Please join us for a St. Patrick's Day afternoon panel discussion on our collective clean energy future. Panelists will share their thoughts in three segments: Opportunities for clean energy; Barriers to clean energy; and Alaska's role in a clean energy future. Sound cool? Register (for free) below!
We are very excited to reveal our amazing list of speakers!
Featured Speakers
Alaina Wood (TikTok: @thegarbagequeen)
Alaina Wood is a sustainability scientist and climate communicator based in Tennessee. Alaina received her bachelor’s degree in sustainability and geography from the University of Tennessee. Her work as a scientist primarily focuses on helping rural areas manage their waste and stormwater, and her work as a climate communicator focuses on climate solutions and debunking climate nihilism.
Her story briefly, here (courtesy of Canary Media).
Dr. Brett Watson
Brett Watson is a Research Assistant Professor of Economics at the Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER) at the University of Alaska Anchorage. His work focuses on how natural resource wealth is created, managed, and distributed both nationally and in the state of Alaska. He received his PhD and MS in Mineral and Energy Economics from Colorado School of Mines and BBA in Economics from Texas State University. Prior to joining ISER, he worked as a research associate at the Department of Energy’s Critical Materials Institute studying the supply chains for rare and specialized materials for use in clean energy applications.
Maria Suarez
Maria Suarez, Director Government Affairs, Energy Workforce & Technology Council
As Director, Government Affairs for Energy Workforce & Technology Council, Suarez works to elevate critical issues in the energy services industry to external stakeholders including state and federal policy makers. She serves as staff liaison to the association’s International Trade Policy, International Outposts, ESG, and Energy Transition. Suarez brings a background in trade policy, advocacy, and extended international experience to this role.
Prior to the Council, Suarez was the Hispanic Affairs Officer at the Consulate General of Israel to the Southwest United States. In this position, she worked to build relationships between the Hispanic community throughout the southwestern United States and the State of Israel and assisted in the coordination of Israeli Minister delegations to Texas.
She is currently a first-year graduate student in the Masters of Global Affairs at Rice University and received her BA from Texas A&M University in international affairs.
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Nick Szymoniak
Nick Szymoniak is the Manager of New Business Ventures for the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC). Under this role, Mr. Szymoniak leads AGDC’s commercial efforts to partner with industry leaders to develop and finance the Alaska LNG project. He has previously led efforts to develop Alaska natural gas projects while at the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority and ENSTAR. He has also worked for Alaska private investment firms. Mr. Szymoniak has an MBA and a BA in Economics from the University of Alaska Anchorage.
