2022 Solar Summit Speakers Bios

Berke, Jeremy

Jeremy Berke is a Program Manager at the Washington State Department of Commerce. He works within the Clean Energy Fund alongside subject matter experts to oversee the Grid Modernization (Grid Mod) program. Grid Mod invests in public-private partnerships advancing utility grid upgrades that can effectively integrate with renewable energy resources, is less dependent on fossil fuels and is more resilient under the threat of power outages. Grid Mod serves all of Washington’s communities, with a portfolio that reflects a growing list of partnerships amongst retail utilities and public organizations. Before joining Commerce, Jeremy led teams in the Clean Tech space designing and installing solar plus storage and microgrids for resiliency. Jeremy received a Master's Degree in Construction Management from the University of Washington with the support of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

Bhoite, Aarya

Bostwick, Stephanie

Boulanger, Aimee

Aimee Boulanger serves as Executive Director for the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA). IRMA hosts the Standard for Responsible Mining, the globe’s most comprehensive and rigorous definition of environmental and social responsibility in mining, allowing mines at any level of current performance to engage and show improvement over time. IRMA is governed equally by nonprofit NGOs, labor organizations, and mining affected communities, working alongside private sector mining companies, investors and purchasers of mined materials. Aimee has worked on mining issues for 25 years, with substantial experience in directly affected communities. https://responsiblemining.net/   

Bradt, Ryan

Mariah Caballero is a Graduate Research Fellow at the Clean Energy Transition Institute (CETI) and Doctoral Student in Vanderbilt University’s Community Research and Action (CRA) program.  Mariah provides research and analyses to CETI’s Community-Defined Decarbonization project. In addition, Mariah contributes research to the Drinking Water Justice Lab and serves a Graduate Research and Development Intern for Sandia National Laboratories. Having grown up in rural Eastern Washington, Mariah’s research interests include rural and Latinx community development, equitable water and energy systems, energy sovereignty, and environmental justice.

Founder & CEO, SunHedge · Working with clients across the globe, learning the skills and best strategies for solar development is paramount. Working with a host of stakeholders like attorneys, engineering firms, venture capital, private equity, and landowners has left significant lessons over the last two-plus decades. Often knowing what not to do is as important as what to do as you approach the development process.

Dr. Janette Freeman, sometimes called, "The solar panel recycling evangelist," is passionate about saving the landfill from the millions of solar panels which will be coming to end-of-life in the years ahead.

She is the Director of Business Development for FabTech Solar Solutions, which does solar panel refurbishing and recycling; giving panels a second life or a proper cremation, and organizing donations through their non-profit, EmPower the World.

Prior to working in renewables, she founded and grew non profit organizations as a visionary leader. She is the author of three books and has a Doctorate of Consciousness Studies.

Jay Inslee is a fifth-generation Washingtonian who has lived and worked in urban and rural communities on both sides of the state. As a congressman, Inslee was known as a forward-thinking leader on clean energy and climate change. As governor, he has accelerated Washington state to forefront of climate action and is has embraced interstate partnerships to help the West Coast lead the world on climate and energy policy. Under Inslee, Washington state has passed leading policies to transition to 100% clean electricity, cap carbon pollution, electrify transportation, supercharge the clean energy workforce, and more.  

Jay and Trudi are proud grandparents of four. Besides writing and illustrating books for his grandchildren and sketching scenes from around Washington, Jay is an avid cyclist, basketball fan, and pickleballer.

Josh Jacobs is vice president of Clean Energy Strategy for Puget Sound Energy.  He brings together PSE’s resource planning function with teams working on implementation of Washington State’s Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA) and PSE’s aspirational goal of being a Beyond Net Zero Carbon energy company by 2045.  Josh joined PSE in 1998 and has held many roles at the company, including customer service, procurement, energy supply, and grid operations. He most recently served as director of Generation and Transmission Development, where he was responsible for leading PSE’s development of company-owned generation and transmission assets and optimizing transmission capacity. Josh is a graduate of Northwest University in Kirkland, Washington, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration. He is married with three children and resides in Snohomish, Washington.

Ragan, Lance

Robinson, Ian

Al has spent his last 20 years with the WA Dept. of Ecology’s Solid Waste Management Program. He spent the first 13 years providing technical assistance to 13 WA counties regarding operations and enforcement of solid waste facilities. His area of expertise was Moderate Risk Waste (MRW - think household hazardous waste) and was the states MRW Coordinator.  He made the move to the TSU Supervisor 7 years ago. In this role, he supervises up to 10 staff, including the program’s IT staff, data team, and until a recent organizational change, the product stewardship staff. This staff oversees Washington’s electronics, mercury-lights, paint, and PV module product stewardship programs.  Al graduated from Oregon State University many years ago and also earned a degree from the Evergreen State College some years later. In between those degrees, he was a PGA golf professional until environmental issues at his golf course prompted him to change careers. He enjoys backpacking, golfing, and trying to keep up with his son and daughters’ baseball and gymnastic endeavors.

As the Executive Workforce Dean for the Seattle Colleges District, Veronica works closely with the industry, workforce intermediaries, communities, and the college campuses to develop programs and partnerships that promote equitable educational opportunities both in access and outcomes for the students and communities we serve. Veronica has over 25 years in workforce development planning and management services in private, non-profit, government, and higher education systems. She joined the Seattle Colleges in 2013, starting at the district office as Director of District Workforce Projects & Initiatives before serving as the Executive Dean of Workforce and Professional Technical Programs at South Seattle College for the past 8 years. Veronica holds two Bachelor’s degrees from the University of Notre Dame in Psychology and Government and a Masters of Public Administration from Seattle University. She also sits on the Board of Directors for Orion Industries where she's served as Board Chair and recently launched and leads its Social Mission Subcommittee.

Edwin has successfully worked for over 15 years in construction both in the private and public sector. After 5 years of working for the City of Seattle, he began pursuing his passion in renewable energy and has worked to design and install solar systems all over Washington State as well as overseas in East Africa.

By performing all aspects of the installation process, from consulting and design to boots-on-a-roof hands-on work, his cumulative knowledge and experience has brought him to a position of leadership within the Solar Industry. Originally from humble beginnings in Kenya, Edwin plans to harness his skills and introduce solar energy to educational facilities, agricultural enterprises and remote healthcare clinics in the less fortunate communities around the world.

Brian Young brings diverse strategic and operational experience to his role as Governor Inslee’s Clean Technology Sector Lead. He is the point of contact for clean technology companies who want to navigate Washington State's political and economic landscape. He is focused on developing a prosperous and varied clean tech sector based on the state’s existing strengths.  Prior to joining the Department of Commerce, Brian worked in a variety of clean tech industries. After serving as an officer in the United States Navy, he joined an early stage biofuel start-up that grew into Imperium Renewables, the largest independent US biodiesel producer. After Imperium, Brian created Element Strategic Partners, a clean tech consultancy that led the development of the Washington Clean Energy Leadership Council and worked internationally on sustainability and carbon issues. Brian graduated from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service with a degree in Science, Technology, and International Affairs. He has a lovely wife and two precocious young boys. In the winter, you can find him on the slopes at Alpental, where he is a member of the National Ski Patrol.