Nekabari Goka

• School of International Affairs

• M.S. INTA 2014

Nekabari Goka graduated from the Nunn School in 2014 with a master’s degree in International Affairs and a concentration in science and technology; globalization and development; and energy policy. Following graduation, Nekabari worked for NRG Energy as the complex transaction analyst in the Sustainability and Products team and then as the market operations manager in the Distributed Energy Resources. He then served as Deloitte’s senior consultant in the Energy, Resources and Industrials and now is the manager in the Regulatory Affairs & Market Development at Oracle Utilities. Nekabari also serves as a member for the board of directors at Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance and is the founder and host of Energy of State, a podcast that explores the role of the state in shaping energy markets.

What the Ivan Allen College Taught Me

I think that the most wonderful thing about the Ivan Allen College is that the faculty and staff have really dedicated themselves to the mission of creating pathways for liberal arts students to fully leverage the strengths of the science and engineering disciplines offered at Georgia Tech. While I focused my graduate studies in international affairs and economics, I was able to also complement my studies with learning opportunities in public policy and computer science, truly rounding out my experience at Tech.

I would say that one of my most memorable experiences as a student of the Ivan Allen College was the opportunity to travel to both Costa Rica and later South Africa as a part Dr. Michael Best’s Technologies and International Development Lab. While at the International Telecommunications Union (an auxiliary group of the United Nations) Global Youth Summit in Costa Rica, my lab mates and I were challenged to develop an application that could be used to address the second millennium development goal of improving primary school attendance and completion rates worldwide. Our SMS and web-based app, Goal Z3R0, was well-received at the conference, and as a result we were invited to demo our application at the International Information and Communication Technologies for Development Conference in Capetown, South Africa, later on that year.

Interests and Hobbies

Outside of work I enjoy reading, weightlifting, traveling (I try to visit three or four new countries a year), discussing politics, and just jamming out to music at home. While I lived in Houston, I was a member of a couple of economic development organizations that focused on international trade competiveness and the attraction of foreign direct investment to the region, and going forward, I plan to keep the ball rolling with these efforts in New England as well. One additional fun fact is that I’m also a classically trained violist, and as such I always find time to play in local chamber groups when I can.

Advice for Current Students

My number one piece of advice would be to take advantage of every opportunity, including the ones that seem only the slightest bit related to your future career goals at the onset. I’ve found that often times the most meaningful experiences come from the most unexpected places, and I think that that adage definitely sums up my experiences at Georgia Tech.