SACE Director of Policy & Communications, Jennifer Rennicks, contributed to this post.
As a regional organization, SACE staffers have the unique opportunity of working with a huge number of outstanding organizations and individuals across several states. There are so many hard working and dedicated groups fighting tirelessly to promote clean energy across the Southeast, and we are lucky to be counted among them.
Working in one of the least energy-progressive regions in the U.S., we are constantly faced with new challenges and fighting to reach new milestones. The energy field is continuously changing, and new developments and successes run in and out of the news cycle so quickly that it can be hard for the public to keep up. In the last few weeks, however, a few groups took the opportunity to assess the events of the past year and to award certain individuals who have truly made a difference in bringing clean energy to their community. We’re pleased to announce that two SACE staffers were among those honored for their unique roles and tireless dedication to promoting responsible energy choices here in our region.
Protecting Her Community: Sara Barczak Champions Environmental Justice
On April 28, SACE’s High Risk Energy Director, Sara Barczak, was honored by Georgia Women’s Action for New Directions (Georgia WAND) at their annual Mother’s Day for Peace event for her “tireless dedication to environmental justice.” Sara shares this award with fellow honorees Mindy Goldstein (the Director of Emory University School of Law’s Turner Environmental Law Clinic) and Diane Curran (a nationally recognized expert and attorney in the field of nuclear safety and security).
In announcing this year’s award recipients, Georgia WAND’s outgoing Executive Director, Bobbie Paul, noted that “this year we’re celebrating the work of some of the toughest legal minds and most accomplished environmental activists I know. Each one of these women embodies a unique strength that is helping us build a powerful movement for clean and sustainable energy and healthy communities.”
Winning with Wind in the Southeast
Just one week later, on May 9, SACE’s Renewable Energy Manager, Simon Mahan, was presented with the 2013 Novus Ventus (New Wind) Award at Wind Powering America’s All States Summit held in Chicago. One of just 10 Outstanding Partner Awards recognized throughout the country, this award celebrates the accomplishments as well as the potential of young leaders (those under 30) working to promote wind energy across the U.S. Simon was chosen for this award because of his “dedication to wind energy research efforts” and his efforts to “help to ignite interest in land-based and offshore wind development in the Southeast.” Simon’s efforts and leadership were certainly a factor in SACE being recognized as the “Outstanding Wind Powering America Partner” for 2012 at last year’s conference in Atlanta.
SACE is thrilled to have these remarkable clean energy champions on our staff, and we are pleased to see them recognized for their achievements. We look forward to their future accomplishments, and we are excited to continue working with them to achieve even greater things in the months to come.