Mark Z. Jacobson, Ph.D
Stanford University

Presentation

Mark Z. Jacobson is Director of the Atmosphere/Energy Program and Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford University. He is also a Senior Fellow of the Woods Institute for the Environment and of the Precourt Institute for Energy. He received a B.S. in Civil Engineering, an A.B. in Economics, and an M.S. in Environmental Engineering from Stanford in 1988. He received an M.S. and PhD in Atmospheric Sciences in 1991 and 1994, respectively, from UCLA and joined the faculty at Stanford in 1994. He has published two textbooks of two editions each and ~150 peer-reviewed journal articles. He received the 2005 AMS Henry G. Houghton Award and the 2013 AGU Ascent Award for his work on black carbon climate impacts and the Global Green Policy Design Award for developing state and country energy plans. He has served on an advisory committee to the U.S. Secretary of Energy, appeared in a TED talk, appeared on the David Letterman Show to discuss converting the world to clean energy, and co-founded The Solutions Project. (www.thesolutionsproject.org)

Gregory M. Wilson, Ph.D
National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Presentation

Greg Wilson is the Director of the Materials Applications and Performance Center and the Co-Director of the National Center for Photovoltaics (NCPV) at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Greg is responsible for NREL's high efficiency crystalline PV, PV cell and module performance and PV reliability capabilities and shares responsibility for the continued development of the NCPV's many interfaces and partnerships with the global PV community. Prior to joining NREL in 2011 he spent nearly 17 years at SunEdison (previously MEMC) where he directed the Epitaxial Silicon and New Materials R&D groups between 1997 and 2009. In 2009 he joined the merger and acquisition team that acquired SunEdison and Solaicx. He has over 25 years of research and development experience and holds a Doctor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Washington University.
(http://www.nrel.gov/)

Nancy Brickhouse, Ph.D
Saint Louis University

Nancy Brickhouse, Ph.D., is the provost of Saint Louis University (SLU). As the University’s chief academic officer, Dr. Brickhouse oversees SLU’s colleges, schools, research centers and libraries. Her areas of responsibility include faculty affairs, undergraduate and graduate education, student recruitment and retention, international initiatives, and research administration.

Prior to her appointment at SLU in July 2015, Dr. Brickhouse was deputy provost for academic affairs at the University of Delaware, where she served for 27 years and held a number of other leadership roles, including interim provost, deputy dean of the College of Education and Human Development, and director of the School of Education.

Her many accomplishments at the University of Delaware include launching new educational initiatives, enhancing the research enterprise, strengthening support for graduate students, developing efforts to enhance campus diversity, improving academic rankings and expanding global partnerships.

An internationally known researcher, Dr. Brickhouse has served as the investigator or co-investigator on more than $10 million in funded projects. Her research has primarily focused on access to science literacy, and her scholarship has informed the National Academy of Sciences’ K-12 framework for science education and report on informal learning. She also served on a task force that established Delaware’s first set of science standards.

A Texas native, Dr. Brickhouse holds a B.A. in chemistry from Baylor University and an M.S. and Ph.D. from Purdue University. Prior to attending Purdue, she taught chemistry, physics and physical science in a rural school district in northeast Texas that bused students from as far as 60 miles away.

Chancellor Schrader became Missouri S&T chancellor in 2012. She is passionate about increasing interest in STEM education and believes in the power of storytelling to accomplish that goal. Her recent research focuses on learning styles of students, particularly women and minorities.

A former president of IEEE Control Systems Society, Schrader received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring from the White House in 2005. Earlier this year, she was named an IEEE Fellow in recognition of her leadership and contributions in engineering education. She came to Missouri S&T from Boise State University, where she served as associate vice president for strategic research initiatives. She holds a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Notre Dame.

Mark Birk was named senior vice president, Corporate Planning and Corporate Oversight in November 2014. Prior to assuming this position, he had served as senior vice president, Business Risk Management since 2012, vice president of Power Operations since September 2004, vice president of Ameren Energy since August 2003 and general manager of Energy Delivery Technical Services since October 2001.

Birk began his career with Union Electric (now known as Ameren Missouri) in 1986 as an assistant engineer after earning a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and a master's of science degree in electrical engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla.

In 2009, Birk earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Washington University in St. Louis.

Mark is currently the President of the Saint Louis Community College Foundation.

Anda Ray serves as the Senior Vice President, Energy, Environment & External Relations and Chief Sustainability Officer at the Electric Power Reasearch Institute (EPRI). She leads EPRI's environmental research sector that addresses environmental sciences, energy analysis, sustainability and occupational health and safety. She also leads EPRI's government relations, external stakeholder relations and communications teams.

Ray began at EPRI in September 2013. Prior to EPRI, Ms. Ray spent over 30 years in the electric utility business, primarily with the Tennessee Valley Authority. She served in several executive positions whose scope of responsibilities spanned almost all aspects of the electric utility's operations and bigness areas.

Ms. Ray's career milestones include: establishment of the Southeastern U.S. first renewable energy premium program; Recovery Executive responsible for TVA's Kingston Ash Spill; testifying before Congress, including on the Water-Energy Nexus; appearing on "World Business Review" with former U.S. Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger; appearance on "60 Minutes"; National Public Radio (NPR); and recognized by the Harvard Business Review for efforts on corporate performance. She also collaborated with the Secretaries of Energy and Agriculture on delivering the first U.S. "Vision and Roadmap for Bioenergy and Biobased Products in the United States."

Ray earned a BS in Nuclear Physics from Auburn University, and an MS in Solid State Physics from Emory University. She serves a regional Board of Directors for the American Red Cross and is a Disaster Assistant Responder; the Leadership Council for the College fo Science and Math, at Auburn University; and the Society for Women in Science and Math; as well as leading educational classes for teens at a local church.

Mark Ahlstrom is Vice President of Renewable Energy Policy for NextEra Energy Resources and WindLogics, NextEra's subsidiary known for meteorology, energy analytics and renewable energy integration. NextEra is North America's largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun.

Mark is particularly interested in the reliable integration of variable generation into power systems and markets. He is actively involved at the North American Electric Reliability corporation (NERC) on their Essential Reliability Services Task Force and reliability analysis of the Clean Power Plan.

Ajay Arora currently serves as Vice President, Environmental Services and Generation Resource Planning at Ameren. Arora is responsible for leading the environmental services/compliance and generation planning staff.

Prior to this position, Arora was Senior Director, Corporate Development and Market Risk Management, directing the Corporate Development, Market Risk Management and briefly the Corporate Project Oversight groups at Ameren.

As part of his responsibilities, Arora also currently leads the Market Risk Management, Load and Revenue Forecasting, and corporate Regional Transmission Operators (RTO) Policy and Market Design groups.

Steve Whitworth has over 35 years of experience in the electric utility industry dealing with environmental issues. Steve has worked in various capacities in power generation including engineering, operations and maintenance and both plant and corporate environmental support.

In his current capacity as Senior Director Environmental Policy & Analysis - Ameren Services, Steve has overall responsibility for Ameren’s environmental services function including coordination of compliance strategy development. Steve has degrees in Biological Sciences and Mechanical Engineering Technology.

Prior to joining KCP&L, he was President of the Missouri Energy Development Association, the trade association for Missouri's investor-owned natural gas, water and electric utilities. In 2004, Mr. Caisley served as both the Chief of Staff and top political advisor to Missouri House Speaker Catherine Hanaway - the first woman Speaker of the Missouri House. During his tenure, he was instrumental in passing several landmark pieces of legislation, including tort, nursing home and foster care reform, and increased life-sciences research funding.

Actively involved in the community, Mr. Caisley serves as Treasurer of the Board of Directors and a member of the Kansas City Missouri Environmental Protection Committee. In addition, Mr. Caisley currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors for Missouri Employers Mutual, a workers' compensation mutual insurance company located in Columbia, MO.

Mr. Caisley is the former Chairman of the Missouri Energy Council, a former member of the Missouri House of Representatives Reapportionment Commission, the former Chairman of the Kansas City Zoological Tax District Commission and a former member of the Board of Directors of Hope House and Kansas City LISC.

He graduated with honors from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign with a Bachelor's degree in political science. He has also earned a Juris Doctorate degree from St. Louis University School of Law and a Master of Business Administration from Washington University in St. Louis.

Mr. Weeks oversees GTI's advanced energy technology regional programs and manages GTI's Houston office. Mr. Weeks directs emerging technology projects for GTI including clean fuels infrastructure, distributed power generation, and renewable energy demonstrations and also coordinates some of GTI's many pipeline integrity projects. He has authored several papers on hydrogen infrastructure, LNG, and energy storage technologies for GTI's client organizations, including the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. DOE, the U.S. DOT, as well as for various private industry clients.

Mr. Weeks manages technology demonstration projects for GTI, including those that address advanced fuel infrastructure systems for hydrogen, natural gas, and hybrid electric vehicles. Prior to his position with GTI, Mr. Weeks spent 16 years with ChevronTexaco, managing energy demonstration projects in the U.S., Canada, and the Caribbean. He also spent time in Washington, D.C. as Texaco's natural gas regulatory policy director.

Mr. Weeks is a graduate of Vanderbilt University where he received his engineering degree. He also has an MBA and is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Texas. He resides in Houston.

As a Senior Project Manager, Technology Development, with the Center for Transportation and the Environment, Erik Bigelow has firsthand experience in the challenges and triumphs of deployment of heavy-duty, zero-emission vehicles through a number of research, development and demonstration projects at CTE. Erik currently manages several advanced vehicle development projects, including fuel cell hybrid transit buses, as well as analysis and planning to support a new installation of battery electric transit buses.

He graduated with a bachelor's of science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin, and has over 12 years of engineering product development and program management experience.

Ms. Rolufs holds a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Kansas and a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Management from Missouri S&T. She is a LEED Green Associate through the U.S. Green Building Council, is a member of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, and is a fellow of the Academy of American Military Engineers. She represents Missouri S&T on the board of the Missouri Energy Initiative and was selected to serve on the Governor's Steering Committee for the recently published Missouri Comprehensive State Energy Plan.

Lisa co-authored the "Cost of Green" series; these ground-breaking reports use statistical analysis to understand the cost implications of building to ever-higher performance standards.

Lisa serves on the Advisory Council (formerly the Board) of the USGBC.

Prior to his appointment at Washington University, Mr. Webber spent 21 years at the University of Chicago, most recently as Vice President for Community and Government Affairs.

Since coming to St. Louis in 2008, Mr. Webber has led major initiatives to make Washington University a stronger anchor institution in St. Louis. These efforts have included significant investments to strengthen surrounding neighborhoods, community partnerships, and sponsorship of charter schools. Mr. Webber serves as Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors of CORTEX, an urban research park that is currently the largest economic development initiative in St. Louis.

As a faculty member, Mr. Webber teaches courses on community development, health policy, strategic management, and social welfare policy. His research focuses on community development, mixed-income housing, and the role of anchor institutions in urban development.

Prior to joining the C40, Laura served as a Project Manager at Terrapin Bright Green where she worked with government agencies, developers and non-profits to create more sustainability policies and designs. She has also worked at the U.S. Green Building Council on the development of their strategic plan.

Laura holds a Master's degree in Urban Planning from Columbia University and a Bachelor's degree from Wheaten College in Massachusetts.

Mary Ann recently completed serving as the Resident Fellow on Sustainability and Design for Health at the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Mary Ann now leads a consultancy, MALeco, LLC, focused on accelerating shifts in design of the built environment to sustainable and resilient outcomes. Mary Ann is a former Trustee of Washington University in St. Louis, an Adjunct Faculty at Washington University, and also serves on the Advisory Board of the Resilient Design Institute.

Andrew J. Linhares, J.D., is the Staff Attorney for Renew Missouri, a non-profit clean energy advocacy group based in Columbia, Missouri. Renew Missouri works to advance renewable energy and energy efficiency policy through a combination of legal intervention, administrative and legislative advocacy, and organizing Missouri's clean energy industries.

Since 2012, Andrew has represented Renew Missouri, renewable and efficiency businesses, and other advocates in the Missouri Courts and before the Public Service Commission. Andrew works on achieving utility compliance with Missouri's renewable energy laws, and has negotiated key details of utility energy efficiency programs. Andrew graduated from St. Louis University School of Law and was admitted to the Missouri Bar in 2011.

She also worked to secure a number of technical assistance opportunities and competitive grants on energy efficiency, renewable energy and rate design. She has extensive legislative experience having served as Deputy Legislative Director for Governor Nixon for six years and a Legislative Aide in the Missouri Senate for six years. Ms. Manning is a co-chair of the NASEO Affiliates' State Energy Planning Taskforce and serves as the Governor's Energy Advisor to the National Governor's Association. She earned a Master's Degree in Public Administration from the Truman School of Public Affairs at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

Sean Brady is the Regional Policy Manager for states in the eastern footprint of the Midwest ISO, for Wind on the Wires.

Sean specializes in utility regulatory analysis on state and federal issues.  With over 11 years of experience in the utility industry he has worked at the Illinois Commerce Commission as a staff attorney in the General Counsel’s office and as a senior policy advisor to Commissioner’s Lieberman and Elliott.  At Wind on the Wires he manages policy and advocacy before state regulatory and legislative bodies for Michigan, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri.

Sean earned his law degree from IIT/Chicago-Kent College of Law, his Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Illinois, Chicago, his Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana and is a licensed attorney and professional engineer in the State of Illinois.

His latest major project was a collaborative 4.8 million-dollar grant with the East-West Gateway Council of Governments supporting the Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (RPSD). Dr. Woolschlager's role on the RPSD project was to utilize GIS-based models to evaluate development scenarios to improve sustainability in the Saint Louis region.