SPEAKERS

Denis Hayes is CEO of the Bullitt Center, a 50,000 square foot commercial building in Seattle that aspires to Living Building Challenge certification and expects to be net-zero-positive energy and water. Formerly the director of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, adjunct professor of engineering at Stanford, regents professor of human ecology at UC Santa Cruz, and Silicon Valley attorney, Hayes also chairs the international Earth Day Network — now active in 180 nations. He and his wife are jointly authoring a new book for W.W. Norton titled COWED.

Dan Reicher is Executive Director of the Steyer-Taylor Center for Energy Policy and Finance at Stanford University, a joint center of the Stanford Graduate School of Business and Stanford Law School, where he also holds faculty positions. Reicher came to Stanford in 2011 from Google, where he served since 2007 as Director of Climate Change and Energy Initiatives. Reicher has more than 25 years of experience in energy and environmental policy, finance, and technology.  He has served three Presidents including in the Clinton administration as Assistant Secretary of Energy for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and Department of Energy Chief of Staff.

Elizabeth Arnold is an Assistant Professor of Journalism at the University of Alaska Anchorage. She is also an independent producer for the public radio programs Encounters and Marketplace, and for National Public Radio (NPR). Previously, Arnold was an NPR national correspondent for 15 years, covering the halls of Congress, the White House, presidential campaigns and the changing American West. Now back in Alaska, she remains a frequent contributor to NPR programs including All Things Considered and Morning Edition. Most recently, she reported from China, Outer Mongolia and the North Pole for the public radio series Stories from the Heart of the Land.

After several seasons of commercial salmon fishing, Arnold paid off her student loans and entered the world of public radio in 1985 at KTOO in Juneau, Alaska. There she covered local and statewide issues and began filing national stories ranging from the rare sighting of a blue bear, to the politics of timber and oil. Arnold quickly became NPR’s go-to reporter when anything of national significance occurred in Alaska. Invited to NPR’s Washington DC headquarters for a residency, she arrived just as the Exxon Valdez ran aground in Prince William Sound. Instead of sending her home, NPR asked Arnold to cover the story from the White House and Congress. Since then, Arnold became known for nearly a decade of political reporting on Capitol Hill. As a congressional reporter and then as NPR’s national political correspondent, Arnold covered the House and Senate, congressional campaigns, and four presidential elections.  She won numerous awards, including the Joan Shorenstein Barone Award for Outstanding Journalism, the Dirksen Award for Distinguished Reporting on Congress, and the Alfred I. DuPont-Columbia University Silver Baton for Excellence in Journalism.

A resident of Anchorage, Arnold remains an avid hiker, skier and long-distance runner, which she now does with her son Jack who shares his mother’s love for the outdoors.

Amanda Ormond has worked in energy and public policy for over 25 years in Arizona and the West.  For the past 12 years she has managed the Ormond Group LLC, a consulting firm that specializes in advocacy and lobbying for clean energy.  Prior to starting her consulting firm Amanda served as Director of the Arizona Energy Office for seven years where she was responsible for developing state policy and promoting energy efficiency, renewable energy and alternative fueled vehicles. She also held various positions at the state energy office, a division of the Arizona Department of Commerce.  Amanda holds a B.S. in Environmental Earth Science. 

Amanda is a convener, mediator, and facilitator who works to bring a wide range of viewpoints into policy discussions.  Her clients include the wind/solar industry trade association, Interwest Energy Alliance, land conservation organization, Sonoran Institute, and she currently serves as Managing Director for the transmission policy advocacy organization, Western Grid Group.  She is a seasoned communicator who strives to identify and implement collaborative solutions to develop the West’s vast renewable energy resources and the transmission to bring these resources to market; while protecting its magnificent landscapes and wildlife.

Mr. Therriault was appointed to this position in August 2012.  As a member of AEA’s management team, he works closely with AEA subject matter experts and program administrators, and serves as a member of the Susitna/Watana project team. Mr. Therriault also represents AEA on the Alaska Intertie Management Committee and supervises the grants section and Railbelt project managers.

Mr. Therriault was first elected to the Alaska House of Representatives in 1992, filling a seat in the Legislature for the following 17 years.  During his tenure in office, he was selected by his colleagues to serve two terms as Co-Chair of the House Finance Committee and one term as President of the Alaska Senate. 

Following his time in elected office, Mr. Therriault was employed in the office of Governor Sean Parnell as a Senior Policy Advisor on In-state Energy. In that role, he worked closely with the Governor and agency personnel in efforts to help Alaska navigate toward a more certain energy future. 

In January 2011, Mr. Therriault joined the management team at Golden Valley Electric Association as Vice President of Resource Development and External Affairs.  There he participated in efforts to develop the Eva Creek Wind Project, restart of the Healy Clean Coal Plant, development of natural gas generation in Fairbanks and interaction with the state team working on the Susitna/Watana Hydroelectric project. 

Mr. Therriault holds an Associate Degree in Computer Information Systems and a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Appointed in August of 2013, Alice Madden serves as the central point of contact for the department’s work with local, state and tribal governments, and its work with external constituencies. Alice started her career in the high tech industry in Colorado followed by an almost ten-year commercial litigation practice specializing in employment law.  In 2000, Alice was elected to the Colorado House of Representative where she served as the House Majority Leader from 2004 – 2008.  One of Alice’s legislative focuses was building the foundation for what is now referred to nationally as the New Energy Economy.  A few key accomplishments included taking Colorado to a 30% renewable energy standard by 2020, and implementing net metering, solar gardens, and a series of clean energy and efficiency financial incentives.  Alice continued to apply her experience in economic and energy sustainability issues as Climate Change Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff to former Colorado Governor Bill Ritter. Alice more recently served as the Timothy E. Wirth Chair in Sustainable Development at the University of Colorado focusing on strategic collaborations among governments, businesses, academic institutions and non-profit groups to form sustainable practices and policies that carefully balance economic, environmental and social welfare concerns.

Chris Henderson is the President of Lumos Energy Clean Energy Value Advisors.  His work focuses on helping Aboriginal communities secure and leverage partnership positions in clean energy projects across Canada.  Chris works directly with Chiefs and Councils, Tribal Councils and Aboriginal Economic Development Corporations. He also advises utilities, financial firms, corporations and governments on engaging and partnering with Aboriginal communities on clean energy opportunities. Prior to establishing Lumos, Chris founded The Delphi Group.

His book “Aboriginal Power” was published in June 2013.

Lumos Energy provides a comprehensive suite of services related to clean energy generation projects – hydro, wind, biomass and solar – as well as electricity transmission.  A core competency of the company is energy developments (renewables, efficiency and transmission) for off-grid Aboriginal communities. The company is often called on to develop and implement economic development strategies related to Aboriginal clean energy projects.

Chris also focuses on building Aboriginal clean energy capacity, notably through the Clean Energy 20/20 Catalysts Program, and the Canadian Aboriginal Fund for Energy (CAFÉ).

Chris is particularly known as a Strategist, and for his ability to design and implement Business, Project and Venture strategies.  He possesses an extensive background in sustainability, green economy, strategic planning, consulting services, financial structuring and public policy.

Dr. Brian Hirsch is the Senior Project Leader for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL) Alaska Initiative. NREL is a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory focused exclusively on renewable energy and energy efficiency. Serving in this position since early 2009, Dr. Hirsch leads project development teams in deploying efficiency and renewable energy technology solutions in remote communities throughout Alaska. Under NREL’s Alaska initiative, Dr. Hirsch was involved in assessing Alaska’s stranded renewable energy resources and opportunities, supported performance monitoring and evaluation studies of near net-zero residential construction in the high Arctic and southwest Alaska, and led NREL’s engagement in the Fire Island Wind Project—Alaska’s first utility-scale wind farm. He is currently assisting the US Army in evaluating renewable energy options in interior Alaska and leading a micro-grid initiative with the US Department of Interior aiming for broad international distribution throughout islanded grids in the circumpolar north and tropics. Prior to NREL, Dr. Hirsch led the installation of the first in-stream hydrokinetic turbine in the US for the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Watershed Council, a coalition of 70 Tribes and First Nations in Alaska and Canada, and was the Executive Director and co-founder of Earth Energy Systems, a non-profit organization that installed renewable energy systems and educated indigenous communities throughout North and Central America.

Denise Michels has served as the Mayor of Nome, pop. 3,731, since October 2003.  Born and raised in Nome, she is the first Alaskan Native and the first woman to serve the post.  As the city’s chief executive officer, she works closely with an appointed city manager, the Nome City Council and other elected and appointed boards and commissions.  Ms. Michels is the chief spokesperson for the City, representing community legislative priorities to the Alaska Legislature and the U.S. Congressional delegation.  She continues to focus on Arctic issues, public safety, community, economic and infrastructure development, and promotes bringing diverse groups and residents together.

Ms. Michels is also the Transportation Director for Kawerak, Inc., a non-profit service organization for the Bering Strait region. In this position, she is responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of transportation and infrastructure strategies. She represents Kawerak, Inc. on the Inuit Circumpolar Council for Alaska.

Ms. Michels is an active participant in regional and statewide planning activities, and is currently a member of the Alaska Arctic Policy Commission. She is also a member of the Alaska Airlines Northwest Community Advisory Board and the Resource Development Council of Alaska.

Mr. Michels is a shareholder of Bering Straits Native Corporation, Sitnasuak Native Corporation, and is a Nome Eskimo Community Tribal Member.

She is a former member of the State of Alaska’s Northern Waters Task Force, BLM’s Resource Advisory Council, the Alaska Military Force Advocacy and Structure Team Advisory Committee, the Governor’s Sub Cabinet on Climate Change, and is a past president of the Alaska Municipal League and the Alaska Conference of Mayors.

Denis Hayes is CEO of the Bullitt Center, a 50,000 square foot commercial building in Seattle that aspires to Living Building Challenge certification and expects to be net-zero-positive energy and water. Formerly the director of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, adjunct professor of engineering at Stanford, regents professor of human ecology at UC Santa Cruz, and Silicon Valley attorney, Hayes also chairs the international Earth Day Network — now active in 180 nations. He and his wife are jointly authoring a new book for W.W. Norton titled COWED.

Dave Fergus is a Senior Principal with the 40-person architecture firm Rice Fergus Miller in Bremerton, Washington. Dave is an expert at programming, planning, and designing public facilities. He has completed more than 200 civic projects over the last 20+ years including fire stations, schools, libraries, maintenance shops, and administrative headquarters. He regularly consults with public agencies on project feasibility, service locations, capital project funding, and other strategic issues.

Dave has contributed to the re-use and renovation of several high-performance buildings including the award-winning LEED Platinum (at $105 square foot) Rice Fergus Miller Office & Studio in Bremerton, Washington; the USDA Forest Service Sitka Administrative Office in Sitka, Alaska; and the ASHRAE award-winning King County Housing Authority Central Office Annex Facility in Tukwila, Washington. Other energy-efficient buildings are the Olympia Fire Department Fire Station 4 in Olympia, Washington and the City of Seattle Fire Station 35. He is a licensed architect in Washington and Alaska. 

In addition to his architectural work, Dave has served the last 7 years as a Fire Commissioner. In 2014 Dave was elected to serve as Vice President of the Washington Fire Commissioners Association. He speaks at national conferences, has judged national design award programs, and is a freelance writer for a variety of publications. Dave is a graduate of the University of Washington, earning a Master of Architecture.

John Hickey is a Principal at Jacobs, one of the world’s largest and most diverse providers of technical, professional and construction services.  He consults with clients on a wide range of energy, high performance buildings, asset management and resiliency matters.  He completed his undergraduate work at U.S. Coast Guard Academy and his master’s degree at the University of Illinois.  He spent 28 years on active duty with the U.S. Coast Guard and recently completed a four year tour of duty managing the execution of their energy program nationwide.  He is a licensed professional engineer, Certified Energy Manager and LEED Accredited Professional who loves to hike, paddle and ski.  In 2013 he won the Department of Homeland Security Sustainability Hero Award.

Jeffrey Schub is the Vice President of the Coalition for Green Capital (CGC), a non-profit consulting firm that partners with state governments to create and develop green banks. CGC has spearheaded efforts at both the federal and state level to build organizations that use limited public resources to leverage private capital in order to finance clean energy more quickly and at lower cost. Jeff works with Connecticut’s Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority, advising on program strategy, and produced market assessments and financial models for the New York Green Bank to support its successful petition for over $200 million in public capital. He also organized the Green Bank Academy, a gathering of state government officials from over a dozen states to learn about and share best practices on green bank development. Prior to this, Jeff was an economic consultant for the Analysis Group, focused on technology and innovation. Jeff holds an MBA from the Yale School of Management and BA’s in both economics and public policy from Brown University.

Dan Reicher is Executive Director of the Steyer-Taylor Center for Energy Policy and Finance at Stanford University, a joint center of the Stanford Graduate School of Business and Stanford Law School, where he also holds faculty positions. Reicher came to Stanford in 2011 from Google, where he served since 2007 as Director of Climate Change and Energy Initiatives.

Reicher has more than 25 years of experience in energy and environmental policy, finance, and technology. He has served three Presidents including in the Clinton administration as Assistant Secretary of Energy for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and Department of Energy Chief of Staff, as a member of President Obama’s Transition Team and Co-chair of the Energy and Environment Team for Obama, and as a staff member of President Carter’s Commission on the Accident at Three Mile Island.

Appointed to this position in 2010, Michael oversees the internal and external communications of the Authority including, public outreach, marketing, and media relations to raise awareness of the Authority and its programs around the state. Michael works with AIDEA’s clients to determine their financial needs and to assist them through the AIDEA process.  He also works closely with AIDEA’s development staff to provide an efficient and effective intake process for prospective projects.

Prior to joining the Authority, he managed and developed rural economic development organizations on regional and local levels as executive director of the Southwest Alaska Municipal Conference and the Skagway Development Corporation. Michael has served as president of the Alaska Partnership for Economic Development, was elected to the Skagway City Council, and served on the boards of the Alaska Municipal League and the Alaska Manufacturing Extension Partnership.

Michael is a graduate of the University of New South Wales, Australia with a B.Sc. in Geography, and he is a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD).

Gwen Holdmann is the Director of the Alaska Center for Energy and Power (ACEP), which is an applied energy research program based at the University of Alaska Fairbanks focusing on both fossil and renewable/alternative energy technologies. ACEP is a highly interdisciplinary program with over 30 affiliated faculty and 20 staff spanning a wide range of energy-related disciplines. Gwen has been the recipient of several awards throughout her career, including an R&D 100 award, Project of the Year from Power Engineering Magazine, the Alaska Top 40 Under 40 Award. Gwen is also an active Board Member for the Renewable Energy Alaska Project and a mother of 3 tenacious children under the age of 5.

Dr. Peter Lilienthal is the President/CEO of HOMER Energy.  Since 1993, he has been the developer of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s HOMER^® hybrid power optimization software, which has been used by over 107,000 energy practitioners in 193 countries.  NREL has licensed HOMER Energy to be their sole world-wide commercialization licensee for distributing and enhancing the HOMER model.

Dr. Lilienthal was the Senior Economist with the International Programs Office at NREL from 1990 – 2007. He has a Ph.D. in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University.  He has been active in the field of renewable energy and energy efficiency since 1978.  This has included designing and teaching courses at the university level, project development of independent power projects, and consulting to industry and regulators.  His technical expertise is in utility modeling and the economic and financial analysis of renewable and micro-grid projects.  He was the lead analyst and one of the creators of NREL’s International and Village Power Programs.

Dr. Dane Boysen currently serves as a Program Director at the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E).  His main focuses include: electrochemical energy conversion and storage; natural gas conversion and storage technology; and materials for energy storage and conversion.

Prior to joining ARPA-E, Boysen led the development of a grid-scale energy storage liquid metal battery at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) under Professor Donald Sadoway.  In 2004, Boysen co-founded Superprotonic Inc., a venture capital-backed start-up company dedicated to the commercialization of solid acid electrolyte-based fuel cells.   Successfully raising two rounds of venture capital, Boysen and co-founder, Dr. Calum Chisholm pioneered the use of solid acid electrolytes in fuel cells, resulting in the first new class of fuel cell electrolytes in nearly half a century.  This work has led to numerous patents and publications in eminent periodicals, such as Science (January 2004) and Nature (April 2001).

Boysen received his M.S. (2001) and Ph.D. (2004) in Materials Science at the California Institute of Technology—where he investigated the transport properties, phase transitions, and atomic structure of solid acid proton conductors under Professor Sossina Haile.