Our Team

Eriq is a descendant of the Indigenous Peoples of North America (Mexican (Spanish and Indigenous), Dine’ and Pueblo roots) whose education and life has spanned throughout the United States. Eriq grew up an Urban Indian not knowing what that meant to be Indigenous until much later in life. It wasn’t until his early twenties that he started to explore and develop what it meant to be an Indigenous individual; community, culture, spirituality, family, food, and a connection to mother earth. This helped him realize his passion is in service to Indigenous communities and he’s honored to be part of the Spark Northwest team. Eriq will work with communities in the Pacific Northwest to realize their clean energy goals.

Andrea loves making connections between people and ideas. She values the “both/and” nature of Spark Northwest: working at the intersection of energy and justice, building tangible projects and promoting systemic change. Prior to working in clean energy, Andrea was a lawyer and a social justice grant maker. She’s a proud graduate of the Equal Justice Leadership Academy, which hones advocacy skills to address racism and poverty. A native of Oregon and long-time Seattle resident, Andrea loves exploring the region. On weekends you might find her hiking in the Cascades, walking her dog on Alki Beach or sampling a fresh hops brew in Eastern Washington. 

Elaine joined Spark Northwest to support the finance team. She holds a bachelor’s degree in food engineering from the University of Campinas, in Brazil. Before discovering her interest in accounting, she worked in the area of food production and food safety & quality assurance. Her first contact with accounting was through a volunteer opportunity with a nonprofit that bridges the tech business communities of Silicon Valley & Brazil. She is currently pursuing her AA degree in Accounting with Bellevue College. Outside of work, Elaine spends her time taking care of her family and their dog, studying, volunteering, and enjoying the outdoors. You may bump into her if you visit the Issaquah area, where she does most of her shopping and outings with her family and friends.

Amy manages Spark Northwest’s Solarize and Energize residential energy programs, leading group purchase programs for solar and energy efficiency. She also conducts community education on renewable energy and advocates for policies supporting a just transition to clean energy. Amy graduated from Iowa State University with a double degree in Environmental Science, B.S. and Event Management, B.S.  

Mia manages multiple clean energy projects including our Rural Renewables Program. Mia has over 20 years of experience working in the renewable energy industry conducting technical feasibility studies of utility-scale wind farms, due diligence reviews of wind turbine supply and maintenance contracts, project management of proposals and budgets, and hands-on installation of residential solar and wind power equipment. Mia also co-founded a national group encouraging the participation and advancement of women in the wind energy industry and completed volunteer work in Central and South America where she helped to install and maintain solar electric lighting systems in rural communities. Mia holds a B.A. in Mathematics from Grinnell College and an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. When not at work, you can find Mia tending her farm. 

V Espitia is a Project Coordinator at Spark Northwest, where they support program outreach and grant applications that make clean energy an accessible reality for the communities that need it. Prior to Spark Northwest, V worked on projects ranging from BIPOC environmental education, mutual aid, language access, and non-profit work supporting Latino immigrants in Seattle. Most recently, they collected data for a California program that helps school districts implement sustainable, plant-based school lunches for the health of students and the planet. Their goal is to support climate solutions that represent diverse cultural perspectives while dismantling white supremacist notions of nature and challenging race/class hierarchies. These values brought them to Spark Northwest, where they are eager to contribute to our mission of accelerating clean energy as a pathway to equity by centering the needs and voices of our partners. They graduated from Seattle University in 2020 with a BA in Cultural Anthropology and a minor in Environmental Studies. In their spare time, V loves to make art, dance at punk concerts, and watch films with their cat Pluto. 

Lou is passionate about contributing to the empowerment of marginalized communities in his role managing projects for Spark Northwest’s Energize, building electrification, and utility grant evaluation programs. He has worked on social and environmental justice issues as a research analyst in Sierra Club’s Environmental Law Program and as an organizer in Michigan. Lou is a graduate of the University of Michigan, where he studied political science and environmental science. He is currently pursuing an MPA at the University of Washington Evans School of Public Policy & Governance with concentrations in policy analysis & evaluation and public financial management & budgeting. Outside of work, you can find him chipping away at his endless Goodreads want-to-read list, exploring the outdoors, playing music with friends, and frequenting local coffee shops and diners. 

Gwen manages the internal functions for our team, including finance, operations and human resources. Her career in the environmental sector spans a variety of roles within non-profit organizations and public agencies. She has worked as an environmental educator, a salmon-recovery planner, a volunteer coordinator, a native plant nursery manager and an outreach coordinator. Most recently, Gwen spent nine years at the NW Energy Coalition, where she managed the organization’s finances, operations and grants. She holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies/Environmental Education from Huxley College at Western Washington University.  

Katherine is passionate about social and environmental justice issues. Prior to joining Spark Northwest, she co-led a statewide grassroots campaign that mobilized people across the state to advocate for climate and racial justice bills during the WA State legislature. For over twenty years, she has produced and directed advocacy videos for community organizations and has directed award-winning, social justice-issue documentaries. She has worked in the corporate sector managing digital marketing strategies. Outside of work you can find her busy with her family, volunteering for local issues and occasionally making time for a swim.

Veena’s career started as an engineer and project manager in the corporate sector at Procter & Gamble, before she earned her MBA to become an entrepreneur and focus on social impact work. In 2013, she founded Project Feast, a successful nonprofit that prepares refugee and immigrant cooks for jobs in the food industry. Her passion for environmental sustainability was renewed when she co-designed her family home in Seattle to meet the highest green building standard. Veena holds a BSc in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University and an MBA from University of Washington Foster School of Business. She is mom to twins in third grade. In her spare time, she is an amateur gardener, learning and practicing the principles of permaculture. Originally from India and having lived in the US Midwest and in Germany, Veena has called Seattle home since 2007.

John got his start in climate and clean energy as a Green New Deal volunteer organizer with Minnesota 350. He holds an M.S. in Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy from the University of Minnesota. In his role at Spark Northwest John advocates for a clean energy transition that transfers power and wealth to low-income, BIPOC, and rural communities. Outside of work he spends most of his time running, rock climbing, going to concerts, and making art.  

Allyse has enjoyed working in organic farming and sustainable building for the past several years and is excited to join Spark Northwest in the movement towards equitable, renewable energy. Allyse works in our Rural Renewables program providing technical assistance to farmers and rural small business owners. She is passionate about asset-based community development and feels privileged to have learned about this approach to resiliency and empowerment from communities around the world. Allyse holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Western Washington University and has spent time as a journalist for the WWU’s environmental publication, The Planet Magazine. Outside of work, she loves hiking and biking in the mountains around Bellingham, tending her homely garden, and hammocking with a good book. 

Kyle is a full-time Executive Coach who supports mission-driven leaders from all sectors as they navigate the intersection of who they are and how they lead. Through coaching, Kyle helps leaders become even more intentional about embracing their mission, impact, and values as they navigate transition, scale, and complexity. Prior to coaching, Kyle spent 17 years with Fortune 50 tech companies, including Microsoft and AWS, where he held leadership positions in operations, HR, IT, and organizational development. Kyle also served four years as Executive Director of City Year Seattle/King County which reframed his connection to service, social justice, and equity. Kyle was raised in Washington State and enjoys spending time with his wife and dog, playing nerdy board games, and pursuing a life-long commitment to learning, fitness, and travel. 

Jonathan Hill is Senior Director for Strategy at Counterpart International, an NGO that supports communities around the world to advocate for inclusive and equitable public policies, protect human rights, and improve access to nutritious foods. He is a seasoned nonprofit management professional with strengths in strategy, finance, and operations. Jonathan previously worked at the global development company DAI and then provided consulting services as Founder and Director of Hill Global Development LLC. Jonathan is passionate about collaborating with diverse stakeholders to find common ground and pursue meaningful change. While his career focuses internationally, Jonathan volunteers locally, having previously held Board positions with Project Feast in Kent and Kids4Peace in Seattle. He has a BA from Claremont McKenna College and an MBA from the University of Washington. He enjoys being in nature with friends and family. 

Maria Jimena is a Senior Energy Project Manager at Microsoft. She is responsible for developing and executing the energy strategy for Microsoft Cloud’s data centers in North and South American markets. Prior to this role, she worked in consulting and academia, specializing in energy and infrastructure finance and economics. She worked across 25+ countries, advising governments, private sector companies, and development institutions, such as the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the Caribbean Development Bank. She holds an MBA in Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources from the University of Alberta, a Masters in Economics and a BSc in Industrial Engineering from Universidad de los Andes in Colombia.

Jessica Jones is a Director in the Global Health Division at Chemonics International. Her work uses market-based approaches to ensure high quality and affordable access to reproductive, maternal, and young child healthcare in low-income and vulnerable populations. She has a 15+ year career in international development that spans the intersection of health and environment, with a focus on ensuring equitable access to the tools that promote healthy and sustainable living at all income levels. Her career includes the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation, the World Bank, academia, and non-profit organizations. She holds an M.A. in International Affairs from George Washington University and a B.A. in English and International Relations from the College of William and Mary.

Josh Khanna is currently Director Global Operations for Real Estate at Expedia, Inc. Her prior responsibilities have included the site development and construction for the EG Seattle Campus, from campus master plan to management of the site and planned amenities. Previously, Josh was the Regional Lead for the Asia Pacific region for Expedia, Inc. She has 15+ years’ experience in domestic and international corporate real estate including planning, strategy, design, construction, and facilities coordination. Josh holds a BFA in Applied Arts (College of Art, New Delhi), BTech in Interior Design (Chelsea School of Design, London) and a Professional Designation in Interior Design (UCLA). Within real estate development, Josh has been focused on sustainable practices and creating an inclusive workplace. She was inspired to join the board after discovering how Spark Northwest’s vision overlays social justice with renewable energy.

Ali is a field organizer, business owner and equity specialist who has worked on climate change and environmental projects in the US, China, Germany and Brazil. She looks at ways that people can work together and educate future generations to be the change, with the knowledge that we only have one planet, and exploring how to uphold the values of community while learning what is truly meant by living in a diverse world, with equity and inclusion for years to come. Ali served as Climate Reality WA State Chapters coalition lead, Climate Reality King County Chapter past Co Chair, among other projects and campaigns bringing together climate and justice concerns. Most recently worked on policy during our Washington State Session, focused on community air quality, weatherization, and health. She also is working on regenerative agriculture and electrification for the 2023 farm bill and serves as the National Building Electrification Networks, Equity team lead facilitator along with induction cooking for healthier home demonstrations and health and equity specialist consulting with Climate Solution and Seattle City Light as well as a coalition member with the King County International Airport Community Coalition (KCIACC) Working on air quality and community benefits agreements ordinance for airport communities in collaboration with KCIA. 

Dr. June Lukuyu is an Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Washington, Seattle Campus. She is passionate about developing and planning for inclusive, sustainable, and integrated energy systems and technologies in underserved communities, centering on equity, social development and human empowerment. She has extensive experience leading multiple engaged research activities in East Africa focused on energy access and community energy development. She also brings prior experience working with various stakeholders in East Africa and coordinating across different disciplinary and sectoral perspectives. She holds a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and an MSc in Renewable Energy Systems Technology from Loughborough University (UK). Beyond work, June enjoys traveling, exploring different foods and recipes, and decorating. 

Leah is a founding partner of Allied8 Architects, a generalist firm with a strong focus on housing innovation, housing justice and policy. For decades Allied8 had been active advisors/architects to developers and in 2019, Leah created a development arm at Allied8 with the purpose of solving big policy problems with small-scale projects that are replicable. Leah is a regular design studio critic and has been a lecturer at the University of Washington School of Architecture. She is an active member of the American Institute of Architects and the Northwest Eco Building Guild, Seattle Chapters. She has maintained her WA State architectural license since 2003.

John Mi covers renewable energy procurement and sustainable power solutions at Amazon. Before joining Amazon, he held various leadership roles at large renewable energy companies, with the latest being Director of Community Solar at SunPower. His professional experience has focused primarily on the financing and business development of innovative energy solutions. He is passionate about environmental equality and corporate sustainability. John holds two tree-hugger degrees, a MA in Environmental and Resource Economics from Duke University and a BA in Environmental Science from the Colorado College.

Vineet Parkhe is a Senior Project Manager at DNV GL where he provides technical due diligence to investors looking to acquire and sell renewable energy portfolios. He has worked in the renewable energy industry for nine years, advising developers, owners, investors, and manufacturers evaluate their technology and on-site resource. For fun, Vineet enjoys climbing, back country skiing, and all things outdoors.

Donald Williams is an enrolled Umatilla Tribal Member, and Principal Consultant/CEO of From the Light Consulting, a Tribal member owned energy consulting firm. Mr. Williams has been working in the energy sector for 10 years. During this time, he has gained valuable experience ranging from technical grant writing, project management, development, and consultation to tribal, state, federal agencies and NGO’s. Donald is an advocate of renewable energy policy and Tribal Energy sovereignty in the Pacific Northwest Tribal communities. Donald has also performed as an Energy Advisor, Trade Ally manager, and Tribal Liaison with Energy Trust of Oregon, where he developed the Tribal strategic communication plan with Energy Trust of Oregon, worked with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, he is currently working to provide energy services and consultation to both Tribal and rural communities with From the Light Consulting.  

Phillip Bruner, PhD is Professor of Practice at the UW Foster School of Business where he lectures in sustainable business and finance. He is Faculty Director for the UW Climate Risk Lab – an interdisciplinary program on a mission to make the best climate risk data, analysis and tools available to all. Prior to joining the UW faculty, Phillip was Co-founder and Managing Director for the Sustainable Community Energy Network in Edinburgh, Scotland, one of the world’s first non-profit initiatives aimed at advancing community-owned renewable energy through access to private investment. 

Kelly’s primary focus is human health and resiliency in the face of climate effects. She was a founding member of the University of Washington Center for Health and the Global Environment, co-authored a scientific review of the health co-benefits of climate mitigation, and serves as board president for Ren Che Foundation which invests in mitigation of the impact of our changing climate on human and environmental health. Kelly also has an MS in public health and was a member of the Strategic Development Team at the Washington Department of Health during the recent COVID-19 Vaccine rollout. She enjoys strategy consulting particularly for growth-stage nonprofit organizations.

Kelly engages in collective philanthropy in service of BIPOC led and BIPOC serving organizations in King County as a partner at SVP Seattle. She has been a long-time supporter of Spark Northwest and is honored to deepen her engaged in Spark Northwest’s mission as a member of the External Engagement Team.

Kelly made the Pacific Northwest home in 2006. She enjoys experiencing all our region has to offer, especially the water and the woods, with her husband Michael and three daughters.

Yawei Hao is an AWS Operations Manager where he manages a team of support engineers who provides professional technical support for AWS customers around the world. He is also a public speaker at AWS Summit as well as Amazon Twitch Live events. Yawei’s interest in energy issues has come from his family influence where one of his uncles has been working in energy sectors since 1990s. Yawei holds a M.S. in Telecommunication System Management from Northeastern University and a B.S. in Optical Science from Sichuan University in China. He likes swimming in his free time. 

Josh Khanna is currently Director Global Operations for Real Estate at Expedia, Inc. Her prior responsibilities have included the site development and construction for the EG Seattle Campus, from campus master plan to management of the site and planned amenities. Previously, Josh was the Regional Lead for the Asia Pacific region for Expedia, Inc. She has 15+ years’ experience in domestic and international corporate real estate including planning, strategy, design, construction, and facilities coordination. Josh holds a BFA in Applied Arts (College of Art, New Delhi), BTech in Interior Design (Chelsea School of Design, London) and a Professional Designation in Interior Design (UCLA). Within real estate development, Josh has been focused on sustainable practices and creating an inclusive workplace. She was inspired to join the board after discovering how Spark Northwest’s vision overlays social justice with renewable energy.

Dr. June Lukuyu is an Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Washington, Seattle Campus. She is passionate about developing and planning for inclusive, sustainable, and integrated energy systems and technologies in underserved communities, centering on equity, social development and human empowerment. She has extensive experience leading multiple engaged research activities in East Africa focused on energy access and community energy development. She also brings prior experience working with various stakeholders in East Africa and coordinating across different disciplinary and sectoral perspectives. She holds a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and an MSc in Renewable Energy Systems Technology from Loughborough University (UK). Beyond work, June enjoys traveling, exploring different foods and recipes, and decorating. 

John Mi covers renewable energy procurement and sustainable power solutions at Amazon. Before joining Amazon, he held various leadership roles at large renewable energy companies, with the latest being Director of Community Solar at SunPower. His professional experience has focused primarily on the financing and business development of innovative energy solutions. He is passionate about environmental equality and corporate sustainability. John holds two tree-hugger degrees, a MA in Environmental and Resource Economics from Duke University and a BA in Environmental Science from the Colorado College.

Joe has been working in the energy industry for over 18 years in different capacities. He began with a small EE program management firm and then moved on to Puget Sound Energy, where he managed commercial HVAC programs. He then moved on to a local HVAC controls firm, coordinating their work with utility programs and helping utilities design rebate programs for their technology. During that period, he also helped with the Western HVAC Performance Alliance to manage groups and eventually worked as Treasurer and Chair of the Board of Directors. Experience there helped lead to a proposal that was submitted to the CLEEN Project, and was one of the top three vote-getters for the Cooling Ideas: Protecting our Communities from Extreme Heat section. The proposal was focused on HVAC technician training and apprenticeships for disadvantaged groups. Currently Joe is at a Demand Response startup firm helping to get the Energy Markets division off the ground and running in California and Texas. He has a MA in International Environmental Policy with a focus on energy and climate changes issues. 

Matt is an experienced business leader in the cooperative foods industry. He has led the Astoria Co-op, a growing natural foods co-op, for the past 15 years. The Astoria Co-op recently completed a major expansion and relocation to a new facility with a 50kW solar array and EV chargers. Spark Northwest assisted in the grant applications that led to the success of these green energy additions. His experience running a sustainability-focused business includes project management, fundraising, financial and strategic planning, and community engagement. Matt has served as a National Co-op Grocers board member, a purchasing co-op with over 150 food co-op members across the country. He recently served as an External Evaluation Committee member for the Oregon Department of Energy’s Community Renewable Energy Grant Program. He has a Master of Non-Profit and International Development Management degree from the University of California, San Diego. Matt has a strong passion for the clean energy transition in the Pacific Northwest. When he is not at the co-op, he runs local trails and spends time with his wife, Holly, and his seven-year-old daughter, Ruby. 

Donald Williams is an enrolled Umatilla Tribal Member, and Principal Consultant/CEO of From the Light Consulting, a Tribal member owned energy consulting firm. Mr. Williams has been working in the energy sector for 10 years. During this time, he has gained valuable experience ranging from technical grant writing, project management, development, and consultation to tribal, state, federal agencies and NGO’s. Donald is an advocate of renewable energy policy and Tribal Energy sovereignty in the Pacific Northwest Tribal communities. Donald has also performed as an Energy Advisor, Trade Ally manager, and Tribal Liaison with Energy Trust of Oregon, where he developed the Tribal strategic communication plan with Energy Trust of Oregon, worked with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, he is currently working to provide energy services and consultation to both Tribal and rural communities with From the Light Consulting.  

Jennifer is an electricity infrastructure advisor at PNNL. She leads energy equity and justice work that includes grid and regulatory projects incorporating decarbonization, equity, and resilience objectives into grid planning, and the Energy Storage for Social Equity (ES4SE) Initiative, a community technical assistance program. Relevant prior experience includes 20+ years of energy and engineering expertise in building engineering design, renewable energy planning at Hawaiian Electric Company and energy efficiency management at Puget Sound Energy (PSE). She managed PSE’s transmission engineering team and HDR’s Washington State Power Delivery team that comprised of transmission, distribution, and substation engineering teams. As a Kānaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) she provides a unique perspective of underrepresented and unrecognized communities in the energy transition work DOE and Labs are supporting and leading. She enjoys traveling, spending time outdoors, and bouldering.