BOARD OF ADVISORS
JEAN ETIENNE CHARLES
Jean Etienne Charles holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Long Island University/C.W. Post and an Associate degree in Business Administration from the State University of New York at Farmingdale. He also holds a CPA license from the State of New York and currently attends a Master of Business Administration Program in Finance at LaSalle University in Philadelphia, PA. He is currently a Bank Examiner with the OCC, an Agency of the US Treasury Department and participates in a variety of philanthropic and social initiatives aimed at improving the living conditions of Haitians in Haiti with a primary focus on providing guidance, counseling, and education for children. He is currently the Director and Chairman of Comité de Relèvement des Anglais a New York (“CRAN”), a local Haitian Community based-organization in the U.S. Diaspora located in New York with a mission to improve Les Anglais’s physical, educational, social and health infrastructures.
ELLEN MORRIS
Ellen Morris is the Director of the Energy and Environment Concentration at the School of International and Public Affairs. In addition to her faculty appointment, Ellen is the President and Founder of Sustainable Energy Solutions, a consulting services company that promotes the increased use and deployment of clean energy technologies and services as a means to support economic development and reduce poverty in developing countries. She is currently a Founding Partner of a new social enterprise called Embark Energy that is focused on radically increasing the scale of energy access by empowering thousands of clean energy entrepreneurs in low-income countries. Their mission is to create clean energy enterprises using a web-based portal that is centered on experiential learning, business coaching, supply chain management, links to financing and access to high-quality energy products.
In 2007, Ellen was the co-founder of Arc Finance, an organization that promotes and expands access to end-user finance for modern energy. Since 1996, Ellen has been a senior consultant for the United Nations Development Programme on sustainable energy, where her work focuses on technical and programmatic support for countries seeking to advance energy as a means for poverty reduction and enterprise development. Ellen serves as an advisor and Board Member for social enterprises focused on clean energy, including Simpa Networks (India), Earth Spark International (Haiti), and Empowered by Light (Zambia).
Ellen started her career in clean energy working for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. In the early part of her career, she worked as a Science Advisor to the U.S. Congress and as an exploration geophysicist for Texaco. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in geophysical engineering from the Colorado School of Mines and a doctoral degree in marine geophysics from the University of Rhode Island.
In 2007, Ellen was the co-founder of Arc Finance, an organization that promotes and expands access to end-user finance for modern energy. Since 1996, Ellen has been a senior consultant for the United Nations Development Programme on sustainable energy, where her work focuses on technical and programmatic support for countries seeking to advance energy as a means for poverty reduction and enterprise development. Ellen serves as an advisor and Board Member for social enterprises focused on clean energy, including Simpa Networks (India), Earth Spark International (Haiti), and Empowered by Light (Zambia).
Ellen started her career in clean energy working for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. In the early part of her career, she worked as a Science Advisor to the U.S. Congress and as an exploration geophysicist for Texaco. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in geophysical engineering from the Colorado School of Mines and a doctoral degree in marine geophysics from the University of Rhode Island.
SCOTT SKLAR
Scott Sklar runs a clean energy technology optimization and strategic policy firm, The Stella Group, LTD, which he founded in 1995 and came on full time to lead in 1999. The firm facilitates clean distributed energy projects for commercial, industrial, and military applications. It specializes in blending technologies and financing projects, as well as assisting companies’ market penetration with a focus on standardized, modular, web-enabled, and interoperable systems.
Before The Stella Group, Sklar concurrently served 15 years as Executive Director of two national trade associations: the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and the National BioEnergy Industries Association (NBIA). Previously, Sklar spent two years as Political Director of The Solar Lobby, a renewable energy advocacy group founded by the big nine US environmental organizations. Prior to joining The Solar Lobby, he served the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT)–a federally-funded applied technology institution promoting renewables and energy efficiency–in the roles of Washington Director for two years and Acting RD&D Director for one year.
Sklar started his energy career serving nine years on the Washington personal and Committee staffs of Senator Jacob K Javits (NY), as a military and energy aide. Sklar co-founded the Congressional Solar Caucus in the mid-1970’s, when most renewable energy legislation was first passed by the US Congress as a result of the first and second oil embargos.
In addition to his work with The Stella Group, Sklar serves on the Boards of Directors of three national non-profits: Business Council for Sustainable Energy, Renewable Energy Policy Project, and The Solar Foundation. He also serves as Steering Committee Chairman of the Sustainable Energy Coalition, composed of the 20+ national energy efficiency and renewable energy industry organizations, advocacy groups, think tanks, and environmental groups.
Before The Stella Group, Sklar concurrently served 15 years as Executive Director of two national trade associations: the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and the National BioEnergy Industries Association (NBIA). Previously, Sklar spent two years as Political Director of The Solar Lobby, a renewable energy advocacy group founded by the big nine US environmental organizations. Prior to joining The Solar Lobby, he served the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT)–a federally-funded applied technology institution promoting renewables and energy efficiency–in the roles of Washington Director for two years and Acting RD&D Director for one year.
Sklar started his energy career serving nine years on the Washington personal and Committee staffs of Senator Jacob K Javits (NY), as a military and energy aide. Sklar co-founded the Congressional Solar Caucus in the mid-1970’s, when most renewable energy legislation was first passed by the US Congress as a result of the first and second oil embargos.
In addition to his work with The Stella Group, Sklar serves on the Boards of Directors of three national non-profits: Business Council for Sustainable Energy, Renewable Energy Policy Project, and The Solar Foundation. He also serves as Steering Committee Chairman of the Sustainable Energy Coalition, composed of the 20+ national energy efficiency and renewable energy industry organizations, advocacy groups, think tanks, and environmental groups.
TED STECK
Ted Steck is a member of the faculty of the University of Chicago, where he is a professor emeritus in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the former chair of the Environmental Studies Program, which he founded in 1994. Dr. Steck received his B.S. degree in Chemistry from Lawrence College (Appleton, WI) and his M.D. degree from Harvard Medical School (Boston, MA). He received his clinical training at the Beth Israel Hospital (Boston) and did post-doctoral work at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Harvard Medical School before joining the faculty of the University of Chicago. He holds an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Lawrence University. His scientific work has focused on basic membrane biochemistry and cell biology and has been funded principally by the NIH, NSF, and American Cancer Society. He has served on a variety of national advisory boards, most recently Population Connection.
RICHENDA VAN LEEUWEN
Richenda Van Leeuwen has more than 20 years of executive experience in private equity emerging markets renewable energy investing and with international organizations, philanthropies and non-profits in microenterprise and SME development and post-conflict reconstruction. She now serves as Executive Director for Energy Access, Energy and Climate at the UN Foundation. She also served as a co-chair of the Scaling Renewable Energy Program (SREP) Technical Expert Group as part of the work of the Climate Investment Fund at the World Bank in 2010.
From 2006 – 2010 she worked as Senior Advisor to Good Energies, Inc. a private equity firm focused on renewable energy focusing on emerging markets commercial transactions as well as impact investments supporting energy access and climate change mitigation. Prior to this time she was the CEO for an international microenterprise development agency, Trickle Up, and worked with several organizations on microfinance, microenterprise development and SME financing as well as post conflict reconstruction in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe.
Mrs. Van Leeuwen currently serves on the board of SELCO India, a leading renewable energy company focusing on delivering energy solutions for low income households, and advises a number of renewable energy companies and non-profit organizations globally. She holds both Bachelor’s of Science and MBA degrees from the University of Durham, UK.
From 2006 – 2010 she worked as Senior Advisor to Good Energies, Inc. a private equity firm focused on renewable energy focusing on emerging markets commercial transactions as well as impact investments supporting energy access and climate change mitigation. Prior to this time she was the CEO for an international microenterprise development agency, Trickle Up, and worked with several organizations on microfinance, microenterprise development and SME financing as well as post conflict reconstruction in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe.
Mrs. Van Leeuwen currently serves on the board of SELCO India, a leading renewable energy company focusing on delivering energy solutions for low income households, and advises a number of renewable energy companies and non-profit organizations globally. She holds both Bachelor’s of Science and MBA degrees from the University of Durham, UK.
TIM ZAK
Tim Zak is an Associate Teaching Professor and Director of the Institute for Social Innovation at Carnegie Mellon University. He has spent over 25 years leading global organizations and advising executives in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors.
Tim began teaching at CMU in 2002 as an Adjunct Professor of Operations Management and Manufacturing at the Tepper School of Business. In 2005, he also joined the adjunct faculty at the Heinz College where he focused on courses related to social entrepreneurship and innovation. From January 2007 until May 2010, Tim was the Executive Director of Carnegie Mellon’s start-up campus in Australia.
Before joining CMU, Tim was the founding CEO of the Social Innovation Accelerator, a private operating foundation providing seed capital and direct support for a portfolio of ventures focused on novel, financially-sustainable ways to address social problems. Prior to launching the Accelerator, he was a consultant in the Business Technology Office at McKinsey and a leader in the firm’s e-Operations practice. While at McKinsey, he served global clients in a variety of industries including Media and Entertainment, Health Care, and High-Tech and focused on the development of new, technology-based ventures.
Tim has extensive experience in start-up companies with senior management stints at both a B2B e-commerce company and a technology research and consulting firm. He was also a Manager in Arthur D. Little’s IT Practice and a Manufacturing Engineering Manager at IBM where he specialized in start-up production processes and the development of factory IT systems.
Tim earned a Bachelor of Science degree with honors in Computer Science and Industrial Management from Carnegie-Mellon University and a Master of Science degree in Engineering Science with concentrations in Manufacturing Systems and Reliability from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He also has an M.B.A. with distinction from New York University in Finance, Marketing, and International Business.
Tim began teaching at CMU in 2002 as an Adjunct Professor of Operations Management and Manufacturing at the Tepper School of Business. In 2005, he also joined the adjunct faculty at the Heinz College where he focused on courses related to social entrepreneurship and innovation. From January 2007 until May 2010, Tim was the Executive Director of Carnegie Mellon’s start-up campus in Australia.
Before joining CMU, Tim was the founding CEO of the Social Innovation Accelerator, a private operating foundation providing seed capital and direct support for a portfolio of ventures focused on novel, financially-sustainable ways to address social problems. Prior to launching the Accelerator, he was a consultant in the Business Technology Office at McKinsey and a leader in the firm’s e-Operations practice. While at McKinsey, he served global clients in a variety of industries including Media and Entertainment, Health Care, and High-Tech and focused on the development of new, technology-based ventures.
Tim has extensive experience in start-up companies with senior management stints at both a B2B e-commerce company and a technology research and consulting firm. He was also a Manager in Arthur D. Little’s IT Practice and a Manufacturing Engineering Manager at IBM where he specialized in start-up production processes and the development of factory IT systems.
Tim earned a Bachelor of Science degree with honors in Computer Science and Industrial Management from Carnegie-Mellon University and a Master of Science degree in Engineering Science with concentrations in Manufacturing Systems and Reliability from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He also has an M.B.A. with distinction from New York University in Finance, Marketing, and International Business.