CHAIR, CITIZEN BOARD MEMBER

Jim is a renewable energy attorney, who has worked on many solar, wind, and storage projects in the U.S. and internationally. He chaired Baker McKenzie's Global Projects Practice Group and brings an understanding of the energy sector and the plans for transition to zero carbon. In addition, he brings perspective on energy conservation efforts and renewable energy programs around the U.S. and the E.U. Contractor Licensing Board.

VICE CHAIR, CITIZEN BOARD MEMBER

Katy is a licensed civil engineer and founded Beyond Efficiency in 2009 to provide technical consulting services for high-performance building projects, something that was sorely lacking in the marketplace. She has twenty years of experience in the A/E/C and green building industries and is passionate about educating clients and team members on building science and best practices. Katy was a founding board member of the non-profit Passive House California and holds a Master of Science in Civil/Structural Engineering from the University of Michigan.

SECRETARY, CITIZEN BOARD MEMBER

Jim has spent the past 30 years working for the Environmental Protection Agency and serving as the head of several international companies’ Energy and Environment Practices. Jim started his career in Washington, DC, working in various positions in the government, including serving on President Carter's White House Energy Staff. He has a B.S.E. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Michigan and an M.P.A. from Princeton University. Jim is an avid biker, skier, and hiker.

CITIZEN BOARD MEMBER

As Founding Principal of Pathfinder Philanthropy Advisors, Elaine has worked with regional and international organizations to develop and support an organizational Culture of Philanthropy since 1999. Through fundraising consulting, strategic planning, organizational capacity building, stakeholder engagement and leadership training she has helped over 40 organizations raise $700 million. She has a B.A. from St. Lawrence University in Environmental Anthropology and African Studies and has completed graduate-level courses at the Harvard Program on Negotiation. Elaine recently served eight years on the State of Wyoming Agriculture and Natural Resources Mediation Board and seven years on the board of Western Resource Advocates, based in Boulder, Colorado. She is an avid skier, hiker and tennis player who enjoys spending time in the mountains with family and friends.

CITIZEN BOARD MEMBER

Ben Ellis is the owner and general manager of 460 Bread, a local artisan bakery specializing in fresh bread for the Jackson Hole community. Before starting his small business, Ben spent over 20 years in renewable energy project planning and development. Most recently, he served as an industry liaison for Battelle Energy Alliance, which oversees research at six national labs focused on advanced energy technologies. Previously, he was vice president at an engineering firm, where he led a team in designing, planning, and permitting large-scale renewable energy projects. Ben also co-founded a Jackson Hole-based company that developed utility-scale wind, solar, and hydro projects across the western states, managing teams of environmental planners and engineers for projects up to 160MW. His technical expertise includes economic modeling, land use planning, and recreation, along with strong management skills in overseeing complex energy project planning and permitting. Additionally, from 2007 to 2015, Ben served as a Teton County commissioner. He holds a Doctorate in Natural Resources from the University of New Hampshire (2001), an MBA (1998), and a B.S. (1991).

TETON COUNTY COMMISSIONER

Elected as a Teton County County Commissioner in 2018, Luther Propst has worked to balance conservation and smart growth in rural and mountain communities around the North American West for more than 35 years. In 1991, Propst established the Sonoran Institute and served as executive director until 2012. While leading the Sonoran Institute, he advanced effective community-based, collaborative, and innovative solutions for land, water, and energy use. Previously, Luther worked for World Wildlife Fund and practiced law, in which he represented local governments, landowners, and organizations nationwide in land-use matters.

LOWER VALLEY ENERGY, CEO

Jim has been President/CEO of Lower Valley Energy since 1994. Before that, Jim worked for numerous energy companies and served as President of the Idaho Energy Authority. He has a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Utah. In addition to Energy Conservation Works, Jim serves on the Jackson Hole Chamber of Commerce Board and the Northwest Requirements Utilities Board.

LOWER VALLEY ENERGY BOARD MEMBER

Bob McLaurin is a long-time resident of Jackson. He worked for the Town of Jackson serving as the Town Manager on two occasions. He also served as the Manager for the Town of Vail, Colorado. He is a founding member of the Jackson Hole Energy Sustainability Project, which later became Energy Conservation Works. Currently McLaurin is employed by the Wyoming Association of Municipalities (WAM) as the Legislative Affairs Manager and advocates on behalf of the state’s 99 cities and towns.

JACKSON TOWN COUNCILOR

Jonathan joined the Energy Conservation Works board in 2019, shortly after being sworn in as a member of Jackson's Town Council. A 30 year resident of Jackson, he is the Founder and Executive Director of the Charture Institute, a Jackson-based non-profit organization focusing on co-thriving, the state in which both human communities and the ecosystems in which they lie simultaneously thrive. Jonathan holds Bachelor of Arts in Human Biology from Stanford University and a Master's in Public and Private Management from Yale University.