Mason Energy Advisory Committee
Walter McLeodManaging Director, Eco Capital, LLC - Mason Energy Founder
Mr. Walter L. McLeod has more than 25 years of executive experience in business development and government relations in the energy and environment sectors. He has been actively engaged in advanced energy development and finance in the US and internationally for seven years.
Walter is the Founder and Managing Director of Eco Capitol Companies, where he has served as a senior advisor to energy companies, investors, trade associations, and think tanks. Walter has been an active leader in shaping clean energy policy in the United States for many years. He was appointed to serve on the original “Utility 2.0” project steering committee commissioned by the United Nations Foundation. Walter was also appointed to the “Value of Solar” stakeholder committee commissioned by the Virginia General Assembly.
Walter is a Managing Director with VSF Solar, a Virginia-based solar project development and finance company with a pipeline of over 80 MW (ac) in the Commonwealth. He is a co-founder and Managing Partner with Clean Power Group Africa, a San Francisco-based independent power producer, developing more than 50 MW (ac) of utility-scale solar projects in sub-Sahara Africa. Walter is also co-founder of the recently established Global Energy and Innovation Institute.
Walter has served on several boards and advisory committees, including the George Mason University Alumni Association, American Council on Renewable Energy, Chemical Angels Network, and SURGE Ventures Accelerator, to name a few. He currently serves on the George Mason University Board of Visitors. Walter earned an M.S. in chemistry from the College of Science at George Mason University, and a B.A. in chemistry from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
Sarah FittsArentFox Schiff, Partner
Sarah advises clients on private mergers and acquisitions, development projects, joint ventures, financings, sustainable investing, environmental, social, and governance (ESG), and restructurings, with a focus on the energy and infrastructure industries. She represents US and global clients, including Japanese companies doing business in the United States and around the world. Her clients include power developers, investors, and private equity across a broad range of industries, such as power generation, publishing, biotech and medical devices, and automotive.
Enjoying both business and the practice of law, she often acts as outside general counsel for clients without legal departments, in addition to advising on transactions.
Sarah is also Co-Leader of the firm’s Energy & Cleantech Industry Group.
Greg GershunyVice President & Executive Director - Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Program (EEP)
Greg Gershuny is the Vice President and Executive Director of the Aspen Institute Energy and Environment Program (EEP) and Co-Director of Aspen Ideas: Climate, a public forum focused on climate solutions. The Energy and Environment Program works with people, organizations, and governments to take greater action on solving climate change. Prior to joining the Aspen Institute in 2016, Greg served as the Chief of Staff for Energy Policy at the U.S. Department of Energy, and in several roles at the White House, including Director of Energy and Environment at PPO and as a Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy advisor under President Barack Obama.
Bill Hederman
Bill Hederman is an Adjunct Professor of Energy and Climate Geopolitics for the CSIS-MaxwellSchool joint program in international relations. He is a senior Fellow at the Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania and Former Senior Advisor to Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz, with service in Ukraine in 2014 and 2015. Other professional roles include: Managing Director of Deloitte Energy Regulatory Compliance program and Eminence Fellow at Deloitte, Executive Director of the Morgan Lewis Energy Resources Program, Founding Director of the Office of Market Oversight and Investigations at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Executive Director and COO of the IEA Gas Technology Centre Mr. Hederman led the DC office of Rudden Associates and other consultancy responsibilities. He is a member of the Technical Staff at Bell Laboratories and The RAND Corporation and VP for Strategic Initiatives and Business Development for Columbia Transmission Companies.
In 2021 he was awarded the IEEE 2021 Global Award for Distinguished Ethics Practices and is the first recipient of the CBO Director's award. Hederman has engineering degrees from Notre Dame and MIT and MPP degree from Cal Berkeley. He is also the Commissioner of the Collegiate Robotic Football Conference.
Sarah HuntDirector, Arizona State University Rob & Melani Walton Sustainability Solutions Service and President, Joseph Rainey Center for Public Policy
Sarah E. Hunt is a leader in conservative energy policy and a social entrepreneur. As President of the Joseph Rainey Center for Public Policy, she leads public policy research and leadership development programs by and for women, minorities, and mavericks. She concurrently serves as Director, Policy & Strategy at the Rob and Melani Walton Sustainability Solutions Service at Arizona State University.
Prior to the Rainey Center, Hunt launched a clean energy program at the American Legislative Exchange Council and a climate change program at the Niskanen Center.
She holds a JD from Willamette University College of Law, an LLM from Georgetown University, and an MPS from George Washington University. She is admitted to the bar in Washington, D.C., Oregon, and the 9th Circuit.
Elizabeth KaigaChief Commercial Officer for Energy Systems, DNV, North America
Elizabeth Kaiga is a transformational leader in the energy industry who has, for over two decades, developed and implemented innovative growth and client development strategies for national and global professional service firms.
Elizabeth is currently Chief Commercial Officer for Energy Systems at DNV, North America. In this role, she leads commercial activities and manages customer relationships & quality assurance. Her work focuses on providing strategies and solutions to support an equitable global transition to safer, reliable, and sustainable energy. She also chairs DNV’s Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Board.
Prior to joining DNV, Elizabeth led business development efforts for the Renewable Energy Practice at CohnReznick LLP. Elizabeth held similar positions within the Energy & Utilities Practice at Marsh & McLennan, Arthur Andersen LLP, and ICF Consulting.
Elizabeth serves on the Board of Directors for Women of Renewable Industries & Sustainable Energy (WRISE), a national nonprofit that promotes the education, professional development, and advancement of women in the renewable energy sector. She also serves on the Board of Directors for Solar Sister, an organization that delivers clean energy solutions to off-grid rural communities in Sub-Saharan Africa, by leveraging a network of women entrepreneurs. Elizabeth is a strong supporter of diversity, equity & inclusion, and has received recognition in that capacity from the YMCA of Greater New York, the Houston Business Journal, and the U.S. Department of Energy.
Elizabeth holds a Master of Arts Degree in Global Marketing from Emerson College.
David MurrayDirector, Business Development - TurningPoint Energy
Bio forthcoming
David OwensChief Executive Officer, Da'Vision and Strategies
David K. Owens is an accomplished executive with extensive experience in public policies surrounding utility operations, strategic planning, technology development, rate making, and regulation. Mr. Owens is a graduate of Howard University with Bachelor's and Masters of Engineering degrees. He also has a Master in Engineering Administration degree from George Washington University.
He is recognized as one of the foremost authorities on electric utility issues, industry restructuring, and transformation. His experience in the electricity sector spans four decades and includes leading the Edison Electric Institute’s (EEI’s) efforts over a broad set of issues that affect the future structure of the electric industry and new rules in evolving competitive markets. He was responsible for the strategic areas of energy supply and finance, environment, energy delivery, energy services, state regulatory issues, and international affairs.
Tom WeirichHead of Marketing & Stakeholder Relations, North America - EDP Renewables
Mr. Weirich leads marketing and stakeholder relations for EDP Renewables North America (“EDPR NA”). He has been a key facilitator in building collaboration and connecting key players in the global renewable energy industry for 20 years, having worked with teams that have closed over 300+ renewable energy transactions with a combined enterprise value of $70 billion. He previously worked with two key clean energy investment banking advisory firms based in New York as Director of Marketing at Rubicon Capital Advisors and Director of Marketing & Business Development at CohnReznick Capital. Prior to that, Mr. Weirich was Senior Vice President of Corporate Relations and interim Chief Operating Officer at the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) in Washington, D.C., where he managed and oversaw corporate relations and public affairs for 12 years working with key global developers, financiers and power generators.
He has been acknowledged for his contributions to the solar industry by Renewable Energy World as part of its inaugural "Top 40 under 40 in Solar" and has been listed five years in a row on kWh Analytics' #Solar100 List, which recognizes key solar energy thought leaders in the United States. Mr. Weirich is also the author of We Took the Risk (New Degree Press, 2022) documenting the stories behind the original risk-takers in the U.S. renewable energy industry. Mr. Weirich served under the Obama Administration twice in honorary roles, advising both the Secretary of Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative on renewable energy trade and manufacturing policies. Mr. Weirich holds a B.S. with honors in International Politics & Law from the Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University and an M.A. in International Development from the University of Chicago.
Audrey Zibelman Founder - Zibelman Energy Advisors
Audrey Zibelman is an experienced energy industry executive who has driven decarbonization efforts and innovation within organizations and across the sector. Audrey has been at the helm of multiple organizations leading the transition of the power industry into a decarbonized world as a CEO, board member, and government leader. Audrey currently serves on President Biden’s National Infrastructure Advisory Council, is a board member of EOS Energy, Squadron Energy and SPAN and Senior Advisor to the Pollination Group, Meridiam, and Alliance Capital.
Audrey's most recent executive appointment was at X, Alphabet’s moonshot factory where she led an effort on grid digitalization and now serves as an independent advisor. Before joining X, Audrey was the Managing Director and CEO of the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), the national power system and gas system operator for Australia. Previously Audrey was the Chairwoman of the New York Public Service Commission, Executive Vice President and COO of PJM, Founder and CEO of Viridity Energy and Vice President at Xcel Energy.
