Board of Directors

Executive Director: Jane Weissman

Jane Weissman has been the Executive Director of the Interstate Renewable Energy Council since 1994. From 1985 until 1991, Jane was the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Photovoltaic Center.  She is Vice Chair of the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners and was elected an America Solar Energy Society’s Fellow in 2004.  She has been chairing the national Clean Energy Workforce Education Conference since 2006.  Jane has been invited by the Congress of the United States to provide expert testimony before the Subcommittee on Energy and Environment to discuss workforce development and training issues.  In May 2010, she received the prestigious Charles Greeley Abbot Award from the American Solar Energy Society.  Jane has published papers and spoken widely on topics in the field of renewable energy, photovoltaics, public policy and credentialing.  She is based out of Boston, Massachusetts, and is an avid Red Sox fan.

Officers

Ken JurmanChair: Ken Jurman, Virginia Dept. of Mines, Minerals and Energy

Ken Jurman is with the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy where he manages the Division of Energy’s solar and wind power programs. He works closely with state and local economic development agencies to promote the growth of Virginia’s alternative and renewable energy manufacturing, as well as with numerous public, private and non-profit organizations to increase the demand for renewable and innovative energy technologies.  Ken currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Interstate Renewable Energy Council and the Small Wind Certification Council, and as staff to the Virginia Offshore Wind Development Authority – created through 2010 legislation to facilitate, coordinate, and support development of the offshore wind energy industry, offshore wind energy projects, and supply chain vendors. Ken lives in Rockville, Virginia with his wife and daughter.

David WarnerVice Chair: David Warner, National Renewable Energy Laboratory

David Warner has more than 25 years experience creating and managing technical information, communications, and outreach activities on energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. He has worked at NREL for more than 19 years, leading the development of hundreds of products and activities to meet the communications needs of NREL’s offices and programs and the Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.  While at NREL, David has been the director of the Technical Information Office and has managed the Information and Outreach Program, the Technical Information Program, and the Stakeholder Partnerships Office. David has been vice chair of IREC since 1992.  He was instrumental in reviving the solar energy trade association in Colorado, and served as the executive director of the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association from 1988 to 1993.

Secretary: Jane Pulaski, IREC


Jane is responsible for the communication and outreach tasks for IREC through the IREC website and three newsletters:  The IREC Report (formerly the State & Stakeholder Newsletter), the Solar Instructor Training Network (SITN) Quarterly, and The ISPQ Insider.  Before joining IREC, Jane was Program Manager for the Renewable Energy Program for SECO (1992-1999), where she planned, implemented and monitored renewable energy projects in Texas.  Jane, an enthusiastic consumer of technology, also manages social media for IREC.  When she’s not communicating about IREC, she’s working on perfecting her Warrior II.  She lives in Austin.

Treasurer: Jennifer Szaro, Orlando Utilities Commission

As Renewable Energy Manager, Jennifer oversees the development and implementation of renewable energy and alternative fuel programs as well as corporate sustainability for OUC. Prior to her present position, Jennifer was employed as a Senior Energy Analyst for the Florida Solar Energy Center for nearly nine years, where her research focused on photovoltaics, distributed generation, biomass energy and green power marketing. She also managed Florida’s Million Solar Roofs Partnership, the SunSmart Schools Program and the Florida Photovoltaic Rebate Pilot Program. She has been a board member of the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) since 2002 and currently serves as Treasurer for the organization.  Jennifer also serves as Secretary and board member for the Florida Renewable Energy Association (FREA), and holds a position on the Board of the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA).  Jennifer received her BS Degrees in Environmental Science and Chemistry from Florida International University in 1997 and completed her Master’s Degree in Business Administration the University of Central Florida in 2006.

Board Members

Carolyn Appleton, Carolyn M. Appleton, Inc.

With more than 25 years in the nonprofit sector, Carolyn’s mission is to enable nonprofit organizations to attain their fundraising and public relations goals in the most efficient, thoughtful and high quality manner possible.  With a primary emphasis on major gift campaigns and special project fundraising, Carolyn also has extensive experience with campaign strategy development; grant writing; advanced prospect research; publication writing and design; communications; stewardship; and special events.  For the past 15 years, she has been a freelance fundraising professional; in 2007, she formalized her work by incorporating as Carolyn M. Appleton, Inc.   Carolyn is a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), and has received awards for excellence from several nonprofit organizations.  Carolyn has also been a featured speaker for the Association of Fundraising Professionals (state and local levels), CharityChannel, Nonprofit Technology Network, and the Texas Historical Commission.  She recently launched a popular blog on WordPress, carolynmappleton.wordpress.com. 

Vicki Colello

Vicki Colello, NYSERDA

Vicki is a Project Manager with the NYS Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA), where she works in the Residential Efficiency Services Program on energy efficiency and renewable energy workforce development, along with other areas. Prior to working with NYSERDA, Vicki was an independent consultant working with the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) for ten years, and she was formerly a policy analyst with the NYS Energy Office, working in energy efficiency and solar energy.

Chris CookChris Cook, Solar Grid Storage LLC

Chris is a Principal with Solar Grid Storage LLC a new company focused on placing cost effective battery solutions with solar energy projects and utilizing the batteries to provide grid benefits and services. Formerly he was with the law firm of Keyes & Fox a boutique firm targeting distributed generation and the renewable energy legal and regulatory issues.  Previously,  Chris was a Managing Director of Sunworks, a startup company to focused on building US based solar PV manufacturing facilities.  He was formerly Sr. Vice-President, of Regulatory Affairs for SunEdison, a company he helped found with three others in 2003.  As General Counsel at SunEdison, Chris helped write the solar power purchase agreement (PPA) that has become the model contract for the industry.  Considered by many to be the leading national expert on net metering, Chris was assistant counsel with the Maryland People’s Counsel and  Director of Energy Policy at the Maryland Energy Administration.  Chris is a member of the Bar of Maryland and a Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. He holds awards from the Governor of Maryland and the US Department of Energy for outstanding service in the solar energy field.

 

Brian Gallagher, Brian Gallagher Consulting

Brian Gallagher is an independent energy consultant who has focused on overcoming barriers to the use of renewable energy. He is currently assisting the District of Columbia in developing their Sustainable Energy Utility (SEU) and has been instrumental in the development of the Delaware SEU a state‐chartered entity charged with offering ‘one‐stop shopping’ for sustainable energy services, including renewable energy, energy efficiency, and affordable energy services for low income families. As the Delaware Energy Office’s representative before the state’s Public Service Commission, Brian has successfully advocated for the removal of barriers to the use of renewable energy in such areas as interconnection standards, net metering, revenue decoupling, standby charges, and integrated resource planning. He has authored several net metering and renewable portfolio standards laws as well as the regulations to implement those laws.  Working on energy policy for over 15 years, Brian spent seven of those years with Delaware’s public utilities consumer advocate. He received a Masters in Energy and Environmental Policy from the University of Delaware.  Brian also runs a small charitable organization that provides grants to schools for the installation of solar energy on school facilities.

 

Julia Judd Hamm, Solar Electric Power Association

Julia Hamm

Julia Hamm is the President and CEO of the Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), a national membership organization that facilitates solutions for utility use and integration of solar electric power. Julia has strong relationships with individuals at utilities and solar companies worldwide, and is knowledgeable about solar programs, policies, barriers, and trends. She is a frequent speaker at regional, national and international conferences and has authored numerous articles on solar trends as well as utility solar programs. Julia is also the chair of Solar Power International, the largest solar event in the US.  Prior to SEPA, she worked as a senior associate at ICF International, a leading consulting firm in the areas of energy and environment, where she supported the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency with implementation of its ENERGY STAR program. In 2007 she was named one of the Top 10 Women in Cleantech by earth2tech. Julia holds a Bachelors of Science in Business Management from Cornell University. She lives in an energy efficient, PV powered home that is part of the Green Home Choice program in Arlington, VA.

Steve KallandSteve Kalland, North Carolina Solar Center

Steve is currently the Director of the North Carolina Solar Center at NC State University in Raleigh, NC where he works to develop new programs in renewable energy, clean transportation, green building, and energy efficiency technologies.  He has over 18 years of experience in energy policy, including time as the Director for Government Relations and Grid-Tied Markets at Xantrex Technology Inc. and as the Director of State Programs and Policy at the national Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).  Steve has been an IREC board member since 2001, and is also on the boards of the NC Sustainable Energy Association (NCSEA) and the NC GreenPower organization.  He is a past board member of the US Combined Heat and Power Association (USCHPA).  Steve is the proud father of two boys and a girl and lives with his wife, Tricia, in Cary, NC.

Marc RoperMarc Roper, Tioga Energy

Marc Roper has nearly two decades of experience in the renewable energy industry. He currently serves as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Tioga Energy, a solar PA provider based in California. Prior to joining Tioga, Marc led the sales, marketing, and external affairs for Turner Renewable Energy, a leading US solar power systems integrator (acquired by First Solar in 2007). Prior to that, he was vice president and board member for photovoltaic manufacturer SCHOTT Solar, responsible for the company’s sales and marketing activities and turnkey projects operations in North and South America.  Marc also managed residential market development for photovoltaic manufacturer AstroPower (now a part of GE Energy), and headed up renewable energy programs for the State of Colorado’s energy office. Marc received a Masters of Civil Engineering with focus on renewable energy and building systems design, a BS in Engineering Physics, and a BA in Music from the University of Colorado in Boulder, CO.

Larry Sherwood, Sherwood Associates

Larry Sherwood is President of Sherwood Associates, a renewable energy consulting firm. Larry has nearly 30 years of experience in the renewable energy field. He is Project Administrator for the Solar America Board for Codes and Standards, Executive Director of the Small Wind Certification Council, author of the IREC Report, U.S. Solar Market Trends 2010, and Editor of the IREC Small Wind Newsletter.  Previously, Larry served as Executive Director of the American Solar Energy Society and Executive Director of the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College and lives in Boulder, Colorado with his wife, Janet and daughter, Morgan.

Larry ShirleyLarry Shirley, N.C. Dept. of Commerce

Larry Shirley serves as the Director of the Green Economy in the NC Department of Commerce.  Prior to assuming this position in 2009, Mr. Shirley directed the State Energy Office for nine years.  In late 2000, Mr. Shirley served for 13 years as the Executive Director of the NC Solar Center at NC State University.  While there, he was elected as Chairman of the American Solar Energy Society in 1996-97.  Previous to his work at the Solar Center, he served as the Assistant Director of the Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation in Winston-Salem and founded the Nonprofit Energy Management Program for the Advanced Energy Corporation.  He also served as Director of Field Operations for the Center for Renewable Resources in Washington, DC.  Mr. Shirley is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Jack Werner

As Executive Director of the Institute for Sustainable Power (ISP), Jack directs the coordination, development, and administration of the ISPQ International Standard, which sets the bar for the accreditation of training programs and the certification of trainers in the energy field.  Jack is also a Senior Fellow of the Climate Institute and Senior Associate of The Stella Group, Ltd.  He recently served as Director of the District of Columbia State Energy Office, and was Director of Energy, Environment and Sustainable Programs for Public Technology, Inc. (PTI).  Jack worked with PTI’s membership of city and county governments and oversaw the annual selection and implementation of  municipal energy, environment, transportation, and integrated sustainable community projects.  He has an MPA from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, and a B.A. from the University of Nevada Las Vegas.  Jack is a Qualified Assessor/Auditor for the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and registered IREC ISPQ Auditor.