The AREI Advisory Board
John C. Miller
John C. Miller, President & Co-Founder, Mana Pacific, Inc., has over 25 years of energy & microgrid industry experience in the Pacific, including isolated, remote, and high-risk regions. John is skilled in strategic planning, transformative business models, international business & logistics, entrepreneurship, and utility project development and financing. John was mentored by the late High Chief Utu Abe Malae who was Executive Director of the American Samoa Power Authority (ASPA) and founding member of the Pacific Power Association (PPA), working to combat critical environmental and energy challenges in American Samoa and greater Polynesia, Micronesia, and Melanesia.
John is a graduate of the Naval Nuclear Engineering Program and US Navy Dive School, as well as a Board Certified NABCEP Solar PV Installation Professional. Some of his greatest accomplishments are forging strong relationships with industry leaders on pioneering projects as well as developing and completing high-profile projects for the US Department of Interior, US EPA, and the ASPA. His micro-grid designs and approaches have been previously selected by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) as the best proposal and solution for resiliency for some of the most complex, remote, and isolated microgrids in the United States and its Territories.
Jens Nielsen
Jens Nielsen is Co-Founder and CEO of World Climate Ltd and a leading entrepreneur in the global strategic and sustainable space, having partners and clients from the absolute global elite among corporations, governments, international organizations, and media. He has worked in more than 20 countries performing strategy work for some of the largest companies in the world, and was a global industry leader in PricewaterhouseCoopers in the nineties. He managed more than 1,000 people during the global roll-out of the largest company within PR and communications, Cision, through the first part of this century.
Ken Sack
Ken Sack is currently the CEO of Eagle Springs Solar and Eagle Springs Organic in Rifle, Colorado. Ken began his career as founder and CEO ofPharmacy Services Group, a nationwide pharmacy benefit management company. After selling PSG, Ken’s interest in renewable energy and sustainable food sources turned his focus in developing Eagle Springs Organic LLC. ESO is a 1,600 acre USDA certified farm and ranch, producing organic vegetables, melons and herbs. A 1.3 mw solar field provides electricity into the Holy Cross Energy grid. Eagle Springs Solar has the approvals for up to 19mw of Solar. The production of organic ethanol from sugar beets, for both a fuel source and medical use is currently under consideration.
Michael Smith
Michael Smith is Co-Founder of #globals2020 and Principal of Ponvalley, a family initiative committed to making the world work for 100% of humanity in the shortest time possible. Recently he led the climate subcommittee at the Blockchain For Impact Summit at the United Nations in New York. Two weeks after the election of President Trump, Ponvalley held an emergency climate summit called SharedMission.co with 150 climate warriors including General Wesley Clark, Al Gore, Skoll, Walton, Crow & Steyer Family Offices, Harvard, Columbia, and the US Department of Energy. Smith is a passionate DJ who has performed with Rihanna, Kanye West, Diplo, Guns N Roses, Deadmau5, and many others at events such as Vanity Fair Oscar Parties, SXSW, Art Basel, the Olympics and many more.
Patrick Furlotti
Patrick Furlotti is CEO and Founder of Projects for Good and President of Global Mana Foundation. Furlotti cultivates solutions to issues of our social and environmental impact. He has directed and produced numerous environmental documentaries showcasing both the beauty and devastations of our planet. His visual narratives tell the story of global interconnections and the urgent need for change. His interviews with international leaders and indigenous healers amplify a global perspective that promotes ecological responsibility, cultural inclusion, and a revolution in consumer ethics. Furlotti identifies and directs projects that deepen our connection to the environment and the lives of others. When you work for a cause you are the effect. Furlotti injects dynamic law into his activism: he has swum rivers and oceans from Hawai’i and Tahiti to Thailand raising millions for environmental causes.
Sally Ranney
Sally Ranney is President Emeritus and Co-Founder of the American Renewable Energy Institute (AREI); Co-Founder, International Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN), has forty years experience in the environmental arena. She is CEO of Stillwater Preservation, LLC, a wetlands mitigation banking company and a Patron of Nature for the IUCN. Ranney is Chairman of eraGlobal Alliance and an anchor for “A Matter of Degree,” an internet series on climate change. Ranney has worked with three U.S. Presidents, including appointed by President Reagan to his Commission on American Outdoors. She now serves on the Global Advisory Committee of Women & the Green Economy (WAGE,) the Advisory Board of RoundRock Partners, LLC. and the board of the Climate Accountability Institute. Recognitions include the Horace Albright Award, the International Conservation Award, Earth Guardians’ Earth Stewardship Award, and the Children’s Environmental Literacy Foundation (CELF) Lifetime Achievement Award.
Kendall Cafritz
Kendall Cafritz, Founder, National Wellbeing Council/Wellbeing Workshops, is dedicated to enlightened programming, progressive technology, and (nature-focused) empirical learning. NWC focuses on seven key areas of wellbeing: Career, Community, Environmental, Financial, Physical, Social, and Spiritual. Previously, Cafritz was the producer/talent of Aspen TVs’ Conscious Times interviewing thought leaders in science, finance, climate, business, politics, wellness, and spirituality. She produced and edited Rolypoly Radio on Aspen Public Radio. Founder of the Vote4Wellbeing campaign, which educates the public about the impact of their purchasing power. She taught Yoga/Meditation/Divinity/Nutrition for over a decade. Prior to moving to Aspen, she worked in the California film industry.
Cafritz got her early start in Paris, France with Peter Marino + Assoc. Architects as a product manager. She did graduate work at Art Center and UCLA, and received a BA from the University of Vermont where she majored in Fine Art.
Michael L. Sander
Michael L. Sander drives strategy and investment for Sortis, a leader in diversified alternative investment strategies focused on real estate, lending, distress situations and rescue opportunities. He steers the firm’s strategic investment divisions. He seeks out compelling opportunities and considers potential moves through a unique lens formed by more than 30 years of technology, finance, and real estate experience. His ability to identify, deconstruct and reconstruct situations into viable concerns has resulted in added value as well as innovative platforms with the potential to transform the fintech space.
Michael’s career is marked by deep immersion in the technology industry, from M&A activity and capital markets deal structuring to multiple ownership positions. He maintains strong working relationships with state and federal government representatives to keep abreast of regulatory developments and keeps Sortis positioned for success in any environment.
Michael Bowman
Board Chair, National Hemp Association, is a fifth-generation native of Colorado. He is a founding member of the Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance, served as a board member of the Colorado Conservation Voters, chaired Colorado’s New Energy Future in 2006 and was co-chair of Governor-elect Bill Ritter’s energy transition team. He served as a steering committee member for Colorado’s Climate Action Plan where he focused on the opportunities for agriculture and Colorado’s rural communities in a low-carbon future. Michael is a graduate of the Colorado Agriculture and Rural Leadership program, was a Next Generation Fellow in Columbia University’s American Assembly and a 2008 recipient of Gamma Sigma Delta’s Significant Achievement in Agricultural Award by Colorado State University. He is a candidate for the Colorado State Senate District 1, the largest geographical district in the state.
Marjorie Layden
Marjorie Layden is an entrepreneur and philanthropist based in Montecito, California. Currently Marjorie serves as Chair of the Henry Schimberg Foundation for Ethics and Leadership, whose mission is to foster a strong sense of personal and business ethics among future leaders by investing in education, publications, and civil dialogue. In partnership with her late husband, Henry A. Schimberg, she has permanently endowed and continues to support the University of California at Santa Barbara seminar, “Ethics, Enterprise and Leadership,” which is designed to engage undergraduate students in the study of ethics and philosophical debate.
Ms. Layden is currently a Board Member for Salzburg Global Seminar as well as the American Renewable Energy Institute, and she is actively involved with a number of nonprofits focused on mindfulness, including the Mind & Life Institute, Tibet House, and The Dalai Lama Peace and Development Foundation.
Larry Flowers
Principal of G4 Wind LLC, where he focuses on state wind conferences, wind outreach, and education. Previously, he served as Deputy Director of Community and Distributed Wind for the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). Prior to AWEA, he spent 30 years at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). As National Technical Director of Wind Powering America, he established state wind working groups, created the Wind for Schools programs, developed high resolution wind resource maps, and established a wind-water-nexus initiative. Prior to WPA, he led programs and projects in international village power, hybrid energy systems, building sciences, thermal systems, and industrial applications. Flowers has degrees in metallurgical engineering and materials science from Lehigh University and an executive MBA from University of Denver.
Daniel Fung
Vice-Chairman, AREI; Chairman of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Peace and Development Foundation, served as Hong Kong’s first solicitor general of Chinese descent. He is a graduate and Fellow of University College London and a Distinguished Fulbright Scholar. He is a visiting professor at Peking University Law School, visiting scholar at Harvard Law School, and senior visiting fellow at Yale Law School. Mr. Fung is a national delegate to the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, and has served on the World Bank International Advisory Council on Law & Justice. Mr Fung serves on the board of governors of the East West Center and is a founding governor of the China-US Exchange Foundation. Mr. Fung has been honored by the United Nations for his contribution to the UNDP China and the UN Millennium Development Goals.
Dr. Desiree Hurtak
Dr. Desiree Hurtak Ph.D., MS. Sc. is a co-founder of The Academy For Future Science, an international NGO with the UN (ECOSOC and DPI). She is a social scientist and futurist, with an emphasis on environmental public policy. Her organization has directly assisted communities and individuals in many developing countries, bringing both water and education to where they are needed. With Dr. J. J. Hurtak she have written numerous scientific papers, the most recent book co-authored with physicist Dr. Elizabeth Rauscher, entitled Mind Dynamics in Space and Time on the importance of human consciousness and “The Nature of Reality and Consciousness in Complex Eight Space.”
Desiree Hurtak is also a film producer and has edited and produced films on such topics as the life of the famous Zulu philosopher Credo Mutwa called “The Voice of Africa.” She and her husband received 15 national and international awards for her work on computer graphic films emphasizing the close relationship between nature and consciousness. Desiree, with her husband, travel throughout the world to work closely with indigenous peoples in advancing environmental education.
Jan Harte
Senior Advisor at the Clinton Climate Initiative, has worked on global environmental issues, including climate change, for twenty-five years. He has served as President of the Global Tomorrow Coalition, Executive-Director of EarthVoice, and on the Board of Directors of a wide variety of organizations, including the Enterprise for the Americas as an appointee of President Clinton. Prior to working in the NGO movement, Hartke served as the elected State Treasurer of New Mexico, Chief Public Defender for the State, and Director of the Governor’s Washington D.C. Office. He received his law degree from the University of Virginia and his degree in international relations from Brown University.
Dr. J.J. Hurtak
President of The Academy For Future Science, an international NGO with the UN (ECOSOC and DPI). He was director of Technology Marketing Analysis Corporation (TMAC) which worked with six government agencies, including NASA, to create the Renewable Energy Technology Symposia and International Exposition (RETSIE) Conferences in the 1980s in California which brought thousands of engineers, scientists and business leaders from all over the world to look at non-fossil alternatives for the 21st Century.
He is a social scientist and specialist in remote sensing, space law and cosmology with Ph.Ds from the University of California and the U. of Minnesota. His work in Africa was presented at the Eco Conference Summit (Johannesburg, 2012) which was attended by UNICC Pretoria, South Africa and many others in sharing knowledge and statistics on global warming, as well as new developments in the fields such as solar and wind technology, new transportation and clean water-technologies for the continent. He continues this work in bringing advanced technologies in health and the renewable energy into developing countries.
Robert Lavia
Chairman and CEO of Dakia Global, LLC, an international management holding company with a focus on germinating and holding Impact Investments that deliver robust profitability. Dakia Global has a unique ability to bring together some of the world’s leading brands in hospitality, tourism, energy, technology, infrastructure, and capital while ensuring the target market is the beneficiary of significant and quantifiable economic, social and climate impact. Projects in active stages are located in Mexico, Haiti, Cuba, Colombia, and United States with interest in excess of $1.25 Billion. Project brands include Marriott Vacation Club, Sunwing Travel, Hyatt Hotels, MGM, and others. Prior to Dakia Global, Lavia served as Chief Investment Officer for Veremonte, a London based investment Management Company, with over $1.0 Billion AUM at peak.
John McBride
Businessman, rancher and conservationist, who came to Aspen, Colorado in the 1960’s where he helped to develop the Snowmass Ski Area and created the successful Aspen Airport Business Center. He is a rancher and philanthropist with a focus on land management, preservation and conservation. McBride’s longtime focus has been on the nexus of population growth and the consumption of natural resources and has sponsored numerous “State of the World” and “Land Management” conferences and summits. He and his family founded the Sopris Foundation, which supports conservation, environmental stewardship and the preservation of family farms and ranches.
Amory Lovins
Chairman and Chief Scientist of Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and the Chairman Emeritus for Fiberforge Corporation. Lovins was named “One of The 100 Most Influential People in the World,” by Time magazine. Lovins is an American consultant, experimental physicist and 1993 MacArthur Fellow, and has been active at the nexus of energy, resources, economy, environment, development, and security in more than 50 countries for over 40 years. His innovations have been recognized by the Blue Planet, Volvo, Onassis, Nissan, and Mitchell Prizes. Lovins’ clients have included Fortune 500 companies, U.S. states, the U.S. Energy and Defense Departments, and over 100 energy utilities. Lovins has led the technical redesign of over $30 billion worth of industrial facilities to achieve energy savings. He has published 31 books and has taught at eight universities. His latest book is Reinventing Fire.
Ruarai McKenna
Director of Business Development for Care2. He is a strategic communication consultant with fifteen years of experience developing integrated marketing campaigns that sit at the intersection of social good and business success. McKenna worked as a political commentator for BBC Northern Ireland before immigrating to Washington D.C., where he helped establish a charity fundraising company, followed by a digital public affairs agency, serving a wide range of clients including the St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, Mercy Corp, Amnesty International and the White House. Since joining Care2, McKenna has designed and executed successful cause-related partnerships for The Humane Society, Happy Egg Company, Care USA, UNHCR and AARP. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy from Queen’s University, Belfast, and a Master’s Degree in Communication from The Johns Hopkins University.
Paul D. Miller
Paul D. Miller/DJ Spooky is Chief of Strategy for Global Brain and is a composer, multimedia artist, editor and author. His DJ MIXER iPad app has seen more than 12 million downloads in the last year. In 2012-2013 he was the first artist-in-residence at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. He’s produced and composed work for Yoko Ono, Thurston Moore, and scores of artists and award-winning films. Miller’s work as a media artist has appeared in the Whitney Biennial; The Venice Biennial for Architecture, the Ludwig Museum in Cologne, Germany; Kunsthalle, Vienna; The Andy Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh and many other museums and galleries. His book, Sound Unbound, an anthology of writings on electronic music and digital media, is a best-selling title for MIT Press.
Larry Schweiger
President and CEO of PennFuture. He is an active community leader and has served on over 40 governing boards, commissions, and committees, including The Climate Reality Project, the H. John Heinz III Center for Science, Economics and the Environment, BlueGreen Alliance, and National Wildlife Federation Action Fund. He received the Citizens for Pennsylvania’s “Future Visionary Award” for his leadership in raising awareness about the impacts of climate change and commitment to employing clean energy solutions. Schweiger was Pennsylvania’s 2002 “Environmental Professional of the Year” and “Pittsburgher of the Year” in 2000, and he received a “Conservation Service Award” from the Christian Environmental Association. Schweiger’s book on global warming and wildlife, Last Chance: Preserving Life on Earth, was awarded the “First Prize for Non-Fiction” by the Next Generation Indie Book Awards.
John Powers
Founder and Board President for Alliance for Sustainable Colorado, a nonprofit formed to keep the planet habitable through collaboration and its LEED Dynamic Plaque certified Alliance Center in Denver, which licenses office and meeting space to sustainability organizations. Powers is driving the conversion of The Alliance Center from alternating to direct current in order to capture, measure and demonstrate the energy efficiency possible through microgrids in commercial building, and accelerate adoption of renewables at utility scale to help meet the goals set in Paris for reductions of greenhouse gas emissions. Powers is a board member of Conservation Colorado and the Educational Foundation of America, and the instigator of the Colorado Funders’ Environmental Affinity Group.
Joel Serface
Co-Founder and Managing Director of Catalyze, an intelligent renewable energy investment platform dedicated to massively scaling renewables globally. Joel has developed more than a gigawatt of renewable energy through Brightman Energy, served as the first Entrepreneur in Residence at NREL with Kleiner Perkins, and has created or invested into more than 20 cleantech companies since 2001.
Katie Hoffman
Katie Hoffman is a financial innovator, development strategist and serial entrepreneur dedicated to advancing climate solutions. Katie is the founder and CEO of Resco, LLC, a strategic advisory firm focused on scaling international impact investment opportunities. She played an integral role in passing policies that influenced the University of California, CalPERs and CalSTRs to shift billions of dollars toward sustainable investment, and was an Entrepreneur in Residence at the California Clean Energy Fund (now New Energy Nexus). Katie’s work in climate finance has spanned multiple asset classes, including equities, real estate, and digital assets. Prior, Katie was responsible for leading the creation of an environmental project incubator-accelerator at University of California, Berkeley, and then helped manage the development of the Global Environmental Resource Center at University of California, Irvine. She currently sits as the co-chair of the NEXUS Global Energy Innovation and Environment Group, where she co-facilitated a pledge of over a billion USD in commitments among members to climate related investments and philanthropy. She is also a trustee of the American Renewable Energy Institute and serves as a senior advisor to the World Ethics and Leadership Foundation, where she helped design the inaugural Cambridge Global Conversation on climate and ethics. Katie graduated from University of California, Berkeley with distinction, and currently resides in San Francisco.
Sue Ann Taylor
Sue Ann Taylor is President of Blue Heron Films, Inc. and Jill Frost Films, LLC, producers of the feature film Charlie’s Christmas Wish. She is currently producing several new films including Etowah Ridge, Chasing Love, Iron Will, Appalachian Summer, and Diary of the Dragon’s Daughter. Sue Ann also runs Georgia Production Support, LLC, offering concierge services for Georgia films in production including development services. Sue Ann has been producing award winning film and video for over 30 years and has received the New York Film Festival Award, 46 Telly Awards, 3 Emmy nominations, and dozens of other awards. Her industry record includes multiple successful television series, including Jim Fowler’s Life in the Wild and Keeping it Wild, both nationally syndicated for broadcast. She has also managed three Atlanta area television and film studios (2006-2016).
Anne Marie Miller
Anne Marie Miller has worked in both the public and private sectors, and in close coordination with the United Nations, World Bank, and various IGO’s to implement clean-tech infrastructure in Latin American and the CARICOM region, where she served as a Diplomatic Attaché in 2011. In the process, she developed close relationships with members of government, the private sector, and the non-profit world. Miller holds a MBA from Fordham’s Gabelli School of Business summa cum laude, and is a rising 3L J.D. candidate at Georgetown University Law Center. She is also Co-Founder and President of Indigenous Celebration, a nonprofit organization serving over 30 Peoples in the Brazilian Amazon with a mission to preserve the forest and its wisdom by empowering the world’s indigenous through a celebration of culture.
Julie Ann Wrigley
Julie Ann Wrigley is a business leader, lawyer, investor, avid equestrian, and philanthropist who is committed to sustainability and the environment, health care and education. She provided the vision and investment to create the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability at Arizona State University. She is also co-founder, with her late husband, of the USC/Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies. She holds a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from Stanford University and a Juris doctorate, summa cum laude, from the University of Denver’s College of Law.