Executive Director and Board Member Biographies

Executive Director:
Fara Courtney

Board Members:
Jeff Peterson (USOWC Board Chair), New York State Energy Research and Development Authority
Greg Watson (USOWC Vice Chair), Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy & Environment
John Rogers (USOWC Clerk), Union of Concerned Scientists
John Hummer (USOWC Treasurer), Great Lakes Wind Collaborative
Jen Banks , American Wind Energy Association
Steve Connors, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Paul DeCotis, Long Island Power Authority
Barbara Hill, Clean Power Now
Mary Hunt, Georgia Institute of Technology
James Lyons, Novus Energy Partners
Walter Musial, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Kris Oleth, Ocean Conservancy
Bancroft Poor, Mass Audubon
Mark Sinclair, Clean Energy States Alliance

The Board is actively engaging other key players, including state and federal regulatory agencies, to inform our planning and our actions. This approach highlights the USOWC's commitment to be broad-based and to address environmental concerns with integrity and a collaborative spirit.

Fara Courtney was appointed Executive Director in May 2010. She has over two decades experience in coastal development, ocean policy, state/federal regulatory programs and civic engagement. She was principle of Good Harbor Consulting, based in Gloucester, MA, for 10 years, with a practice focusing on collaborative projects linking environmental, economic and social objectives. Clients included state and federal agencies, municipalities and non-governmental organizations. Prior to founding Good Harbor Consulting/Gloucester, Fara was a regional manager for the MA Coastal Zone Management Program.

Fara worked with the Steering Committee as a consultant and leader during all stages of development of the USOWC, including the stakeholder process resulting in A Framework for Offshore Wind in the United States (2005), and as a co-author of U.S. Offshore Wind Energy: A Path Forward . She has an MS from Boston University, and a BA from Cornell University.

Jeff Peterson (USOWC Board Chair) is the program manager for energy resources of the New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA) and has been a strong and early supporter of renewable energy during his 24-year tenure at NYSERDA. In his capacity as program manager for energy resources, he oversees the primary research program for renewable and fossil energy resource development. For many years, Mr. Peterson has supported basic R&D programs in solar and wind along with innovative outreach and education programs, workforce development and other endeavors. Through Mr. Peterson’s leadership and vision, NYSERDA has reached several milestones in developing a sustainable renewable energy infrastructure in New York State. Mr. Peterson’s program has led to the development of innovative renewable energy products, including the development of custom polymer-encapsulated PV modules in partnership with Sunwize and the development of a wind map with AWS True Wind. At the same time, through his leadership, NYSERDA has facilitated the development of almost 50 MW of wind capacity in NYS, with another 500 MW of wind under development. His programs have also resulted in the development of a very active green power marketing program in New York, providing consumers with opportunities and information to purchase green power.

Greg Watson Greg Watson (USOWC Vice Chair) is Senior Advisor for Clean Energy Technology within the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. He serves as the administration’s point of contact for the clean energy entrepreneurial community. He is on loan from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center’s (MCEC) Renewable Energy Trust. Mr. Watson directed the Cape & Islands Offshore Wind Public Outreach Initiative and the Renewable Energy Trust’s Offshore Wind Energy Collaborative (OWC). He served on President Obama’s energy transition team.

John Rogers (USOWC Clerk) is a senior energy analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists, helping to implement a range of cutting-edge renewable, climate, and other clean energy policies that UCS has helped win, with a particular focus on the Northeast United States. John works to ensure effective implementation and expansion of clean energy laws, regulations, and policies, especially related to renewable electricity standards and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. He joined UCS in 2006 with 15 years of clean energy experience in the private and public sectors, including as a co-founder of the for-profit Soluz, Inc. and through positions with Sandia National Laboratories, DynCorp I&ET, and the U.S. Peace Corps (Honduras). John holds a Masters in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan and an A.B. from Princeton University. He serves on the advisory board of not-for-profit organizations dedicated to expanding rural energy access in the developing world and to expanding renewable energy finance in the U.S. In his free time, John focuses on energy efficiency and climate change in his community, and on his family.

John Hummer (USOWC Treasurer), project manager with the Great Lakes Commission, is the lead staff person for day to day operations of the Great Lakes Wind Collaborative (GLWC). The GLWC is a group established to build consensus and identify and address issues affecting the planning, development, and operation of wind power facilities in the Great Lakes region. The group provides a forum for dialogue and an opportunity for analysis and exchange of information among key stakeholders to facilitate sustainable wind power development in the region. As part of his responsibilities, John is the lead staff person for the GLWC Offshore Wind and Transmission workgroups. Up to 50 percent of his time is allocated for wind-related projects. John joined the Great Lakes Commission staff in 2001. In addition to wind work, John coordinates collaborative ecosystem monitoring projects and manages a river cleanup grant program among other duties. John holds a master's degree in resource development from Michigan State University in natural resources policy and planning.

Jen Banks joined the American Wind Energy Association in August 2008. Prior to joining AWEA, she worked with the North Carolina Solar Center to promote wind energy along the North Carolina coast and with the South Carolina Institute for Energy Studies on an offshore wind feasibility study. Jennifer holds a B.S. in Environmental Technology from North Carolina State University and a Master of City and Regional Planning degree, with an environmental planning focus, from Clemson University. At AWEA, she focuses on offshore wind policy and education at the federal level as well as various siting issues - such as sound, health and stakeholder involvement.

Steve Connors Stephen R. Connors is the Director, Analysis Group for Regional Energy Alternatives - Laboratory for Energy and the Environment - Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Since graduating from the Renewable Energy Group at UMass-Amherst in 1986, Stephen Connors has been leading research at MIT focused on long- term transformation of regional energy infrastructures. Ongoing research activities focus on the dynamics of renewable generation, energy consumption, and conventional generation dispatch and how these dynamics impact the cost- and emissions-effectiveness of solar, wind and efficiency. Recent projects include an assessment of the avoided emissions potential of Northeast offshore wind resources, and the potential emissions reduction benefits of a potential offshore facility for the Town of Hull, MA.

In addition to AGREA, Mr. Connors also coordinates the energy initiatives for the Alliance for Global Sustainability (www.theags.org) and the Sustainable Energy Systems Focus Area of the MIT-Portugal Program (www.mitportugal.org). Mr. Connors holds two degrees from the UMass-Amherst (Mechanical Engineering and Applied Anthropology), as well as a Masters from MIT in Technology and Policy.

Between his two degrees from UMass, Stephen was a Peace Corps volunteer in Benin, West Africa working on the design and testing of wood conserving cook stoves. Mr. Connors is currently a member of the U.S. Dept. of Energy's Wind Program Peer Review Panel. In addition to his work at MIT, Mr. Connors active in several Boston area initiatives, such as the AltWheels Alternative Transportation and Energy Festival (www.altwheels.org) to promote better energy conservation, increased use of renewable energy, and sustainable transportation.

paul2 Paul DeCotis has worked in the energy field for over 30 years with increasing levels of responsibility and management oversight, in the areas of economic, financial, and energy analysis; policy and strategy planning; and performance management and evaluation. Mr. DeCotis has been a graduate and undergraduate adjunct faculty member at several colleges and universities for the past 26 years in the fields of finance, strategy and policy, ethics, management studies, and communications. In addition to his full-time employment, Mr. DeCotis worked as a management consultant for 15 years, specializing in executive and professional development; Board and management training; coaching; and mediation. Mr. DeCotis has and continues to serve on national, professional, and community Board's and committee's and has extensive experience in local community affairs, including having held elected office. Mr. DeCotis is also a member of Montclair Publishing LLC. "Who's Who in North America."

Barbara Hill is the Executive Director of Clean Power Now; the leading non-profit organizing in support for the Cape Wind project, America's first federally permitted offshore wind farm. Over the course of the past 30 years she has held a variety of management positions focused on renewable energy, land preservation and affordable housing. From 2001 - 2005 she served as the Project Coordinator for Offshore Wind with the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative. She is a founding initiator of the CLEAN campaign, a collaborative of over 140 grassroots led organizations working for a new national energy policy advocating CLEAN's Call to Action. Barbara is also a Senior Fellow with the Breakthrough Institute.

Mary Hallisey Hunt is Director of Special Projects for the Strategic Energy Institute at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Her current work includes investigating energy policy applications as they apply to technology development and deployment. Her research activities include feasibility studies for offshore wind development focused on stakeholder issues, policy development & implementation and coastal & marine spatial planning applications. She serves on the advisory board for the U.S. Offshore Wind Collaborative, is an active member of the American Wind Energy Association Offshore Wind Working Group and a founding member of the Georgia Wind Working Group. Her research and outreach activities include engagement with multiple state and federal agencies, NGOs and other stakeholder groups. Ms. Hunt was an invited participant at the 2008 Department of Energy 20% Wind by 2030 Roadmap Meeting, the 2010 DOE Wind Peer Review Program and the BOEMRE roundtable workshop for the Certified Verification Agent (CVA) planning process. Selected publications related to offshore wind energy on which she was co-author include Georgia’s Offshore Renewable Energy Potential: Spatial Mapping and Planning. Report and GIS Tool, (2010), Southern Winds, A study of wind power generation potential off the Georgia coast. (2007), “Innovative Partnerships for Offshore Wind Development.” American Wind Energy Association, Windpower 2006 (June, 2006). “Feasibility of Offshore Wind Power in the South Atlantic Bight.” (OTC 18351-PP). Offshore Technology Conference (May, 2006).

Dr. James Lyons is a founding partner and the chief technology officer of Novus. He was previously a chief engineer at GE’s Corporate R&D Center and technology leader for a global R&D team in Germany, the U.S., India, and China. Dr. Lyons championed renewable energy within GE, co-leading GE’s entry into wind energy and serving as post-acquisition chief technology officer – GE’s most successful new growth business with over $4 billion in revenues. He has also led new business development teams in digital energy, waste gasification, and hybrid electric vehicles. Dr. Lyons has served on the boards of GE Powerex and the Electric Drive Trade Association. He has a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a Masters of Science in electrical engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and a Ph.D. from Cornell University; he has authored more than 25 technical papers and holds more than 30 patents registered in the U.S.

Walter Musial is a senior engineer at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) where he has worked for almost 20 years. Walt leads the Ocean Renewable activities at NREL including wind, wave, and water current energy technologies. He serves on the International Energy Agency’s Ocean Energy Systems Executive Committee, and is the Technical Administrator for the U.S. Technical Advisory Group to the International Electro-technical Commission’s standards committee on marine renewable energy.

Previously, he led the testing team at NREL’s National Wind Technology Center and was responsible for building and operating NREL’s full-scale component facilities for testing wind turbine blades and drivetrains. Earlier, Walt was employed for 5 years in the commercial wind industry in California. His career interests were solidified when he began studying renewable energy engineering at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Mechanical Engineering.

Kris Ohleth is a Policy Manager for Marine Spatial Planning issues at Ocean Conservancy, where she works to bridge the communication and cooperation gap between offshore renewable energy developers and environmental non-profits. Kris joined the Conservancy in August but previously spent over four years working in the offshore wind development industry. She served as Director of Environmental Affairs for both Deepwater Wind and Bluewater Wind, where she was the lead liaison on biological, scientific, and environmental issues. Kris also has extensive experience aboard sea-going research and fishing vessels in the North Atlantic, having served as a research technician for the National Marine Fisheries Service. In addition, Kris worked as an editor for the National Marine Fisheries Service in Narragansett, RI, and as a communication and outreach coordinator for The Nature Conservancy. Kris earned an undergraduate degree in Journalism from Rutgers University and a master’s degree from the University of Rhode Island’s Graduate Marine Affairs Program. Inspired in part
by her travel overseas and working on the ocean, Kris’ master’s thesis focused on the feasibility of wind energy in Rhode Island.

Bancroft Poor (picture and bio coming soon)

Mark Sinclair is Vice President of the Clean Energy Group and has been working on energy and environmental issues in the public interest for two decades. Clean Energy Group (CEG) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing the use of clean energy technologies in the U.S. and abroad through creative financing, business partnerships, public policy and advocacy. Mr. Sinclair also is executive director of the Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA), a multi-state coalition of state-based renewable energy programs working together to advance clean energy markets.

Prior to CEG, Mr. Sinclair was senior attorney with the Conservation Law Foundation of New England. He also has served as general counsel to the State of Vermont’s environmental agency. He graduated from Williams College and received his law degree from Cornell Law School. He serves on the boards of several environmental organizations.