Staff

Sarah Barnes joined the Southeastern Wind Coalition as an intern in August 2022. She is currently attending Duke University where she is pursuing her Master of Environmental Management with a focus in Environmental Policy and Community-Based Environmental Management. Sarah is also a graduate from Appalachian State University and holds a BS in Sustainable Development.

Sarah has experience working in both North Carolina state government and in the environmental nonprofit sector. She is interested in the role that policy plays in shaping environmental change and would like to pursue a career in environmental policy or community outreach and engagement when she graduates.

Ethan joined the Southeastern Wind Coalition in August 2022 as a North Carolina Program Associate. He conducts wind power research and assists education efforts in North Carolina as well as building coalition support and general outreach.

Ethan is from the East coast, having lived in many different states along it, and has called North Carolin home since 2013. In 2022 he completed his BA in Political Science with a minor in Business Administration at North Carolina State University. He joined the team with a background in grassroots organization and advocacy.

Hailey joined the Southeastern Wind Coalition as Program Associate in April 2022. In this role, Hailey works closely with the full SEWC team to conduct research and create educational materials to advance wind energy in Virginia and South Carolina.

In her free time, Hailey volunteers at Climate Cabinet, a nonprofit which provides district-specific climate information to candidates. In this role, she researches utilities’ oversight structures and energy portfolios to amplify on-the-ground perspectives in resource planning. Prior to joining SEWC, Hailey worked in development for the Institute for Market Transformation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting cities and states draft, adopt, and implement building decarbonization policy.

Hailey holds a BS in Earth Systems from Stanford University. While in school, she focused on oceans, atmosphere, and climate, and her thesis centered on the effects of climate change and fisheries management strategies on red abalone populations along the West Coast.

Victoria joined Southeastern Wind Coalition in February 2023 as a student intern conducting organization work and research for the supply chain map on wind energy in the Southeast. She is currently enrolled as a student at UNC Chapel Hill, pursuing an Environmental Science degree on the Quantitative Energy track. With an interest in policy and data analytics, she hopes to expand her breadth of knowledge on renewable energy technology including the supply chains and manufacturing processes to effectively promote decarbonization goals. She is also currently working as an intern for UNC’s Cleantech Summit Initiative in which she focuses on connecting students who have a passion for environmental sciences and renewable energy with industry leaders to foster career opportunities.

Katharine is the President of the Southeastern Wind Coalition. Since 2015 she has managed SEWC’s programming across 11 states working with a wide variety of stakeholders to promote land-based, offshore, and imported wind power.

Katharine’s experience in the wind industry includes working in finance for Boston-based developer First Wind, consulting with Vestas R&D to formulate a federal grant funding strategy, and a role as business development manager for The Wind Alliance. Katharine has also worked in other renewable energy capacities as an analyst at the Nicholas Institute and authoring an NREL paper on third-Party PPA financing of solar systems.

Prior to the Southeastern Wind Coalition, Katharine worked for RTI International where she was the finance lead for two $30M+ divisions. In her role at RTI Katharine led the creation and start-up of a new business segment that allowed RTI to win over $30M in new work during its first year.

Katharine is a 2009 graduate of Duke’s Fuqua School of Business and Nicholas School of the Environment, where she earned her MBA and Master of Environmental Management. Katharine currently services on the board of Advanced Energy as an appointee of North Carolina Governor, Roy Cooper..

You will often find Katharine somewhere in the woods running or on her bike. She lives in Chapel Hill with her husband and two kids.

Karly joined the Southeastern Wind Coalition in January 2022. She graduated from the University of North Carolina in Wilmington in 2021 with an MS in Coastal and Ocean Policy, completing a capstone on the economic and environmental impacts of the recycling industry and plastic waste trade on developing nations. Karly is also a graduate of Salisbury University in Salisbury, MD, and holds a BS in Biology.

As the North Carolina Program and Outreach Manager, Karly leads social media development and outreach efforts, member communications, and grassroots outreach in Southeastern North Carolina. In her role, she also manages all communication and social media responsibilities for SEWC’s 11-state footprint. In addition, Karly coordinates outreach efforts for the Offshore Wind for North Carolina Coalition, including grassroots/grasstops engagement, policy analysis, and strategy identification and execution.

Prior to joining SEWC, Karly collaborated with environmental grassroots organizations on various issues, including natural resource conservation, water quality research, plastic pollution research and outreach, and climate justice issues. Karly lives in Wilmington, NC, and volunteers for the Ocean Friendly Establishment Program in her free time, offering resources to help businesses improve their sustainability practices and earn recognition for their commitment to the environment.

Jenny joined the Southeastern Wind Coalition in July 2022. She graduated from Tulane University Law School with a Certificate in Environmental Law in 2013. Jenny is originally from Shreveport, LA and received a BA in English from Centenary College of Louisiana. Prior to joining SEWC, Jenny practiced environmental law focused on public water contamination.

As Louisiana Program Manager, Jenny spearheads the SEWC’s role in Louisiana. Jenny’s work includes engaging and educating stakeholders, tracking legislation and policy initiatives, and convening with other NGOs to advance the wind industry in the state.

Jenny is a Board Member of The Green Project in New Orleans, dedicated to diverting waste from landfills and recycling salvaged materials. She also serves on the Advisory Board of Glass Half Full NOLA. Jenny lives in New Orleans, LA.

Julia joined SEWC in March 2023 as the organization’s Program Director. With more than a decade of experience in energy consulting, Julia brings deep knowledge of clean energy, community engagement, and organizational leadership to the SEWC team. 

As a renewable energy program manager at global sustainability firm 3Degrees, Julia built her career consulting with utilities across the United States on program strategy, renewable development, and customer engagement. Julia has extensive experience with utilities and the communities they serve in the Southeast, having established and led partnerships with Dominion Energy, Southern Company, Duke Energy, and TVA. In her most recent role, she led a team of consultants designing custom decarbonization programs for gas and electric utilities. 

As the Program Director, Julia is responsible for implementing SEWC’s strategic plan, engaging stakeholders, and managing team members. In this role she applies her expertise in crafting strategic development plans to achieve organizational goals and address stakeholder interests. An experienced personnel manager, Julia brings valuable leadership best practices that optimize and expand the work and expertise of the SEWC team.

Julia holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Canterbury, a certificate in Executive Leadership from Cornell University, and a Master of Science in Energy and Sustainability from the University of Denver. Originally from New Zealand, Julia lives in Richmond with her husband and two children. When she’s not chasing a toddler around, Julia can be found enjoying one of the city’s hiking trails or world-class restaurants.