Board of Directors

ASPO-USA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Sharon Astyk, is a writer, teacher and small farmer whose work focuses on energy, environmental and agricultural concerns. Her MA and unfinished Ph.d focused on the demographic, ecological and economic effects of the Black Death on Renaissance populations, but she abandoned academia to focus on the demographic, ecological and economic affects of our collective energy and environmental crisis. She is the author of three books on peak oil, climate change, food and the process of adaptation to our new realities. She and her family also run Gleanings Farm, a small upstate NY farm that sells pastured poultry, dairy goats, medicinal herb products and herb and vegetable plants. She is an energy and environmental blogger for Scienceblogs, the high traffic all-science blogging site on the web.

Jim Baldauf, is a Co-founder and Director of ASPO-USA and served as the lead organizer of the 2007 Houston Peak Oil Conference. Jim’s background as a life-long environmental activist and a Texas oilman prove that energy and ecology are inextricably linked. His work in corporate communications and non-profit public education led him to organize and speak at several peak oil outreach meetings prior to the founding of ASPO-USA. He works and lives with his wife Rosalind in Austin, Texas.

Dave Room, co-founded Bay Localize, a public benefit organization that inspires and supports Bay Area residents in building resilient communities, and coordinates the Local Clean Energy Alliance. He was instrumental in the start up  of Post Carbon Institute, playing a key role in donor cultivation, the End of Suburbia screening campaign, and the local groups. He was also a frequent interview on Global Public Media. Dave’s most important identifier is Melia’s Papa.  On stage, Melia’s Papa uses storytelling and solo performance theater (The Monkey Trap) to awaken and activate mainstream audiences, people of color, and youth. Dave is leading efforts to use new media and social media for social change and political advocacy. Dave coined the term “Energy Preparedness” and was on the Oil Independent Oakland by 2020 task force.  He has B.S in Electrical Engineering with a Power Systems focus and a M.S. in Engineering-Economic Systems from Stanford University.  Follow Dave on Twitter.

Ron Swenson, is an expert in solar and renewable energy technologies. He holds multiple technical degrees from StanfordUniversity including an MS in Mechanical Engineering. He has held numerous public service positions. View complete resume’.