The success of the MREA is rooted in the unwavering dedication and hard work of our talented staff, the guidance and vision of our board of directors, and the expertise and passion of our skilled instructors. Together, they drive our mission forward, shaping a brighter future through renewable energy education and advocacy.
Staff
Board of Directors
Christina Nichols
MREA Board Vice President | Senior Program Director, Groundswell | Mount Rainier, MD
Christina Nichols is the Executive Director of Renewables Forward, a national organization dedicated to driving action for diversity, equity and…
Ellen Barlas
Managing Director of Education & Training, Slipstream, Inc. | Sturgeon Bay, WI
Ellen Barlas is the managing director of education and training at Slipstream, Inc. As a former MREA employee, Ellen is…
Eric Rehm
MBA | Development Director, Renewables | Victoria, MN
Eric Rehm is a Development Director | Renewables with McKinstry’s National Energy & Technical Services team. In this role, Eric…
Grace Michienzi
Senior Director of Policy, Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council (Michigan EIBC) | Grand Rapids, MI
Grace Michienzi is the Senior Director of Policy for the Michigan Energy Innovation Business Council (Michigan EIBC) and the Institute…
Huda Alkaff
Founder & Director, Wisconsin Green Muslims | Milwaukee, WI
Huda Alkaff is an ecologist, environmental educator, and the founder and director of Wisconsin Green Muslims, a grassroots environmental justice…
Jack O’Donohue
MREA Board President | Sales and Business Development Manager, Panasonic Life Solutions Co. | La Grange, IL
John “Jack” O’Donohue began his shift from commercial real estate to a green career by focusing on efficiency first. Jack…
Jane McCurry
Executive Director, Clean Fuels Michigan | Lansing, MI
Jane McCurry is the Executive Director of Clean Fuels Michigan, a nonprofit trade association dedicated to advancing clean mobility. In…
John Delurey
Senior Regional Director, Vote Solar | Chicago, IL
As Senior Regional Director, John Delurey coordinates campaigns for Vote Solar’s legislative and regulatory priorities in states throughout the Midwest.…
Jp Jones
Professor, Indian Hills Community College | Ottumwa, IA
Prof. John-Paul “Jp” Jones is a Native Iowegian from the Rathbun Lake area of Appanoose and Monroe Counties in Southeastern…
Marina Minic
Solar Programs Coordinator, Citizens Utility Board (CUB) | Chicago, IL
Marina Minic joined Citizens Utility Board (CUB) as a Solar Programs Coordinator in February 2022 after graduating from UW Madison…
MeLena Hessel
Director of Policy, Elevate | Chicago, IL
MeLena Hessel is the Director of Policy, IL at Elevate. Elevate is a non-profit organization that designs and implements programs…
Nick Hylla
MREA Executive Director
Email: nickh@midwestrenew.org Nick Hylla is the Executive Director of the Midwest Renewable Energy Association where he works in partnership with…
Peter Murphy
MREA Board Secretary | Associate, OneEnergy Renewables | Madison, WI
Peter Murphy works at OneEnergy Renewables, partnering with landowners, units of government, and utilities to develop utility-scale solar projects in…
Robert Blake
Executive Director / Owner, Native Sun / Solar Bear | Roseville, MN
Robert Blake is the owner of Solar Bear a solar installation company located in Minneapolis, MN, the Ojibwe pronunciation is…
Instructors
Alex Jarvis
President, Solar Systems of Indiana, Inc. | Bloomington, IN
Alex Jarvis has been working in the renewable energy (RE) field since 2006. He has been an instructor for the…
Ali Dirul
Founder & CEO - Ryter Cooperative Industries
With more than 15 years of power system design engineering experience, Ali Dirul is a clean energy visionary, innovator, and…
Clay Sterling
Assistant Professor, Kankakee Community College
Clay is currently an associate professor for electrical engineering technology and renewable energy at Kankakee Community College in Kankakee IL.…
Cris Folk
Instructor
Cris is a self-employed energy consultant, and owner of Master Training Specialist, LLC. He provides design, installation, maintenance, and service…
Dan Fink
Buckville Energy Consulting - Masonville, CO
Dan Fink has lived 11 miles off the grid, high in the Colorado mountains, since 1991. He has been teaching…
Jenny Conrardy
Arch Solar
Jenny Conrardy has been working in the solar industry since 2019. She is a fourth-year Electrical Apprentice in Wisconsin and…
Jenny Heinzen
MREA Curriculum Director
Email: jennyh@midwestrenew.org Phone: 751-900-2109 Jenny started her career as an Industrial Electrician, and later worked with residential wiring, farmstead rewiring, and…
Kris Schmid
Legacy Solar, LLC
Kris Schmid is the founder and owner of Legacy Solar, LLC, a solar energy company that has been designing and…
Leon has been the MREA’s Site Manager since 2017, working as a project manager for various renewable energy installations onsite.…
Mike Joyce
Instructor, Project Engineer, Full Spectrum Solar
Mike is currently a PV Project Engineer for Full Spectrum Solar in Madison, WI, where he designs and manages both…
Nick Matthes
MREA Solar Project Manager
Nick is a NABCEP certified PV Installation Professional with WI master electrician and commercial electrical inspector licenses, and has a…
Paul Gilman is a technical writer and trainer and has worked on projects for NREL and other clients since 2002.…