Deep Isolation Team
Management Team
Elizabeth MullerChief Executive Officer
Richard MullerChief Technology Officer
Rod BaltzerChief Operating Officer
Sophie McCallumChief of Staff
Bill EdwardsSr. VP of Strategy
Elizabeth Muller
Chief Executive Officer
Co-Founder and CEO of Deep Isolation. Co-Founder and Executive Director of Berkeley Earth. Former Director at Gov3 and Policy Advisor at the OECD. Deep Isolation patents co-author. Muller is an environmentalist with expertise on global warming, stakeholder engagement, strategy, and communications.
- MacArthur Genius Award
- Breakthrough Prize
Richard Muller
Chief Technology Officer
Co-Founder and CTO of Deep Isolation as well as co-author of its patents, Muller was a Professor of Physics at UC Berkeley for 34 years where he received a distinguished teaching award and taught the highly regarded, “Physics for Future Presidents” series of lectures. He also served as a member of JASON, an independent group of elite scientists who advise the United States government on matters of science and technology. Dr. Muller is a recipient of the MacArthur Genius Award and Breakthrough Prize for his innovative work in physics. Dr. Muller, with his daughter Liz, co-founded the Berkeley Earth Surface Temperature (“BEST”) project where he serves as a board member. He is the author of a number of works including Nemesis: The Death Star, Physics for Future Presidents and Energy for Future Presidents. He has also received a Newsweek citation as one of the 25 most important innovators in the USA.
Rod Baltzer
Chief Operating Officer
Former President and CEO of Waste Control Specialists LLC, a leading provider of services for low-level radioactive waste, mixed low-level radioactive waste, and hazardous waste. At WCS he was responsible for all aspects of the business including the NRC license application for the consolidated interim storage of used nuclear fuel. Baltzer is an expert in the low-level radioactive waste industry, generators, and national storage and disposal capabilities. Baltzer successfully facilitated the 2018 sale of WCS to J.F. Lehman & Company.
Sophie McCallum
Chief of Staff
Sustainability enthusiast experienced in launching companies from the ground up. An executive passionate about startups, McCallum’s expertise lies in growing and scaling companies, fostering collaboration, and implementing systems and work methods to increase company efficiencies. She has worked in the banking, healthcare and technology industries including BNP Paribas.
Bill Edwards
Sr. VP of Strategy
Former Managing Director of Directgov, and Director of e-Communications in the UK Office of the e-Envoy, Edwards is a global leader in customer-facing government and was the chief architect of Directgov (www.direct.gov.uk), and the underlying business process for a new customer-focused service delivery model.
Core Team
Betsy MadruVP of Government and Regulatory Affairs
Zann AeckVP of Marketing and Communications
Mary WoollenDirector of Community Engagement
Samuel BrintonDirector of Legislative Affairs
Jim HamiltonDirector of Partnerships
Timothy (Tim) A. FrazierDirector, Business Development
Jim Voss, EurIng, FINucE, CEngAdvisor, Government Affairs
Jenelle McCardleExecutive Assistant to the CEO
Judy LamanaCommunity Outreach Coordinator
Dan MaIntern
Betsy Madru
VP of Government and Regulatory Affairs
An experienced leader on waste disposal issues, Madru was the VP of Government and Regulatory Affairs for Waste Control Specialists LLC, executing the company’s strategy in the regulatory and legislative environments of Texas and Washington, D.C. She previously served as Legislative Director for Texas State Senator Kel Seliger and in the office of Commissioner Larry Soward at the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.
- MIT Climate CoLab/UN Environment Contest Winner
Zann Aeck
VP of Marketing and Communications
Silicon Valley marketing professional who specializes in marketing strategy, brand development, and in creating digital experiences across multiple media channels. Aeck’s expertise centers on the data-driven analysis of online behavior to improve the performance of a company’s digital presence. She has led and successfully improved digital strategy and brand experiences for leading high-tech companies such as NetApp and Fujitsu. She also owns and runs a successful pet supply and grooming business near Santa Cruz, California.
Mary Woollen
Director of Community Engagement
With an extensive background in stakeholder engagement for nuclear and nuclear waste issues, she was the Government and Community Liaison for the Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future and worked to develop a consent-based approach to siting nuclear waste facilities. Woollen has been a consultant for the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, DOE’s Integrated Waste Management Program, and has served as an external engagement policy advisor to the chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Samuel Brinton
Director of Legislative Affairs
Nuclear engineer who specializes in nuclear waste management policy formation, “wicked problem” communication projects, and technical information translation. He has written successful legislation as well as managed high-level political relationships. Brinton has testified before the United Nations and is regularly cited in the press with a viral op-ed in the New York Times.
Jim Hamilton
Director of Partnerships
A principal at Stakeholder Capital Consulting, he assists companies across the energy spectrum manage stakeholder-driven regulatory and political risks associated with siting, permitting and operating energy infrastructure and decommissioning projects. Hamilton has over 25 years of experience in the public, private and NGO sectors throughout North, Central and South America. He has advised Entergy and Yankee Atomic Electric Company on their decommissioning programs, was the lead author of the Yankee Rowe Site Closure Project Plan, and has advised the U.S. Department of Energy on its spent fuel management program.
Timothy (Tim) A. Frazier
Director, Business Development
With over 28 years of experience in nuclear energy, including 23 years with the Department of Energy and the Office of Nuclear Energy, he held senior DOE positions in nuclear energy and policy; nuclear space power; and, congressional, state, and local communications. Frazier is a recognized expert on the back end of the nuclear fuel cycle and was the Federal Officer for the President’s Blue Ribbon Commission on America’s Nuclear Future.
Jim Voss, EurIng, FINucE, CEng
Advisor, Government Affairs
A senior nuclear engineer and President of the Terra Verde Group of Companies, Voss has managed radioactive, solid and toxic waste programs in over 20 countries and has advised governments and companies on decommissioning strategies. He served as the General Manager of the President’s State Planning Council on Radioactive Waste Management during the terms of Presidents Carter and Reagan.
Jenelle McCardle
Executive Assistant to the CEO
With over 17 years of administrative experience in the energy industry, McCardle is an expert in supporting C-level executives and project and office management in fast-paced, high-pressure environments. She spent 12 years as an EA at several facilities for Tesoro Corporation (now MPC). McCardle previously worked 5 years at Par Pacific Holdings, Inc., successfully supporting five C-level executives for which she was promoted to Office Manager with supervisory responsibilities.
Judy Lamana
Community Outreach Coordinator
A seasoned entrepreneur who founded and then sold a successful publishing business, Lamana devotes her time to environmental organizations and the study of climate change science.
Dan Ma
Intern
Dan is an advocate for environmental progress and justice. He worked on youth-organizing campaigns with Congressman Lou Correa, represented student voices to the Westminster City Council, and connects Berkeley’s student community to environmental issues through the Associated Students of the University of California.
Other Experts and Consultants
Jamie Rector, Senior Geoengineer
Founded and successfully sold three borehole geophysics companies to NYSE-listed companies. Also founded Berkeley GeoImaging, which developed and currently manages oil and gas assets in the Midcontinent, Rockies, and Gulf of Mexico. Rector been a Senior Consultant to BP, Chevron, and Unocal on borehole seismic technology and is the founder of the oil and gas PE fund (Berkeley GeoImaging). He has raised over $80 million to drill boreholes for oil and gas throughout the United States.
Joe H. Payer, Corrosion and Reliability Engineer
An internationally recognized expert in corrosion mitigation, materials performance and reliability, and performance assessment. Chief Scientist Emeritus for the National Corrosion Center. Payer played a key role in the analysis of materials performance for the long-term disposal of spent nuclear fuel at Yucca Mountain and provided technical input to the DOE’s Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste. He is past president of NACE International, a Fellow of ASM International, and has received the ASTM Sam Tour Award for Distinguished Contributions to the Development and Evaluation of Corrosion Testing Methods.
Stefan Finsterle, Hydrogeologist
Founder of Finsterle GeoConsulting, he is the main developer of the key iTOUGH2 simulation-optimization framework and is the co-developer of the TOUGH suite of nonisothermal multiphase flow and transport codes used by the U.S. government and others to analyze underground flow. Stefan has worked with nuclear waste agencies and private industry in the United States, Europe (Nagra, Switzerland; SKB, Sweden; Posiva, Finland; RWM, UK), Asia (KORAD, Korea; CNNC, China), and the United Nations (IAEA).
John Apps, Geochemist
After eight years of research into copper recovery from mine waste, Apps joined the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory where he developed a geochemistry research program for the Basalt Waste Isolation Project at the Hanford Reservation. He was a Department Head and Staff Senior Scientist of LBL’s Earth Sciences Division and conducted research programs addressing environmental and mission-oriented issues relating to nuclear and hazardous waste disposal and containment, including the Yucca Mountain Project.
Jonathon Angell, Business Development
Silicon Valley business advisor with over 20 years’ experience, from startups to Fortune 500 companies. He has executed company strategies leading to increased market share, brand dominance, return on investment, and high valuations for equity holders. Angell has worked with companies such as Hitachi, Toyota, General Motors, Phillips, Merrill Lynch, and Ubisoft.
Steve Mosher, Director for Asia/Pacific
A scientist at Berkeley Earth, Moser has written and maintains several R-packages devoted to analyzing temperature and climate data with open source tools. He has recently transitioned to the consumer sector and specializes in bringing new technology to market.
Mike McBride, Legal Counsel
His practice is focused on litigation, arbitration, mediation, and negotiations involving transportation, energy, and environmental issues, as well as nuclear regulatory matters. McBride’s clients have included electric utilities, the American Petroleum Institute, and Edison Electric Institute.
Jamie Rector
Senior Geoengineer
Founded and successfully sold three borehole geophysics companies to NYSE-listed companies. Also founded Berkeley GeoImaging, which developed and currently manages oil and gas assets in the Midcontinent, Rockies, and Gulf of Mexico. Rector been a Senior Consultant to BP, Chevron, and Unocal on borehole seismic technology and is the founder of the oil and gas PE fund (Berkeley GeoImaging). He has raised over $80 million to drill boreholes for oil and gas throughout the United States.
- ASTM Sam Tour Award
Joe H. Payer
Corrosion and Reliability Engineer
An internationally recognized expert in corrosion mitigation, materials performance and reliability, and performance assessment. Chief Scientist Emeritus for the National Corrosion Center. Payer played a key role in the analysis of materials performance for the long-term disposal of spent nuclear fuel at Yucca Mountain and provided technical input to the DOE’s Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste. He is past president of NACE International, a Fellow of ASM International, and has received the ASTM Sam Tour Award for Distinguished Contributions to the Development and Evaluation of Corrosion Testing Methods.
Stefan Finsterle
Hydrogeologist
Founder of Finsterle GeoConsulting, he is the main developer of the key iTOUGH2 simulation-optimization framework and is the co-developer of the TOUGH suite of nonisothermal multiphase flow and transport codes used by the U.S. government and others to analyze underground flow. Stefan has worked with nuclear waste agencies and private industry in the United States, Europe (Nagra, Switzerland; SKB, Sweden; Posiva, Finland; RWM, UK), Asia (KORAD, Korea; CNNC, China), and the United Nations (IAEA).
John Apps
Geochemist
After eight years of research into copper recovery from mine waste, Apps joined the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory where he developed a geochemistry research program for the Basalt Waste Isolation Project at the Hanford Reservation. He was a Department Head and Staff Senior Scientist of LBL’s Earth Sciences Division and conducted research programs addressing environmental and mission-oriented issues relating to nuclear and hazardous waste disposal and containment, including the Yucca Mountain Project.
Jonathon Angell
Business Development
Silicon Valley business advisor with over 20 years’ experience, from startups to Fortune 500 companies. He has executed company strategies leading to increased market share, brand dominance, return on investment, and high valuations for equity holders. Angell has worked with companies such as Hitachi, Toyota, General Motors, Phillips, Merrill Lynch, and Ubisoft.
Steve Mosher
Director for Asia/Pacific
A scientist at Berkeley Earth, Moser has written and maintains several R-packages devoted to analyzing temperature and climate data with open source tools. He has recently transitioned to the consumer sector and specializes in bringing new technology to market.
Mike McBride
Legal Counsel
His practice is focused on litigation, arbitration, mediation, and negotiations involving transportation, energy, and environmental issues, as well as nuclear regulatory matters. McBride’s clients have included electric utilities, the American Petroleum Institute, and Edison Electric Institute.