SMART ENERGY DECISIONS - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Director of ESG and Administration
- Smart Energy Decisions' Director of ESG
Alexandra Failla is Smart Energy Decisions' Director of ESG and Administration, managing sustainability initiatives, social media, and coordinating content-related scheduling. She recently received her M.S. in Sustainability Management at Columbia University.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
Amy Bond is the former Energy and Sustainability Program Manager for Sprint and is now Sr. Sustainability Sourcing Manager for T-Mobile, where she continues to drive innovation. Amy was named an Industry Leader in Smart Energy Decisions' 2022 WISE (Women in Smart Energy) Awards and was selected as one of the top 100 energy professionals in the country by Environmental Leader.
Amy's expertise includes clean energy power and utilities procurement, waste diversion strategies, corporate goal positioning, growing green transportation access, and carbon disclosure leadership. She is also passionate about driving diversity and equity in the renewables value chain. Amy was a founding member of the Diversity in Clean Energy (DiCE) coalition, where she continues to serve on its advisory panel to amplify the voices of diverse suppliers in the clean energy sector.
Amy is a graduate of the University of Kansas with a degree in Psychology. She earned her MBA from Baker University and additionally is certified in Supply Chain Procurement, Logistics, and Negotiation. Prior to her sustainability career, Amy was an award-winning weekly newspaper publisher and columnist in Washington State. She has also served as a marketing professional and special events coordinator.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Senior Manager, Global Energy Management and Sustainability
Andy has over 20 years of experience in the field of sustainability and currently leads Cisco's Global Energy Management and Sustainability team within Cisco's operations. He started at Cisco in 2009 and has helped advance Cisco's sustainability program by leading several initiatives including developing and achieving multiple sustainability goals, managing global energy efficiency and renewable energy programs, managing Cisco's global utility programs, deploying global sustainability information systems and creating Cisco's annual greenhouse gas inventories and ESG reports. Prior to joining Cisco, Andy worked at Rocky Mountain Institute and DOMANI Sustainability Consulting in Colorado and served as Energy Manager for Washtenaw County Government in Michigan. Andy has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis, a B.A. from Oberlin College, and an MBA from the University of Colorado.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Vice President of Energy and Sustainability
Art has led Cinemark's energy efforts since 1999 and was named vice president of energy and sustainability in January 2014. He has been with Cinemark for 25 years. Prior to starting the energy group at Cinemark, Art worked in operations as district manager and regional manager. Art has certifications for both energy management and energy procurement through the Association Of Energy Engineers. Under his leadership, Cinemark's sustainability initiatives have included energy efficiency projects such as lighting and HVAC retrofits as well as rooftop solar installations at a growing number of its theaters.
Job Titles:
- Becton, Dickinson and Co., Global Category Manager for Energy
Bill's current responsibilities include developing the global procurement strategy and managing regional execution of the purchased electricity and natural gas for all of BD's manufacturing, distribution and R&D sites around the world. On the demand side, Bill supports the BD manufacturing sites' continuous improvement (Lean/Six Sigma) energy teams (known as ATLAS teams) as they manage their energy usage. This includes supporting initiatives in LED lighting, compressed air audits, energy audits, BMS software implementation, HVAC/chiller upgrades and on-site generation including fuel cell, solar, geothermal and cogeneration. Bill also works with BD's office of global sustainability for the purchase and retirement of renewable energy credits.
Bill has worked at BD for 15 years, all of them in global procurement, and hold a Bachelor of Science in Engineering in chemical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania and a Masters of Business Administration from Columbia University.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Director of Energy and Environmental Management
Bob Valair is the Director of Energy and Environmental Management for Staples. He has over 30 years in energy strategy and management. He is responsible for Staples Global Energy with over 2,000 retail stores, 50 distribution centers, data centers, and corporate offices. Bob leads the Energy Management Group, which is a key component of the Staples Sustainability Program. Bob has been recognized for his passion and leadership in energy efficiency, adopting new technologies, team building, and his devotion in helping students learn about energy. The Staples Energy Program has been honored with awards from the DOE, Energy Star, Platts Global Awards and Lifetime Achievement awards. Bob is an active member of the Advisory Board for Edison Electric Institute, the US Green Building Council, Ecova, and Green Retail.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Associate Director of the Global Energy and Sustainability Center of Excellence at Merck
Chris Broome is an associate director of the Global Energy and Sustainability Center of Excellence at Merck, where he assists more than 40 North and South American manufacturing, research and administrative facilities in reducing their energy usage to meet strategic energy and sustainability corporate goals.
He is passionate about reducing energy consumption and costs and has extensive experience in energy conservation; corporate energy management and sustainability programs; HVAC; and water conservation. Chris uses Energy Star benchmarking tools on a regular basis and his efforts helped Merck win Energy Star's "Sustained Excellence Award" in 2016 for the 11th consecutive year. He is a member of the Association of Energy Engineers and is a Certified Energy Manager and a Certified Energy Auditor.
Chris has more than 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. He joined Merck in 2009, as part of the merger with Schering-Plough. He started with Schering-Plough in 2006 as a contract administrator managing outsourced maintenance contracts for all the New Jersey sites. Previously, he worked as a plumbing project engineer, specializing in the design of pharmaceutical facilities. Chris has also worked as a project manager and design engineer for several equipment manufacturers of laboratory equipment, such as steam sterilizers, glassware washers, and environmental chambers. He is a Licensed Engineer in New Jersey and received his Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from New Jersey Institute of Technology.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Director of Capital, Productivity and Energy at Linde
- Linde Inc., Director of Capital, Productivity and Energy
Christian Lenci is the Director of Capital, Productivity and Energy at Linde, Inc. and a subject matter expert in the industrial gases industry, the most electricity-intensive manufacturing process. In his 34 years Christian has worked in Maintenance, Operations, Project Management, Customer Service, Distribution, Control Systems, Energy Management departments, including serving as Facility Manager at Praxair's largest liquid hydrogen facility in Niagara Falls NY for 4 years. Christian led the rollout of Lean Six Sigma's data-driven methodology and associated culture change in Praxair's West Region and managed the group for over a decade, completing over 200 custom retrofit energy efficiency projects totaling over $50 million in Capex and supported by nearly $15 million in utility incentives. He also directed the Region's Control Systems group for eight years, leading teams that designed, implemented, and measure in real time automated energy management strategies at nearly all of Praxair's West Region production facilities.
Christian serves as Chairman of the California Large Electricity Consumers Association (CLECA), an organization representing 16 of the largest demand-responsive customers with the state's utilities, the California PUC and CA ISO. He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering and resides in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Head of Category Management & Strategic Sourcing
Dave is Head of Category Management & Strategic Sourcing at Citrix. He utilizes his subject matter expertise to innovate, architect and deliver programs aimed at achieving energy efficiency, cost savings, and operational sustainability. He previously had global functional responsibility for all energy and engineering support items for IHG. Prior to joining IHG, Dave served in various energy-related capacities, including tenures in energy consulting and energy procurement. Dave graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Energy, Business, and Finance and a Minor in Economics from Pennsylvania State University and is a Certified Energy Procurement Professional through the Association of Energy Engineers.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Viacom / CBS, Vice President - Environmental, Health & Safety
- Vice President of Environmental, Health
David Templeman is the Vice President of Environmental, Health, and Safety for Viacom/CBS, responsible for occupational safety and health, industrial hygiene, EHS management systems, environmental programs (including sustainability reporting), DOT regulatory compliance, and aspects of fire protection and business continuity.
Job Titles:
- Director of Editorial and Research
Debra has more than 25 years of experience in market research and content development. In her current role, she manages all SED content development and leads SED's exclusive energy industry research including the annual State of Corporate Renewable Energy Sourcing and State of Distributed Energy Resources. Prior to joining Smart Energy Decisions in 2017, Debra was Research Director of Retail & CPG insights for EnsembleIQ and Stagnito Business Information, where she conducted editorial, sales, and marketing research for a variety of B2B media brands covering the retail sector as well as for custom research projects. Debra also worked as Research Director for Nielsen Business Media and VNU/Bill Communications.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Bucknell University, Director of Sustainability
Dr. Victor Udo is the Director of Sustainability at Bucknell University, Lewisburg Pennsylvania where he Chairs the President's Sustainability Council (PSC) consisting of the President, Provost, CFO, senior faculty, students, and staff. He provides leadership of the PSC to oversee a simultaneous planning and implementation process for the environmental sustainability objectives in the university strategic plan under four cross-disciplinary working groups: Zero Waste, Carbon Neutrality, Ecological Conservation/ Restoration, and Socially Responsible Investing. Victor works with students, faculty, and staff on Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) impact investments for innovative sustainability results including budget-neutral carbon neutrality and circularity enabled waste minimization and ecological vitality.
Dr. Udo is a former CEO with international sustainability and utility processes leadership in academia, state and local governments and Fortune 500 corporate energy companies. He has significant experience in identifying, analyzing, and incorporating global energy, economic, environmental, and educational trends into both public and private sector governance and infrastructure management. He is passionate about the convergence of renewable energy resources and storage, electrification of transportation, AI, IoT, and Blockchain in the decarbonization, decentralization, and digitalization of business, academic, and public policy processes. Victor obtained his Ph.D. in Urban Affairs and Public Policy from the University of Delaware. He has a Masters degree in Energy and Environmental Policy from the University of Pennsylvania along with Masters and BSEE from Howard University. Dr. Udo is an Author with several publications including global, national, and local sustainable development.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Michigan State University, University Distinguished Professor
Dr. Wolfgang Bauer received a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Giessen, Germany, in 1987. After a postdoctoral year at the California Institute of Technology, he joined the faculty at Michigan State University in 1988. He was Chairperson of the Department of Physics and Astronomy from 2001 to 2013 and Founding Director of the Institute for Cyber-Enabled Research from 2009 to 2013. From 2013 to 2020 he served as Senior Consultant and Associate Vice President. He is co-owner of several businesses in the renewable energy sector and has consulted on renewable energy issues for diverse industry groups. He has published over 200 research articles, conference proceedings, and books, and has given over 400 invited presentations in 25 countries. He is currently University Distinguished Professor at Michigan State University, concentrating on vehicle electrification and automation, as well as the implementation of the MSU Energy Transition Plan.
Ellen Chang is a journalist based in Houston. In addition to writing news for Smart Energy Decisions, she writes investing and banking articles for U.S. News & World Report and TheStreet. Her byline has appeared in national business publications, including USA Today, Forbes, CBS News, Yahoo Finance MSN Money, Bankrate, Kiplinger, and Fox Business.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Arizona State University, Director, Energy Innovations
- Director of Energy Innovations for ASU
Gerry serves as the Director of Energy Innovations for ASU. In this role he champions ASU's efforts in (1) acquiring renewable energy for the university's campuses, and (2) maximizing campus energy efficiency, to reach ASU's climate neutrality goal. In addition, his Energy Innovations department assists ASU's operations by collaborating with utilities, vendors, researchers, and other departments to identify innovative solutions to more effectively and reliably manage ASU's energy use. Additionally, as part of his duties, Gerry works with university leadership to chart ASU's climate neutrality strategy.
Gerry's diverse career experience includes public policy, business, technical, and legal work. After graduating from ASU with a chemical engineering degree Gerry worked as a Process Research Engineer for the Dow Chemical Company. He returned to ASU, earned his law degree, and spent 16 years in the legal/policy arena in both private practice and the public sector. Among his positions, he has served as the Environmental Policy Advisor for the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, an environmental law partner for the international firm Bryan Cave, and an Associate General Counsel for ASU. However, his passion for sustainability led him to take his current role within the university, allowing him to focus on sustainable energy-related solutions.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Sustainability Manager in Bloomberg 's Global
Jason Shulman is a sustainability manager in Bloomberg's Global Sustainable Business and Finance group. Reporting to the Chairman's office, the department fully integrates sustainability considerations into all company operations and codevelops products and services for the Bloomberg Professional Service, enabling Bloomberg's clients to evaluate sustainability market risks and opportunities. Bloomberg Sustainability Operations department is focused on reducing the company's environmental impact, inside and outside of operational boundaries, including aggressively pursuing renewable energy projects both on and off-site. Bloomberg recently joined RE100 and committed to 100% renewable energy by 2025.
Jason is responsible for sustainable operations management, global data collection and emissions calculations, all facets of Bloomberg's sustainability analysis and both internal and external sustainability reporting.
Prior to his current role, he worked in Bloomberg's management systems/reporting department and managed a department responsible for global systems privileging. Jason holds a bachelor's degree in economics from Colby College and an MBA from Columbia Business School.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- SSA Marine Inc., Regional Vice President - NorCal
Joe Carrillo began his SSA career in 2007 in container operations in Long Beach. He continued his journey through SSA Marine, working in Mexico and Panama before returning to his native home in Northern California to assist operations with direct responsibility for five different business units throughout N. California which spans maritime, transportation, and warehousing operations. Since 2017, Joe has worked on numerous zero-emission sustainability projects with a focus on larger cargo handling equipment at two of the five business units in Northern California and operational performances. Currently, Carrix Enterprise has deployed 179+ pieces of near or zero-emission equipment globally and is leading the way in California at numerous sites.
Joe played two years of professional baseball with the St. Louis Cardinals Baseball Club after college. His current passions are playing golf in his free time and spending quality time with his wife and two children.
John has more than 30 years of experience in B2B media as an executive responsible for developing and managing digital media products, magazines, and face-to-face events.
Prior to launching Smart Energy Decisions, John launched and developed Green Retail Decisions, the leading online information resource for retailers on sustainable business practices. Green Retail Decisions was acquired by Stagnito Business Information along with the other media brands created by John at Tesoro Business Media. Prior to that, John spent 15 years at VNU (Nielsen) Business Media, where he was responsible for publications, trade shows, and online services serving several B2B markets.
Kirsten is an experienced communications and marketing professional with a strong background in health care and a special interest in the news media industry. She has a vast portfolio of partnering with senior leaders to successfully craft and measure communications toward operational and cultural goals. Highlights of Kirsten's career include writing and producing health/science stories for national syndication, building an internal communication strategy for a rural health system, working with national news outlets such as CNN covering children's health, and planning events featuring celebrities including Tom Hanks. In her free time, Kirsten enjoys running, playing piano, reading, and hiking with her husband, son, and two rescue dogs.
Job Titles:
- Director of Sustainability at Bucknell University
Job Titles:
- Director of Community Development
Lisa brings a broad and diverse background as a gregarious and consummate professional with over 25+ years of experience in relationship management, strategic development, project management, market research, public relations, business development, and marketing communications. Although events were always part of her career journey, Lisa got bit by the Events Industry and quite naturally, became an event junkie. In the lifecycle of an event, you name it, she's done it. Her specialty is in understanding a market and finding the right audience and partners. Because without an audience, you've got nothing.
A recent move has landed Lisa and her husband Jim in Mount Pleasant, SC, where she is just 4 miles to the Isle of Palms beach and just 20 minutes into historic downtown Charleston. She's never leaving.
Maria Failla brings five years of podcasting experience to the Smart Energy Decisions team as the lead producer of the Smart Energy Voices podcast. Maria's personal podcast, Bloom and Grow Radio, is consistently one of the top lifestyle/Home & Garden podcasts on the iTunes charts and was a 2020 Webby Honoree. If you like houseplants, you should check it out. Previously, she toured the world as a musical theater performer and on Broadway in Cats the Musical.
Marjorie Ferris is the Sales Director of Smart Energy Decisions, Intersolar North America and Energy Storage North America. She's been with Diversified Communications for over 12 years putting her sales skills to work on an array of different events. Her forte is working closely with customers to help them find the best solutions for their challenges. She is known for her positive energy, determination, and dedicated work ethic. Marjorie is a native New Yorker, transplanted to Maine 20 years ago, and doesn't plan to ever leave.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Bloomberg Global Sustainable Business & Finance, Head of Sustainable Business Operations
- Head of Sustainable Business Operations in Bloomberg 's Global Sustainable Business
Michael Barry is the Head of Sustainable Business Operations in Bloomberg's Global Sustainable Business and Finance group. Reporting to the Chairman's Office, the team integrates sustainability considerations into all operations and co-develops products and services for the Bloomberg Terminal, enabling our clients to evaluate sustainability market risks and opportunities.
Michael is responsible for all global sustainability efforts within Bloomberg's facilities, leasing, and technology departments. He works closely with a cross-functional team to develop, manage and implement critical clean energy and energy efficiency projects throughout Bloomberg's global operations.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Director in the Strategic Sourcing
- Illinois Tool Works, Director, Strategic Sourcing
Mike Colwell is a director in the Strategic Sourcing department for Illinois Tool Works in Glenview, Ill., focused on cost reductions and risk management through energy supply and demand reduction opportunities in North America, Europe, and Australia.
Mike began his career in the 1990s, working in various procurement positions until 1999 when electric deregulation was set to spread across the country and United States Gypsum moved him into their energy team to help build out their capabilities. Hands-on learning of the new markets, supplier and regulatory interaction along with extensive utility tariff review helped him and the company engage with and successfully manage the new structure of the market. He moved on and took an energy manager position with Smurfit-Stone, a pulp and paper company focusing on electricity, fuel oil and natural gas. Mike then worked for Walgreens, where he managed energy procurement and sustainability activities such as rooftop solar at 200-plus stores and distributions centers, electric vehicle charging station installations, and their NetZero Energy pilot store in Evanston, Ill., that used geothermal, solar, and wind generation.
Mike earned a Bachelor of Science in economics from Northern Illinois University and lives in La Grange, Ill., with his wife and two (semi-adult) children.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Amazon.Com, Renewable Energy Procurement Manager
- Energy Procurement Manager at Amazon.Com
Patrick Leonard is renewable energy procurement manager at Amazon.com. Prior to Amazon.com Patrick supported energy, water, and renewables strategy for 9,500 Starbucks stores in the U.S. and Canada. Patrick was responsible for deregulated energy procurement and sourcing renewable energy to meet Starbucks' aspirational Global Responsibility goals. Patrick's work included roles in sustainability, energy management, and renewables with T-Mobile, Paladino and Company, Enviros Consulting, and Shell.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Board Member of the Renewable Energy Buyer 's Association
- Director, Global Energy
- General Motors Co., Director, Global Energy Strategy
Rob Threlkeld is Director, Global Energy Strategy for General Motors, leading the company's energy procurement efforts including the commitment to meet the electricity needs of its global operations with 100 percent renewable energy by 2050. Threlkeld is responsible for leading the team that supports GM energy procurement and regulatory efforts including negotiating power purchase agreements, natural gas, green tariffs, and engineering onsite renewable solutions for GM facilities across the globe, including opportunities associated with battery storage, behind-the-meter applications and EV integration.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Lockheed Martin 's Lead Energy Manager
- Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, Energy Manager
Rowena is Lockheed Martin's lead energy manager for Aeronautics' enterprise-wide directives in meeting carbon reduction, water and Renewable Energy (RE) goals. She is also responsible for negotiating and hedging energy procurement of long-term power and natural gas contracts in deregulated U.S. markets as well as providing utility budget oversight for Aeronautics' top major U.S. sites. Along with supporting Aeronautics team in executive approval of annual Go Green projects, Rowena had also personally championed final funding approvals of RE projects such as a 1MW and 20 MW solar behind-the-meter in CA, a 15 MW physical power purchase agreement (PPA) and a 30 MW PPA.
Rowena has over 28 years' experience in energy management, program management and technical sales and have implemented worthy Go Green projects in both industrial, manufacturing and commercial spaces, implementing compressed air, air scrubbers, LEDs, HVAC, central plants and more. Rowena previously served as energy efficiency consultant for SCE's large industrial customers and construction/project manager for Kroger. She also served as energy engineer for UCLA and design engineer for the SoCalGas Co.
Rowena has been recognized as Industry leader in Smart Energy Decisions' 2022 Women in Smart Energy (WISE). She holds a Bachelor's of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from California State University, Northridge. She is a registered Certified Energy Manager, Certified Carbon Reduction Manager, Certified Energy Procurement Professional and LEED Accredited Professional.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Mohawk Industries, Director of Lean Manufacturing, Quality & Global Energy - Demand
With a widely diverse industrial manufacturing background as a senior engineer or manager, followed by almost 20 years in facility/maintenance management roles with several firms, Scott has served as managing lead engineer for new technology and capital projects in addition to successfully implementing his certified lean practitioner training at multiple firms. Industries include naval shipyard work, heavy fabrication, machining, heat treating, foundry, melting, printing, and publishing also spent several years at a nuclear power plant site followed by the direction of a profit center for two companies supplying nationwide technical services serving the nuclear power industry. This experience preceded almost twenty years of maintenance and facility management experience. Scott earned his BS in Materials Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, holding a PE for Metallurgical Engineering within the state of Tennessee.
Job Titles:
- Director of Engineering
- Member of the Advisory Board
- University of Maryland, Director, Engineering and Energy
Susan Corry is the Director of Engineering and Energy at the University of Maryland College Park, and has spent her career in the energy industry. Susan received her mechanical engineering degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and is a Certified Energy Manager, Certified Demand Side Manager and Certified Existing Building Commissioning Professional. She began her career in the energy sector working on energy and demand side management programs with public utilities. She then moved into higher education, working for George Mason University, leading the development of long-term conservation plans to meet energy and carbon reduction goals. She moved on to the University of Maryland where she is responsible for energy procurement, energy and carbon reduction plans, renewable energy strategies, building design standards, building performance, and management of the campus power plant. Susan leads the energy committee comprised of the University System of Maryland institutions and the Maryland Department of General Services that represents all other State agencies in energy-related matters. She has served on the advisory boards of the Maryland Clean Energy Center and Maryland Strategic Energy Investment Fund, and was past chair of DOE's Better Buildings Alliance Higher Education Steering Committee.
Wes Doane is the Event Director of Smart Energy Decisions, Intersolar North America, and Energy Storage North America. Focused on B2B event sales and management, Wes has deep expertise in the solar + energy storage and finance and accounting industries. He lives in Maine with his wife and two children, and still finds time to surf once or twice a year.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advisory Board
- Global Director of Renewable Energy
As Global Director of Renewable Energy, Zephyr oversees Mars' renewable energy sourcing throughout the world - including market assessment, supplier engagement, deal structuring and negotiation, and key internal stakeholder management alongside team oversight.
Zephyr has led the development and execution of strategic renewable energy initiatives for the public and private sectors globally. His expertise includes policy and regulation, project development and transaction structuring, and thought leadership on energy market reform and stakeholder mobilization.
Zephyr holds an MBA and a Master of Environmental Management from Yale University. He received his undergraduate degree with Highest Honors in Economics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.