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
- MacArthur Genius Award
- Breakthrough Prize
Richard Muller
Chief Technology Officer
Professor Emeritus of Physics at University of California, Berkeley. Founded two Nobel Prize-winning projects in experimental physics (the discovery of dark energy and the structure of the Big Bang). Inventor and first to demonstrate Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS). Founded Berkeley Earth, which analyzes land temperature data. JASON advisor to the US government on national security for 34 years. Recipient of the MacArthur Prize (“the genius award”), Breakthrough Prize, Texas Instruments Prize, Waterman Award of US National Science Foundation, and many others. Author of over 15 Deep Isolation patent applications (three awarded so far), over 100 refereed journal articles, and 10 books including “Energy for Future Presidents.” Noted for his ability to combine disparate disciplines in a way that leads to innovative breakthroughs.
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
A high-level expert in international strategy development and delivery for governments and businesses. Edwards has a track record in over 40 countries and has worked for major corporations including Microsoft, Intel, Dell and HP, as well as with global organizations including the World Bank and UN. A former senior UK civil servant, he co-led digital transformation in the Blair government from 2000 to 2004.
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
Jim VossNuclear Engineer
Stefan FinsterleHydrogeologist
Mary Louise WagnerGovernment Affairs Senior Advisor
Aristidis (Aries) LoumisGeneralist
Jenelle McCardleExecutive Assistant to the CEO
John GrimsichAssistant to the CTO
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. Brinton 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.
Jim Voss
Nuclear Engineer
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.
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. Finsterle 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).
Mary Louise Wagner
Government Affairs Senior Advisor
With over 30 years of experience working on public policy issues in Washington, DC, Wagner been at the forefront of legislative strategy and leadership in the nuclear waste arena in both Congress and the Executive Branch of the Federal Government. She served as Democratic Staff Director for the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources until her retirement from federal service in February 2019.
Aristidis (Aries) Loumis
Generalist
A nuclear engineer who specializes in waste management and radiological monitoring, Loumis has experience working with non-profits, in community outreach, and as a science communicator and climate advocate. He was formerly the CEO of the startup Lumos Industries Inc. and brings frontline marketing and entrepreneurial experience to the team.
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.
John Grimsich
Assistant to the CTO
A technical staff member at UC Berkeley’s Environmental Planetary Science Labs, Grimsich oversees and maintains EPS labs, specialized equipment, and machine shops. He has expertise in geology and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS), with experience in isotopic systems relevant to deep geologic repositories.
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
An advocate for environmental progress and justice, Ma 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.
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, Mosher 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.
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, Mosher 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.