Elizabeth Thompson is a Strategic Consultant with RenUSA, bringing a strong analytical, detail-oriented approach to her work. With a background in law and a passion for connecting with people, she excels at building relationships, understanding diverse viewpoints, and conducting thorough research. Over the past year and a half, she has worked closely with farmers and rural landowners to understand how renewable energy projects impact their livelihoods and strengthen their communities.
Elizabeth supports the eastern region and manages Farm-to-Power efforts in Indiana and Michigan. She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in International Business and a Juris Doctor from the University of Memphis.
A proud Tennessean now living in Northern Virginia, she enjoys reading, hiking, watching football, and spending time with her husband and four children. She believes that proactive listening and putting yourself in others’ shoes is essential to finding common ground in this work.
Chad Thompson serves as a Senior Strategic Consultant for RenUSA. He is also the co-founder of Thompson Public Strategies, where he has guided clients through complex land use decisions for over two decades. Thompson’s 15 years of experience includes securing permits for over 2GW of wind and solar projects for his clients. His unique expertise stems from a combination of strategic consulting experience and over a decade of running political campaigns, ranging from local to presidential levels. Thompson also previously ran for state legislature. He leverages this background to provide unique insight into the convergence of politics and permitting decisions.
When not consulting, Chad enjoys backpacking, live music, college football and spending time with his wife and four children.
Josh Hartke grew up on a corn and soybean farm in rural Illinois before attending the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and communications. From there, he spent over a dozen years working in various political campaigns from city council to governor of Illinois, as well as several successful ballot initiatives.
After serving on the Champaign County board for 6 years, Josh went to work for Apex Clean Energy in Public Engagement as Senior Illinois Field Manager, obtaining 3 major wind permits, 2 solar permits, a battery permit, and various MOUs for solar and battery. He loves time in the woods with his wife and dogs, and he has been known to serve as a dungeon master on a number of adventures.
A Project Associate, Kaylee Gibbs supports the West Region team with community engagement, project management, and internal research. As one of RenUSA’s newest employees, she has excelled at forming and maintaining stakeholder relationships, driven by her passion for the environment and deep respect for the communities the company serves.
With a B.S. in Environmental and Ecosystem Sciences and a focus in Economic Sustainability from Washington State University, Kaylee brings a strong academic foundation to her work, further strengthened by her experience in the ASWSU student government’s sustainability department. Based in Eastern Washington, she is enthusiastic about contributing to the region’s progress and values communication as the backbone of lasting relationships.
Outside of work, she enjoys thrifting, crafting, hiking, and traveling—always seeking out local thrift stores when exploring new places. Eager to learn and grow, Kaylee is grateful to be part of a team that continues to expand her knowledge of sustainability and community-focused development.
John Wright is a Project Manager who leads community engagement, messaging, and stakeholder communications across the western region. In his first year with the team, he has brought organized, detail-driven project management, strong cross-team coordination, and a talent for translating complex renewable-energy topics into clear, accessible messaging.
Rooted in a lifelong commitment to environmental stewardship, he helps clients communicate authentically and build support for clean-energy development. His recent work in Washington, Oregon, and California has reinforced the value of being present in local communities and engaging with residents directly and respectfully.
John holds a Political Science degree from BYU and previously worked as a science educator, residential solar project manager, AHJ/utilities liaison, and corporate trainer. Currently based in Utah and planning a move to the Pacific Northwest with his partner and three cats, he enjoys 3D printing and painting miniatures, tabletop games, camping, and festivals.
Tom Schwarz is a Senior Director at RenUSA, where he focuses on elevating community voices and ensuring that infrastructure projects improve quality of life. With more than 20 years of experience in government, non-profits, and the private sector, he has led campaigns and community outreach efforts grounded in a deep interest in people and what motivates them. Working primarily in Arizona, New Mexico, and Wyoming, Tom supports battery storage, solar, and wind projects, and partners with non-profits to organize landowners around property rights and renewable energy development.
He holds a B.A. in Political Science from Boise State University and is based in the Dallas–Fort Worth area with his wife and two daughters. An aspiring writer, philosophy nerd, and avid reader, he enjoys traveling with his family and rooting for the Indiana Pacers and Boise State Broncos.
Ashley is a Senior Project Manager who leads community engagement efforts across several regions of the western U.S. She collaborates with landowners, local partners, and organizations to support strategy, communication, and investments rooted in local priorities. Drawing on years of field-based work, she emphasizes consistency, clear communication, and trust-building in rural communities. Her approach centers on connecting diverse groups, strengthening community partnerships, and supporting meaningful local outcomes.
As Senior Communications Manager, Gillian Kelahan oversees operational processes, develops messaging and strategy, supports marketing efforts, and strengthens the team from within. After nearly four years working at RenUSA, she brings strong organization, adaptability, and a deep understanding of field and client needs to her role.
With a Sociology degree from Washington College, Gillian is passionate about understanding what matters to people and why they love where they live, especially in the rural communities she works in. Her regional focus includes Illinois and Michigan, and she is proud to have supported key permit wins in both states, as well as the first-ever permitted wind project in Arkansas in 2023 with her team.
A former Special Education professional, she carries forward the importance of listening—often the strongest tool in fieldwork. Based in Delaware with her husband, she enjoys the state’s green spaces, a slower pace of life, and spending her free time reading, crafting, and cooking.
Amber Clayton is the Chief Administrative Officer at RenUSA, where she manages the company’s human resources, executive assistance, and finance functions. With more than twenty years of experience in executive administration and human resources across industries such as energy, law, and manufacturing, she excels at ensuring internal processes run smoothly and efficiently. Amber thrives on the behind-the-scenes work—making sure every detail is in place so the organization can operate at its best.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management from Hamline University. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her family, friends, and four-legged companions, especially on the lake. She believes communication is essential—and that there can never be too much of it.
Grace Lacke is a Regional Vice President and the Central Team Lead for RenUSA, leading the company’s work across the Midwest and into the Southwest. In these positions, Grace draws on her strengths in communication, relationship-building, and finding common ground—skills shaped by growing up in a town of fewer than 1,000 people. That background keeps her focused on how projects tangibly affect communities, ensuring they have a reliable point of contact and a meaningful voice in major developments.
Based in Madison, Wisconsin, Grace has supported successful projects across the region, including in Michigan, Iowa, Illinois, and Arkansas. She holds a BS in Political Science from Edgewood University and is an alum of the Emerge WI 2020 cohort, following earlier work as a campaign manager and finance director.
Outside of work, she enjoys Badgers basketball with her dad, barre classes, volleyball, and exploring new food and travel spots with her sister. She approaches every field visit with curiosity, always aiming to learn from the people and places she serves.
Dave D’Onofrio is Senior Vice President of RenUSA and leads the East Region, working closely with the team to drive project success and secure approvals across a wide range of energy, data center, and policy initiatives. With about five years at the company, he brings extensive experience from countless communications “battles,” a strong crisis communications background, and a skill for identifying the right message for the right audience. Dave is especially proud of the team’s accomplishments in Northern Michigan and North-Central Pennsylvania, as well as the lessons learned through challenging projects in Virginia and Louisiana.
A graduate of Wesleyan University, he values creative problem-solving and believes that even when a project appears unlikely to succeed, persistence and fresh thinking can uncover new paths forward. Outside of work, Dave enjoys spending time with his family, golfing, skiing, and following a wide range of sports.
Kate Peters is RenUSA’s President, leading the organization’s client advocacy efforts, ensuring consistency and value, and supporting what she calls the best team in the business. A writer, communicator, and news junkie, she helps shape messaging and media strategies and is especially passionate about frontline communications training and crisis communications.
Committed to the power of conversation and trust-building, she values the meaningful opportunities that emerge when trust is earned in communities she spends time with. With regional expertise in the Southwest and Rocky Mountain West— and experience nationwide— Kate brings more than two decades of PR, public affairs, and strategic communications work in the energy industry.
She holds a journalism degree from UNC–Chapel Hill and lives in Denver, where she enjoys skiing, hiking, biking, camping, and paddleboarding with her husband, two children, and their dog, Chip.
Jeremy Jones is a Project Manager with three years of experience at RenUSA, building strong relationships with local organizations and non-profits while helping communities understand the benefits of renewable energy. Working across the Southern, Eastern, and Central United States, he partners with clients such as Pattern, RWE, Recurrent, Swift Current, and Ampliform.
Jeremy is known for fostering trust, leading effective community outreach, and communicating complex information clearly. Driven by a commitment to environmental conservation and community well-being, he brings a background that includes roles in radio promotions, law, and social case management.
A Monroe, Louisiana native now based in New Orleans, he holds a B.A. in Communications from the University of Louisiana at Monroe and an M.A. in Public Relations from Full Sail University. In his free time, he enjoys being with family and his two dogs, learning new things, reading, watching new shows, playing games, singing, and listening to music.
Ben Kelahan has been working in the field of engagement for 30 years. Whether its state and local public officials, voters, or rural and urban community groups, Ben has a passion for understanding community priorities and aligning them with his clients’ projects and policy goals.
As a seasoned field organizer, Ben has represented clients and complex issues across industries – from tobacco and oil and gas to clean energy, data centers and labor unions. He is known for building diverse coalitions, sharing clear information and cultivating common ground, even in crisis.
A natural entrepreneur, Ben has launched multiple campaigns and companies in both the nonprofit and for-profit sectors, including Farm-To-Power, Western Freedom, and RenUSA. He is especially interested in the psychology behind political action and what motivates communities and decision-makers.
With an undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Maine and a Masters of Public Administration in state and local government management and urban policy, Ben hopes to one day continue his academic interests in political psychology and get out of airplanes. He lives in the data center capital of the world, Loudoun County, VA with his family, and cherishes the wild outdoors any chance he can get on his travels.
(1970 – 2023)
The RenUSA family lost our co-founder, colleague, mentor, and friend, Larry Holdren, in November 2023. Larry was an essential part of us and will be remembered always for his love of this team and our work.
So many of our achievements, advancements, and relationships started with an introduction made by Larry, a man who never knew a stranger. He brought unmatched talent as a communicator, energy expert, and powerful connector, and an unwavering passion for advancing the cause.
We miss him greatly and will carry his spirit forward.
