New Board Members Reflect Broadened Scope of Independent IREC
New Board Members Reflect Broadened Scope of
Independent Interstate Renewable Energy Council
(Las Vegas, NV) – Three new board members join the 34-year-old national not-for-profit Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC), broadening the scope of the organization’s leadership base focused on shaping a clean renewable energy and energy efficient future. Four incumbent board members were re-elected to the board.
Newly elected to the IREC Board of Directors are Shannon Baker-Branstetter, energy and environment policy counsel for Consumers Union, Washington, D.C. office; Polly Shaw,VP of regulatory affairs and communications for Stem, an intelligent energy storage company, Millbrae, CA; and Michael Totten, Denver-based author, speaker and 40-year advocate promoting a solar powered economy and global biodiversity protection.
“Each of these individuals brings extraordinary knowledge and unique expertise to IREC’s growing leadership base,” says IREC Board Chair Larry Shirley. “We are so pleased to add these exceptional new board members, as IREC continues its respected work as an independent change maker for fair, more accessible clean renewable energy and increased consumer education and protection.”
The IREC Board also elected new officers, including re-electing the current chair, Larry Shirley, president of Shirley Associates. Other officers include: vice chair, Marc Roper, principal of Sovereign Modular; secretary, Brian Gallagher, principal with Brian Gallagher Consulting; and treasurer, Ken Jurman, manager, Division of Energy solar and wind power programs, Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy.
Others re-elected to IREC’s Board of Directors are: Chris Cook, principal with Solar Grid Storage LLC; John Hoffner, AECOM manager, utility-scale PV design; and Karl Rábago, executive director of the Pace Energy and Climate Center.
Newly elected IREC board members:
Shannon Baker-Branstetter, Consumers Union
Since 2009, Shannon Baker-Branstetter has served as energy and environment policy counsel for Consumers Union’s Washington, D.C. Office, where she leads the policy team’s work on energy efficiency, clean energy, utility policy, clean vehicles, fuel economy and other environmental topics. In her current role, she provides oral testimony and written comments for EPA, DOE, DOT and CARB rulemakings; analyzes pending bills and regulations; briefs congressional staff and California legislators on CU’s position on pending legislation, and leads a coalition of partners including environmental, environmental justice, labor, business, national security and public health groups. Prior to working at Consumers Union, she worked at the U.S. Department of Labor, Government Accountability Office, and an employment law firm. Her alma maters are Yale University (BA), University of California, Los Angeles (MPP) and Georgetown (JD). She is an active member of the California and District of Columbia Bar Associations.
Polly Shaw, Stem
Polly Shaw is VP of regulatory affairs and communications for Stem, an intelligent energy storage company in Millbrae, CA. She brings 23 years of clean, efficient energy policy experience in the U.S. and China. Formerly vice president of external affairs at SunEdison, Shaw served on the board of the Solar Energy Industries Association and the Large-scale Solar Association. In 2013, she helped advocate for California’s successful passage of SB 43, a 600 MW shared renewables program. Previously, she was senior director of external relations at Suntech America; senior regulatory analyst at the California Public Utilities Commission where she led implementation of the $2.2 billion California solar incentive and R&D program; program officer at the Energy Foundation; and she provided consulting support for EPA greenhouse gas programs while at ICF. Shaw holds a B.A. from Tufts University, a Certificate in Chinese Law from the University of London, and speaks English, French, Chinese and basic Spanish.
Michael Totten, advocate/author
Michael Totten is an author, speaker and 40-year advocate promoting a solar powered economy and sustainably flourishing planet, highlighted in his publications, Promoting Sustainable Planetary Prosperity, and Climate for Life. He heads AssetsforLife.net, promoting Internet of Networks for sustainability initiatives, and working with numerous groups, including Jeremy Rifkin’s Third Industrial Revolution initiative in Europe, WWF’s Market Transformation initiative, Rocky Mountain Institute, and Conservation International. AssetsforLife.net works to harness and leverage local human and social capital, ultimately to access financial capital and achieve emission-free cities and rural communities. Working in the U.S. Congress, Totten drafted the 12-title bill, Global Warming Prevention Act of 1989 (HR1079). Totten later headed the Center for Renewable Energy & Sustainable Technology (CREST), producing digital interactive multimedia resources and Internet tools and apps. Totten received ADPSR’s 1999 Lewis Mumford Award, is a graduate of Yale University, and currently lives in Denver, CO.
Other current board members include:
Carolyn Appleton, certified fund raising executive and principal of Carolyn M. Appleton, Inc.; Jacob Parks, J.D., CFE, associate general counsel at the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE); and Carl Siegrist, principal, Carl Siegrist Consulting, LLC.
For details on all board members, click here.
