleague. While it was way too soon to lose him, we should all be so lucky to leave this world as we embrace the adventures life has to offer.

Michael, you won the game of life. You have left a legacy of accomplishment and more importantly, you left an indelible mark on the hearts of the people who had the good fortune to get to know you. Thank you.

Principal Deputy Under Secretary for Science and Innovation United States Department of Energy
Derek G. Passarelli