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With a range of backgrounds and a dedication to their work, our staff are a key component of the organization's effectiveness. We hope these short bios give you a little insight into the depth of talent at Renewable Northwest Project.

Our Staff

J. Rachel Shimshak, Executive Director

Rachel has been the Director of the Renewable Northwest Project since its inception in 1994. On her watch, RNP has supported the implementation of more than 4,100 MW of wind, geothermal and solar resources in the Northwest. In 2005, she was chosen by the Governor of Oregon to represent the state on the Western Governor's Association Clean and Diversified Energy Advisory Committee, and she was chosen by the four Northwest Governors to serve on the Comprehensive Review of the Northwest Energy System in 1996. Before moving back to the Northwest, Rachel was the Policy Director for the Massachusetts Division of Energy Resources where she worked on electricity, natural gas, oil, conservation, renewables, and emergency planning issues. Prior to that, Rachel was the Legislative Director for a Massachusetts consumer group, and an advocate in Colorado and Washington, D.C. She has served on the Boards of several, non-profit, clean energy and educational organizations and is currently the Secretary of the Bonneville Environmental Foundation. Rachel graduated from the University of Oregon and is a native Oregonian.

John Audley, Deputy Director

John serves as RNP's deputy director. He is a seasoned policy advocate, author, and negotiator. For over fifteen years he worked in Washington, DC and Brussels, Belgium on state, national, and international environmental and economic issues, During this time he created and managed two new programs – one for a national environmental organization and the other for a leading international policy institution – and revamped The Environmental Protection Agency’s role in forging international trade policy. John was introduced to northwest renewable energy through his responsibilities as The Nature Conservancy in Oregon’s government relations’ liaison. He has considerable experience working with diverse constituencies on complicated matters, and a passion for renewable energy. He holds a Ph.d in political economy from the University of Maryland and a business masters from the American School for International Management.

Megan Walseth Decker, Senior Staff Counsel

Megan manages RNP’s participation in state regulatory proceedings, and also assists with project siting issues. Before coming to RNP in 2010, Megan’s legal practice emphasized Oregon land use law and state and federal appellate litigation. Megan holds a J.D. from the University of Washington Law School and a B.A. from Stanford University. She is a native of Aberdeen and Longview, Washington.

Jeff L. Fox, Montana Policy Associate

Jeff is a native Montanan, wilderness lover, elk hunter, and backcountry skier deeply committed to clean energy solutions for Montana and the nation. He joined RNP in February of 2011 to further the organization’s on-the-ground presence in Montana. Jeff's background includes working as a wilderness ranger in Colorado and Wyoming, before moving to Washington, DC, to join The Wilderness Society. Missing the mountains, he returned home to assist in the Montana Legacy Project, a $520 million dollar conservation purchase of 320,000 acres of private timber lands threatened by development and fragmentation. Most recently,Jeff was an independent contractor working to organize business support for clean energy. He currently volunteers on the policy committee of the Montana Renewable Energy Association.

Erin Greeson, Communications Manager

Erin joined RNP in 2010 to support communications strategy for the organization and its members. Previously, she served diverse corporate and non-profit clients through agency roles at Waggener Edstrom Worldwide and Grady Britton. Her passion for promoting sustainable cultures and economies includes a history of volunteer communications work; she co-founded a citizens’ coalition to promote shared road safety and provided public relations support for the International Towards Carfree Cities Conference during its inaugural North American visit. Erin is an avid cyclist, art enthusiast and serves on the Outside In Communications Committee. She holds a B.A. degree from Swarthmore College.

Jimmy Lindsay, Power Systems Analyst

In 2011, Jimmy returned to Oregon, his native home, to support RNP as Power Systems Analyst, a role that entails technical research and advocacy for responsible operation and planning of power systems. Previously, Jimmy lived in Stockholm, Sweden, where he fulfilled a Fulbright Scholarship studying renewable energy engineering at the Royal Institute of Technology. Jimmy has also worked as a NASA Space Grant fellow. A returning RNP staff member, Jimmy previously served as an intern. He holds a B.A. in physics and history from Bowdoin College and is also a sound engineer and windsurfing instructor.

Caitlin Peel, Office Manager

Caitlin joined RNP in February of 2010. Caitlin was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona and is a graduate from Occidental College in Los Angeles, California where she received a B.A. in Urban and Environmental Policy. Prior to moving to Portland in January 2009, Caitlin worked with several community organizing groups, focusing primarily on issues around organizing the homeless on Los Angeles' Skid Row, and was the artistic director for a student-run literary magazine for three years. During college Caitlin spent some time overseas, first working in Ireland for an educational development non-profit, and then in South Africa, where she studied multiculturalism and social change.

Lauren Prince, Policy Associate

Lauren joined RNP in January, bringing a wealth of environmental advocacy experience paired with a deep clean energy focus to her role as policy advocate. She has worked on multiple political campaigns including Oregonians for Water, Parks and Wildlife (Yes on 76), Brad Avakian for Labor Commissioner, and Bill Bradbury for Governor.  Prior to that she supported the launch of Al Gore’s The Climate Project and assisted conservation efforts in rural Madagascar with World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). Her priority areas at RNP include state-by-state policy advocacy and collaborating with environmental and community groups on sensitive siting issues. Lauren studied International Affairs, Geography, and Conservation Biology at the University of Oregon and also pursued an honors thesis related to integrated conservation and development projects (ICDPs). She lives in Northeast Portland and –when not teaching her 90-pound mutt to do backflips—can often be found playing outside or cheering on the MLS Portland Timbers.

Adam Schumaker, Policy Associate

Adam supports RNP's policy efforts through technical research and analysis, and participates in regulatory proceedings focusing on solar related issues. Adam assumed the Policy Associate position after completing a summer internship with the RNP in 2010. He began his career in renewable energy as a solar PV installer in WI, after receiving his BA in Geography from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Adam also worked in California as a solar PV installer and then in project design and management before starting a MS program in Environmental Systems: Energy Technology and Policy at Humboldt State University.

David Wolf, Administrative Director

David joined RNP in June 2002. David is an Oregon native and has a BA from Reed College. Prior to working for RNP, David has been a natural foods merchandiser for Nature's Fresh Northwest, operated his own web design company, and managed a large-format digital print shop. In addition to his duties at RNP, David serves on the board for The Wallace Medical Concern, a nonprofit providing free medical care to low-income, uninsured people in the Portland area.

Cameron Yourkowski, Senior Policy Manager

Cameron's work at RNP focuses on removing transmission barriers for renewable resources and assessing the system impacts of wind energy. Prior to coming to RNP in 2007, he worked for the Alaska State Legislature on energy and fisheries issues. Cameron holds a M.S. and B.A. in economics from Portland State University and the University of Montana, respectively.
RNP Staff Photo
March 2011  (from left to right):
Adam Schumaker, Jeff Fox, Jimmy Lindsay, Erin Greeson, Megan Walseth Decker, Cameron Yourkowski, Caitlin Peel, David Wolf, Rachel Shimshak, Lauren Prince and John Audley.
About the RNP Board & Our Members
RNP Board Officers and Directors are the ultimate decision-making authority for RNP. The Board is composed of individuals from environmental and consumer nonprofit organizations, as well as for-profit companies working in the renewable energy sector. RNP's bylaws require that the majority of the Directors be affiliated with nonprofit advocacy organizations to ensure the organization maintains a focus on our environmental mission.
 
The list of our general member organizations shows the breadth and depth of the entire coalition. While the voting power resides with the Board, the diversity of our entire coalition is what gives RNP its strength of vision. Links to each member website, and name of their main representative to RNP, is also provided here.