WENDY SANASSEE, DIRECTOR OF HAITI OPERATIONS
Wendy joined the EarthSpark team in February 2016 as a Community Engagement Associate in Les Anglais, Haiti. With a broad set of responsibilities, she collaborates with stakeholders within and outside the organization for the promotion and sustainable operations of EarthSpark's microgrids in Haiti. Her past experience includes water systems engineering, sustainable development analysis, and wildlife conservation in Mauritius. Wendy holds a BEng (Hons.) in Chemical and Environmental Engineering and an MSc in Project Management from the University of Mauritius. She is fluent in French, English, Haitian Creole and Mauritian Creole.
Wendy joined the EarthSpark team in February 2016 as a Community Engagement Associate in Les Anglais, Haiti. With a broad set of responsibilities, she collaborates with stakeholders within and outside the organization for the promotion and sustainable operations of EarthSpark's microgrids in Haiti. Her past experience includes water systems engineering, sustainable development analysis, and wildlife conservation in Mauritius. Wendy holds a BEng (Hons.) in Chemical and Environmental Engineering and an MSc in Project Management from the University of Mauritius. She is fluent in French, English, Haitian Creole and Mauritian Creole.
ALLISON ARCHAMBAULT, PRESIDENT
During Allison's time as President, EarthSpark has built two town-sized, solar-powered smart grids in rural Haiti and has spun off a smart meter company, SparkMeter, to unlock business models for grid operators worldwide to expand energy access to low-income customers. Allison also helped spin-off Enèji Pwòp, a Haitian microgrid operator. Allison has consulted to clean energy companies, governments, and advocacy groups. She previously worked with 3TIER on large-scale renewable energy siting and integration and with GridPoint, an early clean tech company combining distributed energy storage, solar PV, and energy management. She holds a B.A. (hons) from Tufts University and a Master of International Public Policy degree from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.
ESHA ASIF, Director of finance
Esha joined EarthSpark International in March 2022 to help with the finance function. Prior to EarthSpark, Esha gained diverse financial reporting and compliance experience across different countries including the UK, Netherlands, Mauritania, Pakistan, Canada and Cayman Islands. Amongst the companies she's worked at is Premier Oil, an FTSE 250 listed UK Oil & Gas Company. She has a Bachelors in Commerce and is pursuing her Chartered Management Accountancy qualification from the UK. She has also completed Exploration and Production Accounting from MDT International. Esha likes to bake, socialize with her friends and travel.
JEAN THAYLORD, MICROGRID OPERATIONS MANAGER
Jean is a Haitian national and is fluent in the local culture and languages. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Rutgers University, he worked in the solar industry for several years both with Sunrun and SolarCity. Recently, he worked as a consultant on several energy projects, including a Microgrid expansion feasibility study in Haiti. He is very passionate about renewable energy and wants to use his skills to work towards energy access for remote communities in Haiti and other areas in the developing world.
Jean is a Haitian national and is fluent in the local culture and languages. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Rutgers University, he worked in the solar industry for several years both with Sunrun and SolarCity. Recently, he worked as a consultant on several energy projects, including a Microgrid expansion feasibility study in Haiti. He is very passionate about renewable energy and wants to use his skills to work towards energy access for remote communities in Haiti and other areas in the developing world.
ADAM EBERWEIN, TECHNICAL LEAD
Adam directs on-site grid oversight for EarthSpark’s microgrid activities in Haiti. He also works to introduce and evaluate technologies for productive uses of electricity. Prior to joining EarthSpark, Adam worked as an internal engineering consultant in component performance in generation and distribution, energy efficiency analysis and testing at Pacific Gas & Electric Company. Adam is currently working towards his MS in Electrical Engineering from Michigan Tech University. He received his B.A. in mechanical engineering through California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) where he was also involved in the Engineers Without Borders Cal Poly chapter as a project manager and, later, a professional mentor.
Adam directs on-site grid oversight for EarthSpark’s microgrid activities in Haiti. He also works to introduce and evaluate technologies for productive uses of electricity. Prior to joining EarthSpark, Adam worked as an internal engineering consultant in component performance in generation and distribution, energy efficiency analysis and testing at Pacific Gas & Electric Company. Adam is currently working towards his MS in Electrical Engineering from Michigan Tech University. He received his B.A. in mechanical engineering through California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) where he was also involved in the Engineers Without Borders Cal Poly chapter as a project manager and, later, a professional mentor.
DOUG DANLEY, MICROGRID + Cooking TECHNICAL ADVISOR
Doug has designed a wide range of distributed generation and energy storage projects both in the US and in many countries around the world, ranging from off-grid solar-diesel hybrid systems in the Peruvian Amazon to utility-scale PV systems in the US. He recently completed a project with IFC and NRECA-International to help develop technical standards for mini-grids in Tanzania, and he is currently spearheading SUNSPOT, an award-winning electric cooking initiative for emerging markets. Doug has a degree in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
EARTHSPARK HAS launched SEVERAL COMPANIES, each tackling a SPECIFIC ASPECT OF ENERGY Access
Enèji Pwòp (”Clean Energy” in Haitian Creole) is a Haitian microgrid operations company.
SparkMeter provides microgrid operators in 30 countries with smart metering and billing services.
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 Farmingdal. Jean participates in a variety of philanthropic and social initiatives aimed at improving the living conditions of Haitians in Haiti. 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.
Richenda Van Leeuwen
Richenda Van Leeuwen is a Senior Executive, with a private sector, family and corporate foundation, non-profit, impact investing and international organization (UN and World Bank) background. International MBA. Non-profit and Foundation CEO experience.
She has over 25 years in U.S. and global emerging markets investment (Africa, Asia and the Americas), policy and international development across: pioneering climate tech and renewable energy private equity investment, energy access (electrification using micro-grids and off-grid applications and clean cooking); climate finance; impact investment, family and corporate philanthropies; microfinance and micro enterprise and small business ecosystem development; workforce development; humanitarian and refugee issues and post-conflict reconstruction. Expert in off-grid renewable energy in Global South.
She has over 25 years in U.S. and global emerging markets investment (Africa, Asia and the Americas), policy and international development across: pioneering climate tech and renewable energy private equity investment, energy access (electrification using micro-grids and off-grid applications and clean cooking); climate finance; impact investment, family and corporate philanthropies; microfinance and micro enterprise and small business ecosystem development; workforce development; humanitarian and refugee issues and post-conflict reconstruction. Expert in off-grid renewable energy in Global South.
Scott Sklar
Scott Sklar runs a clean energy technology optimization and strategic policy firm, The Stella Group, LTD. Sklar co-founded the Congressional Solar Caucus in the mid-1970’s. 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.
Peter Lilienthal
Dr. Peter Lilienthal was the Global Microgrid Lead for UL Solutions, LLC. from 2019 – 2022. He currently serves on the partnership between Xcel Energy and the City of Boulder, Co., the Board of Micro Energy Credits, the Alaska Microgrid Group, COMET (Malaysia), and GoSun, and is a Senior Advisor to EarthSpark International. For 27 years, he developed and led the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s HOMER ® hybrid power and microgrid optimization software, which has been used by over 250,000 energy practitioners in 193 countries.
He has a Ph.D. in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University. His expertise is in the design and economic and financial analysis of hybrid renewable and microgrid projects.
He has a Ph.D. in Management Science and Engineering from Stanford University. His expertise is in the design and economic and financial analysis of hybrid renewable and microgrid projects.
board of directors
Elizabeth Wallace
Dr. Elizabeth Wallace's career has taken her to four continents, overseeing billions of dollars in loans to small and medium enterprises, including in post-conflict regions. Wallace is one of the pioneers of commercial micro and small finance through the formal financial sector. Wallace combines banking experience with long-standing involvement in energy and environment. She was a co-founder of Greenpeace in the United States and then turned her attention to clean energy. Working with Amory Lovins in the late 1970’s, in what was a forerunner of the Rocky Mountain Institute, Wallace managed a global network of scientists, economists, practitioners and policy-makers working on energy efficiency, renewable energy technologies, energy security and development issues.
After completing her PhD at the London School of Economics, Wallace joined the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (ERBD). She established the bank’s small business department, overseeing the financing and development for initiatives in over 20 countries, coordinating with governments, donors, regulatory authorities and international financial institutions. She negotiated and administered equity investments, debt funding, co-financing and technical assistance funds and built-up a profitable multi-billion dollar business.
Under her leadership, billions of dollars of credit was extended with repayment rates in the 99% range. After leaving the European Bank, she helped establish similar programs in Asia, Africa, and Latin America and returned to working full time on clean energy finance. She continues to work with international and bilateral development agencies, private companies and financial institutions.
After completing her PhD at the London School of Economics, Wallace joined the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (ERBD). She established the bank’s small business department, overseeing the financing and development for initiatives in over 20 countries, coordinating with governments, donors, regulatory authorities and international financial institutions. She negotiated and administered equity investments, debt funding, co-financing and technical assistance funds and built-up a profitable multi-billion dollar business.
Under her leadership, billions of dollars of credit was extended with repayment rates in the 99% range. After leaving the European Bank, she helped establish similar programs in Asia, Africa, and Latin America and returned to working full time on clean energy finance. She continues to work with international and bilateral development agencies, private companies and financial institutions.
Johanna Mendelson Forman
Dr. Johanna Mendelson Forman is an Adjunct Professor at American University’s School of International Service. She is also a Distinguished Fellow at the Stimson Center, where she heads the Food Security Program. Her frontline experience as a policy maker on conflict and stabilization efforts drove her interest in connecting the role of food in conflict, resulting in the creation of Conflict Cuisine®: An Introduction to War and Peace Around the Dinner Table, an interdisciplinary course she teaches at the School of International Service at American University in Washington, DC.
Her groundbreaking work on food in conflict zones is derived from her distinguished career as a practitioner and policymaker in the United States government, the United Nations and the World Bank. Her experiences working as an expert on conflict and stabilization efforts from Haiti to Rwanda led her to this effort to connect food with conflict. She also is highly regarded as a regional expert on Latin America and the Caribbean, with extensive field experience in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, Central America, Colombia and Brazil.
Mendelson Forman is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. She is also a member of Les Dames d ’Escoffier. She holds a J.D. from Washington College of Law at American University, a Ph.D. in Latin American history from Washington University, St. Louis, and a Master’s of International Affairs, with a certificate of Latin America studies from Columbia University in New York. Her full bio is available here.
Her groundbreaking work on food in conflict zones is derived from her distinguished career as a practitioner and policymaker in the United States government, the United Nations and the World Bank. Her experiences working as an expert on conflict and stabilization efforts from Haiti to Rwanda led her to this effort to connect food with conflict. She also is highly regarded as a regional expert on Latin America and the Caribbean, with extensive field experience in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, Central America, Colombia and Brazil.
Mendelson Forman is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. She is also a member of Les Dames d ’Escoffier. She holds a J.D. from Washington College of Law at American University, a Ph.D. in Latin American history from Washington University, St. Louis, and a Master’s of International Affairs, with a certificate of Latin America studies from Columbia University in New York. Her full bio is available here.
Jay Dunn
Jay Dunn is the Executive Director of the Dunn Family Charitable Foundation, a private foundation focused on poverty alleviation and social justice globally, and also is Managing Director of DF Impact Capital which is a family office vehicle for making high impact investments with a particular focus on energy access and renewable energy.
Jay has over 35 years of experience in international finance, primarily private equity, venture capital, and project development and management, with a focus in Latin America. Jay also serves and has served on corporate and non-profit Boards in the US, Latin America, and Africa. Jay received an MA in Latin American Studies and International Economics from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and a BA in International Politics and Economics from Middlebury College.
Jay has over 35 years of experience in international finance, primarily private equity, venture capital, and project development and management, with a focus in Latin America. Jay also serves and has served on corporate and non-profit Boards in the US, Latin America, and Africa. Jay received an MA in Latin American Studies and International Economics from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and a BA in International Politics and Economics from Middlebury College.
partners and funders
