Navisun Narratives: Amy Caruso, Director of Project Controls

At Navisun, our people are the driving force behind every project we build, own, and operate. Through our Navisun Narratives series, we spotlight the individuals who power our mission and shape the future of clean energy.

We recently caught up with Director of Project Controls Amy Caruso to hear about her path from double major and Division I athlete to bridging finance and operations at Navisun. Her story highlights a passion for process, people, and building systems that make clean energy projects run more smoothly and sustainably.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself to get started? 

I grew up in the Bay Area in California, where my whole family still lives, but on my 18th birthday I boarded a plane for Pennsylvania to attend Lafayette College and I’ve been here ever since. I came to play Division I soccer, and even managed to walk onto the softball team my senior year. In the classroom, I followed my curiosity more than a clear career plan, studying anthropology, sociology, and comparative religious studies, and even completing an undergraduate thesis in religious studies. I originally looked at grad school and becoming a professor of religious studies but by the end, I realized academia wasn’t for me. With no concrete plan, I stumbled into a role in construction management. At first, I worked within pharmaceuticals, then moved into the artificial turf space, and eventually solar with First Solar when they were still acting as an EPC.

From there, my path wound through healthcare IT, where I discovered a real interest in systems including ERP tools, finance workflows, and the way different teams connect. That experience eventually brought me back to solar and, later, to Navisun. What I’ve learned along the way is that I thrive in the space between functions: continuous improvement, training, processes, and the technology that ties it all together. I’m not the engineer designing systems or the accountant closing the books but I’m the person people call when a tool isn’t working the way it should or when they’re unsure how to use it. My role is to bridge groups, translate between teams, and turn “How do I…?” into “Got it.”

You’ve worked in project management and operations across healthcare, construction, and renewable energy. What motivated your transition into the solar industry, and what keeps you inspired in this space?

For me, it’s construction with intention. I wanted to spend my time and energy helping build things that make the world better. Solar isn’t perfect as there’s still waste, there are still fossil fuel burning trucks delivering material, and other real-world constraints, but the mission matters. Most people in this industry share a quiet conviction that what we build is better for the environment, the planet, and society. That keeps me inspired.

Looking back at your career, how has each role—from project coordinator at First Solar to your current position at Navisun—helped shape your expertise in bridging finance and operations?

Working primarily in support roles gave me a wide-angle view of what it actually takes to build something: payables and receivables, logistics, contracts, development, construction, asset management — the whole arc. That breadth helps me talk intelligently with both accountants and project managers about their real needs. Change is hard, and technology can be intimidating; my job is to understand the basics of each role, see the obstacles, and then remove them through training, better use of existing tools, or introducing the right new ones. A lot of it is asking good questions and giving people a clear starting point.

As Director of Project Controls, how do you describe your role in making sure projects run smoothly from both an operational and financial perspective?

Open lines of communication and persistent follow-up. “My door is open” isn’t enough because people won’t always walk through it. If we implement a new process or feature, I circle back: Is it actually working for you? Are things better or worse than they were before? Everyone brings unique experience and knowledge to their job, and newer teammates may especially hesitate to speak up. If you’ve done something different or better somewhere else, I want to know about it. I actively seek out their opinions because I’m not the one processing invoices or tracking contracts. I’m the one who connects those doing the work with the options and solutions that will help them most. I’ll meet with vendors, vet functionality, and then bring the right people to the table to decide, adopt, and refine.

You’ve been at Navisun for more than three years. What accomplishment are you most proud of during your time here?

Our technology roadmap. I’m presenting it at Procore Groundbreak this October, and it focuses on our few core systems and how we’re integrating them — Procore, Acumatica, and others — end-to-end. Procore is often used solely for construction, but at Navisun we’ve expanded its footprint: development and support for tax equity financing on the front end, and O&M/asset management on the back end. It’s a story about connecting systems so data and work flow across the entire lifecycle.

What does “bridging finance and operations” mean in practice, and why is it so important for a company like Navisun?

Every company manages financial risk, but operations are what create value. In our world, we build and maintain assets; the energy produced is what we sell, which funds the next build. Finance can’t function independently of operations, and operations can’t succeed without finance. Practically, bridging means translating across tools and terminology — Acumatica on the finance side; Procore on the construction side. A request for “purchase orders” might really be about showing “committed cost,” and “budget” can mean development spend  vs. construction spend, depending on which system you’re in. Understanding that WBS/budget code/cost code/phase code often describe the same thing helps us prevent frustration, speed decisions, and keep both sides moving.

You’ve overseen implementation of tools like Procore, BluePoint, Egnyte, Acumatica, and Smartsheet. What’s your philosophy when it comes to introducing new technology into established workflows?

Listen first, then diagram reality. I ask people to walk me through their current process step-by-step including the real clicks, files, and handoffs. When they narrate it aloud, the gaps reveal themselves. I document what I hear (either in OneNote, a quick flow in Visio, whatever helps), pinpoint pain points, and ask the “why” behind workarounds. From there, we co-design a revised process, implement it exactly as documented, and test whether it actually improves outcomes — not just for one team, but for upstream and downstream stakeholders. Silos and misaligned KPIs are the enemy; the goal is a workflow that works for everyone who touches it.

What’s one example of a process or system change at Navisun that has had a big impact on efficiency?

Moving all document management into Procore. It’s not glamorous and I’m actively revamping our folder structure with input from every team, but having a single source of truth with a logical structure saves time and money. The payoff comes when you urgently need a specific document and it’s exactly where it should be. Boring is beautiful when it comes to getting work done.

Where do you see the biggest opportunities for innovation in project management and operations within clean energy?

AI, thoughtfully applied. Whether it’s design optimization, risk detection, or portfolio analytics, AI can surface patterns in past projects so we can replicate what worked and prevent what didn’t. The value isn’t “AI for AI’s sake”; it’s turning data into decisions that improve schedule, cost, quality, and safety.

What do you like most about working for Navisun?

The people and the autonomy to do what I do best. My role doesn’t fit neatly into a single box; I’m not IT, finance, or operations, but I get to use my strengths across all three to help teams succeed. That trust and flexibility make a huge difference.

Outside of work, how would you spend your ideal day?

I’m a proud cat person (we have three). An ideal day includes reading, cooking or baking, cleaning, and lately building LEGO Botanicals, which is my way to de-stress and step away from screens. My husband and I go all-in on Halloween and start decorating on Labor Day weekend, culminating in a large Halloween party every year. We host three separate gaming groups - boardgames, D&D, etc. - that rotate every week. Plus, we host a number of holiday parties and large dinners throughout the year, all giving me more people to cook and bake for. And yes, I will happily reorganize a closet for fun.