BURN DESIGN LAB - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Country Director, Ghana, & Business Development, West Africa
Aaron Nyarkotey is a Green economy professional. He is passionate about development, promotion, and dissemination of low-carbon technologies. He aspires to become a cookstoves expert. Aaron has experience and expertise in project management, renewable energy enterprises development, and curating partnerships. He has previously worked with SNV Netherlands Development Organization as an Energy Advisor. Aaron made contact with Burn Design Lab during his time at SNV. After his time at SNV, he embarked on a knowledge brokerage visit to Burn Design Lab; during which time he developed interest in their work and impact. He has, subsequently, joined the BDL team as Project Manager & Business Development Associate. Aaron is an author, podcaster, and song writer and composer.
Abdul-Fatawu Salifu holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and Social Work from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi Ghana. He is from Fufulso in the Central Gonja District (Savanna Region), Ghana. Prior to working with Burn Design Lab, Abdul worked with Burro-USAID/NGR as an interpreter, Fidelity Bank as a Digital Sales Executive, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science Technology and Research(Eawag) as a field officer, Volunteer for Zurak Cancer foundation, and Youth Development Network as a Youth Mobilizer.
Arie joined BDL after a 36-year long career with an industrial combustion and boiler engineering firm. An MS degreed chemical engineer from The Netherlands, his expertise focused on process aspects of biomass and waste-fueled boiler combustion and operational performance, fuel economy, reliability, corrosion, and air emissions. Well known in various biomass and waste-fuel burning industries, at BDL Arie will help getting BDL's name and mission out to larger audiences in order to raise awareness and funding.
Job Titles:
- Cookstove Laboratory Support Technician
Avery is a high school student at Vashon Island High School and serves as the Cookstove Laboratory Support Technician for Burn Design Lab. Avery has a love for the outdoors and before working for BDL, Avery spent a lot of time outdoors, particularly as a member of the Burton Beach rowing team and wilderness program. This appreciation inspired Avery to pursue a job that could help make a positive impact on the environment and the world. Avery also has a passion for engineering and programming, which he hopes to be able to pursue during time at BDL. Avery believes that the work done at Burn Design Lab can make a real difference in people's lives, and is excited to help contribute to that effort. Outside of work, Avery enjoys hiking, exploring the great outdoors, programming, and tinkering, always seeking new adventures and challenges.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Bob owns Meadow Creature LLC, a machine shop, that incubated BDL at its start. MC uses abrasive waterjet machining for rapid prototyping and short run manufacturing of art, architectural and mechanical components, as well as its own product line of agricultural tools. MC provides BDL a unique advantage in the stove world, enabling it to test and iterate stove designs within hours instead of weeks. Following MC's charter of giving back, its services are donated to BDL. Bob holds an EE degree from MIT and was an early Microsoft employee.
Brad serves as the voluntary Chief Financial Officer at Burn Design Lab. Brad has spent 30 years in various accounting, auditing, financial and computer systems positions at Weyerhaeuser Company. In addition to volunteering, Brad enjoys cycling (motor).
Bryan received a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Computer Science from Iowa University and began his career as a programmer at Microsoft from 1984 to 2005. After retiring in 2005, Bryan took up metalworking as a hobby in support of a variety of personal and cookstove projects. Bryan provides invaluable machining, manufacturing and design support to our engineering team at BDL and has become an expert in metal cutting & forming as it pertains to cookstoves. Bryan actively supported the BMC team in designing the manufacturing methods for the Jikokoa.
Charlie has been active in development engineering for the last 12 years, following a successful career in new product development and manufacturing. He is an accomplished inventor, and now applies his energies to improving supply chains, products, and manufacturing in emerging markets. He is passionate about quality, and enthusiastic about the role of digital fabrication in bringing improved products to those who need them most. He has been engaged on projects for the Gates Foundation, the Peace Corps, the Shell Foundation, Engineers without Boarders, and other institutions dedicated to making a positive difference in the world (like Burn Design Lab). Charlie has been working with the ELS team at BDL to expand on the methodology for evaluating ceramics and refractories as candidates for combustion chamber materials. With these materials, determining the best manufacturing process, whether for test samples, prototypes, or for full scale product production, is equally as important as selecting the right material. Charlie has a PhD in Material Science and Engineering, and lives with his wife in Geneva, Switzerland.
Claire Weitnauer supports the communications and fundraising staff at Burn Design Lab. Her background is in Psychology, Environmental Studies, and Design. She lives in Decatur, GA.
Job Titles:
- Communications and Finance Coordinator
Before devoting her work to BDL, Erika served in marketing and finance roles as well as the shared ownership and development of a small manufacturing company. A Vashon native, Erika enjoys trail running, gardening, and spending time with her family of five.
Frank grew up in the American SW and attended university at New Mexico Tech and UCLA, finishing up his PhD in Acoustical Physics in 1971. He subsequently studied the low atmosphere with acoustical means and pursued boundary layer science followed by studies of sea ice and related phenomena. His final 24 years were at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory where he was a research scientist, a group supervisor, a program manager and a contributor to institutional development. He retired in 2005 to spend time in ceramic art, which led to applied ceramic questions and to Burn Design Laboratory. Much of his career was in realizing applications for technologies which is his intention at BDL.
Job Titles:
- Project Engineer
- Senior Project Engineer
Gary is a project engineer at Burn Design Lab. He believes his experience in the industrial heat transfer, commercial heating, and energy conservation fields will help him to contribute to the mission of developing cookstoves that make their users' lives better. Outside of work, he likes to be outside on his mountain bike, hiking, skiing, or sailing. He also enjoys reading, baking, and a glass of wine with friends.
Owner and Principal Engineer at Heath & Associates, Inc.
Job Titles:
- Interim Executive Director
- President
Jeremy Su is the Interim Executive Director and President at Burn Design Lab. Coming from the East Coast with his degree in Mechanical Engineering from Northeastern University, he hopes to use his engineering background to make a positive impact on the environment and the livelihoods of different communities he works with. During his first five years at BDL, he served on the engineering team, most recently as the Director of Engineering. He has spent close to a year in developing countries better understanding the lack of access to clean cooking and working closely with our users, our partners, and staff to create innovative solutions that improve the lives of our end users. When Jeremy is not in the office or in the field, you can find him on his bike, climbing mountains, or running local trails on Vashon.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Professor
Jonathan Posner is a Professor jointly in Mechanical Engineering and Chemical Engineering at the University of Washington. Jonathan earned his PhD in M.E. at University of California at Irvine. He did his post-doctoral research at Stanford University. Jonathan was the Primary Investigator for a $1,000,000 U.S. Dept. of Energy grant to develop an advanced natural draft biomass cookstove. Under this grant Jonathan lead a team from UW, Burn Design Lab, Burn Manufacturing Corp. (BMC) & Berkeley Air Monitoring Group to develop the Kuniokoa Cookstove, now under production at BMC. Jonathan leads the Posner Research Group.
Justin has traveled the world, trailing his spouse, a US Foreign Service Officer. Justin is an engineer with over two decades of experience with renewable energy, mechanical and industrial design, and project management. Previously, he lived in Antananarivo, Madagascar and developed an in-depth on-the-ground knowledge of the country, which led him to develop a locally appropriate pressure cooker, the Cocotte Minute Gasy. This robust, simple, and locally produced cooking pot is saving people time, money and preventing deforestation by reducing charcoal use by 50% in their daily cooking. He was previously a project manager for Antares Group, Inc. working on large scale biomass system designs and biofuels projects, as well as biomass co-firing and gasification for heat and power production. Before joining Antares Group, he worked at Hansen Transmissions designing custom industrial power transmission equipment for worldwide clients. In addition he has spent several months volunteering full time with Alexandria Seaport Foundation working to mentor and educate underprivileged youth.
Leslie has 30+ years of domestic and international experience in the clean energy, water, environment, and climate fields, with expertise in nonprofit program management, resource mobilization, strategic planning, policy, and regulatory work. She has helped launch the international Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves (now Clean Cooking Alliance), the Municipal Network for Energy Efficiency, and the Asia Sustainable Energy Initiative, and most recently worked at Ceres as Vice President for Programs.
Her previous positions include VP of Programs and Operations at the Alliance for Justice, Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships and Interim Executive Director at the Global Alliance for Clean Cookstoves, Senior Director for Partnership Development at the UN Foundation, and Branch Chief for Clean Energy Supply and Industry at the Environmental Protection Agency, where she had responsibility for the Climate Leaders, Green Power, and Combined Heat and Power Voluntary Partnerships. Leslie also served in senior roles at the Alliance to Save Energy, including positions as Acting Co-President, Vice President of Program Development, and Director for International Programs. She has also served as deputy director of the U.S. Agency for International Development's Energy Efficiency Program and as Professional Staff Member at the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
Leslie has a bachelor's degree in Political Economics from UC Berkeley, and a master's degree from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service and lives in Washington, DC.
Lou's journey with Burn Design Lab (BDL) began in 2011 as a part-time volunteer, leading the cookstove design effort. In 2013 Lou became a full-time employee of Burn Manufacturing Company (BMC), as Chief Technical Officer. Lou played a crucial part designing and commissioning the production & maintenance operations of the BMC factory in Kenya. Lou led the stove design and production tooling work for 4 generations of the infamous Jikokoa stove. Lou retired from BMC last year and he now serves as a key volunteer for Burn Design Lab, providing mentor and guide to the engineering team at BDL.
As a retired software engineering manager, Max is volunteering at BDL to apply his testing methodology and management experience to BDL's mission. He's an avid cyclist, co-op farmer, woodworker, and volunteer for Vashon Island Fire and Rescue.
Patrick Flores is a Project Engineer at Burn Design Lab. Hailing from Chicagoland with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Theatre and Performance Studies minor from Stanford University, he aspires to bring technical expertise and artistic sensibility to solving sustainability problems. In his free time, he enjoys learning new dishes, lifting weights, and studying Sondheim and Shakespeare.
Job Titles:
- Senior Advisor
- Vice President
- BDL 's Vice President and Senior Advisor
Paul is BDL's Vice President and Senior Advisor. Prior to this, Paul served as Research and Testing Manager and then Executive Director for several years. Before joining BDL in 2012, he worked for Weyerhaeuser Company in a variety of positions, including R&D, Power Plant Manager, and Project and Process Engineering roles. Paul's expertises include energy systems, power generation, wood drying, pelletization, and gasification technologies. Paul holds an MS in mechanical engineering and thoroughly enjoys cycling.
Ricardo is contributing to BDL as an advisor on partnership and funding opportunities. He served in the Peace Corp in Kenya, and has worked in a number of industries, including oil and specialty chemicals, non-profits, telecom, railroads, airlines, and financial services. He holds a M.S. in chemical engineering and an MBA.
Richard has begun investigation into cleaner & more efficient institutional cookstoves in Ghana, primarily for large, >60 litre applications, for places like schools, hospitals and prisons. He builds on a full career of technical excellence in high volume product development with companies like Hewlett-Packard and Apple. His international work began in the Peace Corps in the middle east and has continued in Europe and Asia with over 10 years of overseas experience.
Sally König is currently pursuing a Diplom (Ma.S) in Mechanical Engineering at TU Ilmenau in Germany, with a concentration in Thermodynamics and Fluid Dynamics. He joined Burn Design Lab to grow his engineering skills while contributing to the organization's mission of designing clean and efficient cookstoves for communities around the world. Outside of engineering, he enjoys riding his motorcycle through the countryside and spending time with friends.
Sarah Naa Dedei Agbey, is an experienced development practitioner with over 25 years of expertise in Planning, Organizational Development and Good Governance. Sarah is a Development Planner by profession with M.Sc. in Regional Planning and Management from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and University of Dortmund (Germany). She also has training in Biodiversity Planning and Natural Resources Management, Renewable Energy, Climate Change, Clean Development Mechanism, Sustainable livelihood Framework, Environmental Impact Assessment, Organization and Systems Development and Good Governance.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Sarah Naa Dedei Agbey, is an experienced development practitioner with over 25 years of expertise in Planning, Organizational Development and Good Governance. Sarah is a Development Planner by profession with M.Sc. in Regional Planning and Management from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and University of Dortmund (Germany). She also has training in Biodiversity Planning and Natural Resources Management, Renewable Energy, Climate Change, Clean Development Mechanism, Sustainable livelihood Framework, Environmental Impact Assessment, Organization and Systems Development and Good Governance.
Sofia got her B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Humanitarian Engineering from Oregon State University. She grew up in Clackamas, Oregon, where she developed her love of the outdoors, frequently finding herself hiking, mountain biking, skiing, running, or foraging for chanterelles. Sofia is passionate about cooking, sustainability, and women's empowerment and strives to blend these passions into a more thoughtful, impactful approach to her work.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Professor Emeritus and past Vice Chair for Research
Susan Reed is Professor Emeritus and past Vice Chair for Research in the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, with an adjunct appointment in Epidemiology at the University of Washington. She earned her MD from Stanford University and did her residency training at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Reed was the Division Chief at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle and has over 40 years of clinical experience caring for underserved populations. She is passionate about the intersection of air quality and climate change and their impact on women's lives. Burn Design Lab's mission and values are in direct alignment with her commitment to improve our environment and positively impact women's health.
Usman Riaz is currently a student at Purdue University in Indiana studying Chemical Engineering. "My decision to join Burn Design Lab stems from my desire to make a meaningful impact on the world regardless of scale. I firmly believe that the innovative and mission-driven environment at BDL will provide me with the opportunities and tools to contribute effectively to global change."