Washington, D.C. – (May 8, 2020) – We are honored to announce the results of the Clean Energy Buyers Association’s first Board of Directors election, and we want to thank all the CEBA members who participated in this crucial moment for the organization. This election has been an incredible demonstration of the strength and vitality of our community. Despite the current challenges we are all facing, this community continues to show up for each other and collectively work toward the zero-carbon future we are all committed to achieving.

CEBA received 19 phenomenal nominations for four open Board of Directors seats – we thank each of the nominees for their willingness to commit at this level. We look forward to your continued leadership regardless of serving on CEBA’s Board.

More than 40% of CEBA member companies participated in the online election (55% of whom were buyers!), ensuring we remain true to our roots as a buyer-led organization.

We are excited to welcome the newest Board of Directors members:

• Emma Cox (McDonald’s Corporation)
• Emily Cohen (ENGIE North America)
• Robert Martine (Clearway Energy Group)
• Teresa Hill (K&L Gates)

We are so grateful to each of these dynamic leaders, and we thank them for their support and service to the CEBA community. This announcement caps an incredible week. We launched CEBA’s first Virtual Member Summit – which was, from our perspective and all the feedback we’ve received thus far, an unquestionable success, with over 375 CEBA members signing on to engage and learn. And CEBA’s affiliate, the Clean Energy Buyers Institute, launched a seminal piece of analysis, the Renewable Energy Policy Pathways Report.

Meet our newest Board Members:

Emma Cox, Renewable Energy Lead, McDonald’s Corporation (Buyer)

Emma Cox leads renewable energy at McDonald’s Corporation. Last year, under Emma’s direction, McDonald’s announced its first two U.S. PPAs, together totaling 380 MW, a first at this scale for a franchised business. She believes McDonald’s can use its Scale for Good (the corporation’s global sustainability strategy) to transform the renewable energy market and the communities it serves.

After graduating from Columbia University, Emma worked at the U.S. Green Building Council on programs, events and continuing education. From there, she moved to Chicago where she worked for Green Per Square Foot, leading the energy and sustainability tech start-up’s business development and marketing team. She went on to lead the energy and sustainability consulting group for Cushman & Wakefield before eventually landing at McDonald’s, where she originally managed programs around energy, water and waste. When McDonald’s shifted more of its focus to climate work, Emma’s work became dedicated to building a strategy and implementing solutions for renewable energy. Having worked in many areas within sustainability, Emma’s cultivated a diverse skillset, but she has always had a passion for making the world a better place. At home, she is mom to two young kids and enjoys traveling whenever she can get away.

Emily Cohen, VP- Renewable Energy Sales, ENGIE North America (Energy Provider)

Emily Cohen is a renewable energy developer with nearly 20 years of experience, working with wind turbine manufacturers, renewable startups and global energy companies. She currently serves as vice president of Renewable Energy Sales at ENGIE North America and leads the renewable products team, which originates and markets all long-term renewable utility scale and distributed products in the U.S. and Canada.

Emily considers herself “technology agnostic,” having led the development of thousands of megawatts of now operational utility scale wind and solar and the acquisition of dozens of renewable energy projects. She can easily discuss a broad range of development topics, from land leases and bird studies to commercial offtake negotiations and settlement mechanics of PPAs.

Robert Martine, Director, Origination, Clearway Energy Group (Energy Provider) 

With more than 15 years of experience in energy and finance, Robert Martine leads Clearway Energy Group’s Commercial Origination team, which is responsible for customer engagement, business development and contracting of wind, solar, battery storage and community solar projects across the U.S. The Commercial Origination team is focused on accelerating the adoption of renewable energy and providing clean, reliable energy to commercial customers.

Prior to Clearway, Robert spent three years at NRG Energy leading the commercial power marketing of the company’s community solar business and six years at SunPower developing large-scale solar photovoltaic projects for Fortune 1000 companies, public entities and utilities. Prior to SunPower, Robert worked at Wells Fargo in the commercial and investment banking sectors. Robert holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Drexel University. 

Teresa A. Hill, Partner, K&L Gates (Service Provider)

As a partner at K&L Gates law firm, Teresa Hill’s practice focuses on renewable energy with an emphasis on preparing and negotiating power purchase agreements. Teresa leads the K&L Gates global Corporate Energy Sourcing initiative, which helps facilitate purchases of renewable energy by non-utility buyers and supports clients in achieving their sustainability and carbon goals through their energy strategy. 

Teresa has been deeply engaged in renewable energy issues for the past 15 years and has been actively supporting the mission of CEBA since January 2015 (then the RMI – Business Renewables Center). Teresa is a Wyoming native – spending summers living onsite at several major coal plants built in the 1970s where her dad was working as an iron worker – and is a permanent citizen of the mountain west, currently living in Boise, Idaho. She is an avid (but very slow) trail runner and the proud mother of two boys.