Staff

Tom Price – Executive Director
Tom spent almost ten years on Capitol Hill in Washington DC working for conservation groups, and was elected Chairman of the Environmental Advisory Committee for the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympics. A former journalist, he was the first American to report from the island nation of Tuvalu about their losing fight with the rising tides of climate change, and in 2006 he was banned from Botswana for his reporting on the Bushman tribe’s struggle with the diamond industry. His work as Environmental Manager for the “Green Man” year at Burning Man led to his founding of Black Rock Solar. He lives in San Francisco with his wife Andie and their daughter, Juniper.

Marnee Benson – Program and Development Manager

Marnee is an environmental journalist and project manager who recently organized a worldwide sailing expedition and global warming lecture series. While growing up in New Mexico, Marnee played tennis in the high-desert sun, ripped it up at local ski resorts, and rode bikes with her friends. She’s lived in Reno for more than ten years, after stops in Jackson Hole and southern California– where she played beach volleyball and studied math at San Diego State University. Marnee traded in her tennis racket and bikinis for carabiners and climbing shoes when she hit the Sierra Nevada, and she recently graduated from UNR with two master’s degrees in Environmental Science and Environmental Policy. She organized the Tour de Nez bike race for three years and sailed with Greenpeace International before turning her attention full-time to Black Rock Solar. In her spare time, Marnee counts her lucky stars for being able to work with the Holland Project and March Fourth Marching Band.

Amani Ellen Loutfy – Operations Manager

Amani brings to Black Rock Solar 15 years’ management experience. She is extremely savvy with the internet and social network technologies, and carries an understanding of web publishing and content management. She also has strong analytical skills with regards to for- and non-profit business models and best practices.

Amani has worked with such companies as Burning Man, WorldChanging, iCopyright, Static Factory Media and Bill Graham Presents in multiple capacities, from Director of Public Relations to Executive Director. All of this coupled with her extensive and varied experience both in and out of the public sector, in industries ranging from special events management to community-focused nonprofit organizations, makes her an ideal fit as operational ‘ground control’ for the Black Rock Solar team. Amani believes that all things are possible when collaboration is at the heart of any endeavor.

Rosalie Fay Barnes- K-12 Educational Design & Special Projects

In 2009, immediately after graduating from the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE), Rosalie relocated to San Francisco to work with the Burning Man community. While at HGSE and on a full scholarship, Rosalie earned two Masters in Education-The first in Technology & Innovation, and the second in Mind & Brain. Rosalie’s undergraduate degree was in theater from Brandeis University and she is also a trained yoga teacher, so when she’s not developing costumes, characters, and scripts, she can be found leading herself and others in various stretching activities.

Matt Mynttinen – Co-Founder

Matt began his career working with homeless youth and people living with HIV. After moving to the west coast, he honed his business skills as a strategy and management consultant to some of Silicon Valley’s largest and best known companies. In 2007, he managed the solar installations at the Burning Man Festival, Gerlach Schools, and Pershing General Hospitals, and co-founded the Black Rock Solar organization. Matt now leads new project development for Black Rock Solar.

Richard Scott- Construction Manager

Richard has worked in the construction industry for more than 30 years. Certified in every piece of heavy equipment you can imagine, he’s also a steady hand in a tough spot. He met many of his current colleagues while working in the Gulf Coast following Hurricane Katrina, where he went six months straight without a single day off. When not working with Black Rock Solar, he is the Heavy Equipment Manager for Black Rock City, NV.

Joe Pizur Photovoltaic Supervisor (NABCEP)

Joe began working in the renewable energy business in Nevada in 1996 and started Alternative Energy Solutions in 2002. Joe has earned the following distinctions in the state of Nevada:

• 2002 First Xantrex certified dealer
• 2002 First (and only) Xantrex/Trace/Heart authorized service center
• 2003 First Sharp inverter service center
• 2003 First NABCEP certified installer
• 2004 First photovoltaic specific contractor’s license
• 2004 First Sierra Pacific Power Company rebate project (Washoe Tribe)
• 2007 First Magnum authorized service center

Board of Directors

Marian Goodell- President

Marian Goodell – President

Ms. Goodell holds a BA in Creative Writing from Goucher College in Baltimore and an MFA in photography from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco.  She worked in sales, public relations, and project management before arriving at Burning Man in 1995.  As Director of Business and Communications and for Black Rock City, LLC, Ms. Goodell oversees year-round media relations, print production, and writing of a 90,000+ member newsletter, as well as management of accounting, legal, government relations and administrative processes.  In 2003 she added oversight of the event’s pre- and post-production team known as the DPW, or Department of Public Works.  Her supervision of technology infrastructure for the organization has included an internal extranet, several thousand page web site, multiple blogs, and moderated participant-submitted image gallery.  Ms. Goodell is actively involved with the Burning Man Regional Network that she developed in 1997, working with over 160 individuals in 125 locations worldwide to support local communities, inspire civic participation, and engage people through Burning Man’s ethics and values.  Marian is a founding board member of the Black Rock Arts Foundation and currently sits on the Advisory Board.  She is also a founding board member of Black Rock Solar and is currently President.  Other interests include overseas travel, becoming a skilled motorcycle rider and volunteer work with cats.

David Shearer, Vice President

Dr. David Shearer is co-founder and CEO of Full Circle Solutions, a green technology start-up developing biochar products for global agricultural and carbon sequestration applications. Prior to launching Full Circle Solutions, Dr. Shearer was Chief Scientist at California Environmental Associates where he worked in the next generation transportation, energy, carbon mitigation, and information technology space. In addition to his private sector activities, Dr. Shearer has directed groundbreaking work in both public policy and philanthropic investment for climate change mitigation and he sits on several non-profit and educational boards.

Matt Cheney- Treasurer

Mr. Cheney is the former CEO of Fotowatio Renewable Ventures one of the largest developers and owner-operators of photovoltaic solar power systems in the US. Mr. Cheney has more than twenty-five years in the fields of civil engineering, energy, and environment, including experience with the U.S. Agency for International Development in South America, the National Rural Electric Co-op Association’s International Programs, the U.S. Department of Energy and the Utility PhotoVoltaic Group, now the Solar Electric Power Association.

Jerry Snyder- Secretary

Mr. Snyder is a Partner in the Reno office of Holland and Hart. Jerry practices in all areas of commercial and intellectual property litigation at both trial and appellate levels. He has represented a wide range of clients, including individual property owners, contractors, banks, insurance companies, publicly traded and pre-public companies, and the buyers and sellers of real and personal property.

Installation Crew From left: Tom Price, Travis Miller, Dave Lasky, Mike Small, Chris Bennett, Matt Deluge, Elisha Lyon, Jeremy Walker, Scott Stephenson, Dick Hughes (NABCEP certified), Konch Blindman, Matt Myntinnen, Gianluca Signorelli ( board advisor ), Richard Scott. Taken December 2nd, 2009, at the Food Bank of Northern Nevada