Renewable Thermal Collaborative Announces Completion of New Board of Directors

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Renewable Thermal Collaborative (RTC), the globally-focused nonprofit dedicated to decarbonizing industrial thermal energy use with renewable solutions, today announced the completion of its Board of Directors. RTC previously announced the first five members of its initial Board in February, when it shared its new nonprofit status. Today, RTC is announcing the addition of four more Board members.

The four new members of the RTC Board are:

• Jennifer DuBuisson, Senior Director, Sustainability, Levi Strauss & Co.
• Aliya Haq, President, CleanEcon
• Virginia Lacy, Founder, Principal, N+1
• Greg Wellman, Decarbonization Platform Leader, Eastman

The previously announced members of the Board are:

• Kevin Rabinovitch (Board President), Global VP Sustainability, Mars
• David Gardiner (RTC Interim Executive Director), Principal, President, David Gardiner & Associates
• Trina Mallik, Principal, Lotus Climate Solutions
• Marty Spitzer, Vice President, Corporate Climate Engagement, World Wildlife Fund
  Brad Townsend (Board Treasurer and Secretary), Vice President, Policy and Outreach, Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES)

The nine-member Board includes three leaders from industry, three leaders from the NGO community, and three leaders from organizations that originally launched RTC as an initiative in 2017. The Board will provide guidance and direction for RTC’s operations.

“It has been remarkable to witness the growth and impact of RTC from an idea a few of us had eight years ago into a vibrant, significant, and relevant voice for accelerating industrial heat decarbonization at facilities not just here in the US, but across the globe,” said David Gardiner, RTC Interim Executive Director. “The completion of our Board marks the next step in this growth, and I look forward to the contributions our new colleagues will make to support the continued decarbonization of industrial thermal energy with renewable solutions.”

Board Member Perspectives

• Kevin Rabinovitch (Board President), Global VP Sustainability, Mars: “Leading the inaugural Board of the newly independent RTC is an honor and a privilege. From an idea in 2017 to a thriving organization today, I’m excited to see where we can go next.”

• Aliya Haq (New Board Member), President, CleanEcon: “I am honored to join the RTC Board of Directors. Industry leadership is crucial to scaling clean technologies, especially for thermal energy and other industrial applications. RTC’s platform and membership are on the cutting edge, and I am thrilled to support its mission and growth.”

• Virginia Lacy (New Board Member), Founder, Principal, N+1: “Scaling clean industrial heat requires more than promising technologies; it requires industry leaders solving practical challenges to deploy these solutions in the real world. RTC has built an extraordinary platform bringing these doers together, and I’m delighted to join the Board and help support its growth and impact in this next chapter.”

• Trina Mallik (Board Member), Principal, Lotus Climate Solutions: “The RTC is positioned for success in significantly reducing industrial thermal greenhouse gas emissions, while accelerating economic and workforce benefits. I am delighted to be working with a diverse, talented Board committed to RTC achieving its highest potential.”

• Brad Townsend (Board Treasurer and Secretary), Vice President, Policy and Outreach, C2ES: “Cutting industrial emissions while expanding economic opportunity is one of the defining issues of our time, and RTC is leading the way in demonstrating how innovative technology can advance both goals together. I couldn’t be more thrilled to join the Board as we embark on this new chapter.”

• Greg Wellman (New Board Member), Decarbonization Platform Leader, Eastman: “RTC is fostering the process industries’ transition toward a future pairing legacy manufacturing with clean, firm process heat and a growing mix of electrified technologies. It’s a privilege to join the Board in supporting this transition.”

For more information on RTC and the Board, visit our website at www.renewablethermal.org.