John Silkey

John has spent over two decades helping mission-driven organizations grow with purpose, lead with clarity, and deliver concrete impact. He’s dedicated his career to advancing energy efficiency and sustainability in ways that are both practical and transformative.

John’s relationship with SEEA spans nearly a decade, including seven years on the Board of Directors and terms as Vice Chair and Chair. Now at the helm, he’s focused on deepening SEEA’s regional impact and positioning the organization as a catalyst for inclusive, systems-level change.

Before stepping into this role, John led Headwater Services, where he coached nonprofit leaders on strategy, culture, and organizational design. At Milepost Consulting, John served as Executive of Operations and Account Delivery, where he spearheaded utility-focused energy efficiency programs, and played a pivotal role in scaling the firm’s impact and reach, leading strategic growth initiatives, and developing leadership programs that earned Milepost recognition as one of Washington’s Best Small Companies to Work For. He’s also held senior roles at American Efficient and Stillwater Energy designing and delivering programs for commercial and industrial customers.

John holds a Master’s in Strategic Leadership toward Sustainability from Blekinge Tekniska Högskola in Sweden and a BA from Dartmouth College. For John, leadership is about listening well, acting with integrity, and building teams that can do hard things together.

Justin Brightharp

Justin Brightharp serves as the energy efficient transportation manager supporting SEEA’s transportation initiatives through policy, research, and stakeholder engagement. His prior experience includes deploying clean transportation projects in the southeastern and western United States and coordinating the City of Atlanta’s fleet transition to electric vehicles.

Justin volunteers his time through different groups such as Generation Green, the Sierra Club Metro Atlanta Group, and Young Professionals in Foreign Policy. Justin has a bachelor’s degree in geosciences from Georgia State University.

William D. Bryan, Ph.D.

Will Bryan serves as SEEA’s director of research. Prior to this role, Will served as a built environment project manager. Before joining SEEA in 2018, Will taught at Georgia State University in Atlanta and conducted independent research as a postdoctoral fellow at Emory University.

Will earned a bachelor’s degree from Furman University, and an master’s and doctorate from Penn State University. He is the author of a book about conservation policy in the South, which is based on his award-winning doctoral dissertation, The Price of Permanence: Nature and Business in the New South (University of Georgia Press, 2018).

When he’s not at work, you can find Will out searching for the best donut in Atlanta.

Amy Lovell

Amy Lovell joined the Research Team at SEEA in 2024, bringing a wealth of expertise in planetary science and solar energy research. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Agnes Scott College and her doctorate in Astronomy from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. With her unique perspective on energy and efficiency, Amy is passionate about education, asking questions, and using data to tackle complex challenges.

Her commitment to environmental and social justice fuels her advocacy for energy equity and efficiency in the Southeast. Outside of her professional endeavors, Amy enjoys sharing time with family, taking walks, playing games, and being in the trees.

Ashley McBride, Esq.

Ashley McBride joined SEEA as director of policy in 2023.  In her role, Ashley is most excited about leading and managing policy efforts to increase regional investments in advancing energy efficiency in the Southeast and advocating for policies that invest equitably in communities within the region.

Before joining SEEA, Ashley led Oakland County, Michigan’s first community engagement division, served as a Legislative Director for a state representative, and as a Judicial Law Clerk. Ashley previously served as an Executive Board Member for the North Oakland NAACP chapter and is a board member of The Association of Detroit Mercy’s Black Law Alumni and a proud alumnus of Michigan State University’s Michigan Political Leadership Program.

Ashley received her bachelor’s from Wayne State University and her Juris Doctor from the University of Detroit Mercy. She is a proud Warrior, Titan, and Spartan (Go Green!). She is an avid foodie, loves to cook, and loves to travel with family/friends. 

Evelyn Pederson

Evelyn Pederson holds a Master’s degree in Accountancy and a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting with a concentration in Forensic Accounting. She is also a Certified Federal Contract’s Manager and Certified Fraud Examiner as well as a candidate for the Uniform CPA Exam. She has completed the Six Sigma Black Belt Certification program at Kennesaw State University.

With over 20 years of deep knowledge in pre and post-award contract management, federal acquisition regulations (FAR), and compliance, Evelyn excels in cost development, job costing, budget tracking, funding review, and financial analysis. As a results-driven leader, Evelyn implements strategic policies and procedures that enhance operational productivity and efficiency, while performing thorough financial and operational evaluations to drive business performance.

Evelyn is a seasoned finance leader with extensive experience advising executive team and overseeing all aspects of strategic and fiscal financial operations. With expertise spanning diverse industries including Construction/Engineering, Transportation, Not-for-profit, Venture Capital Start-ups, IT SaaS, Healthcare Resources, Aerospace Engineering, and Interior Design, Evelyn brings a broad, hands-on approach to financial management.

Sydney G. Roberts, Ph.D.

Kendall Sewell

Kendall Sewell (she/her) serves as a senior associate on SEEA’s Efficient Solutions team. She is an experienced collaborator, program manager, and green building certification reviewer. She is passionate about sustainability in the built environment with skills in program and data management, technical writing and reporting, and community engagement. Prior to joining SEEA, Kendall worked closely with the LEED rating system to recognize healthy, highly efficient, and cost-saving green buildings worldwide. Before that, Kendall lived in southwest Montana, where she managed Montana State University’s statewide private well-owner water quality testing and education program and provided technical assistance to local nonprofit organizations. She is thrilled to be able to contribute to the many energy efficiency projects SEEA has in its growing portfolio.

Kendall has earned LEED AP BD+C and holds a B.S.E.S. in Environmental Economics and Management and a Certificate in Sustainability from the University of Georgia. Go dawgs!

Outside of work, Kendall spends her time enjoying the great outdoors, exploring Atlanta’s culinary scene, and attending shows at many of the city’s great music venues.

Lily Smith

Laura Diaz-Villaquiran

Laura Diaz-Villaquiran is a Research Associate at the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance (SEEA). She holds a Master’s in Geographic Information Science & Technology (MS-GIST) from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Laura is passionate about leveraging geospatial data analysis to advance energy affordability and enhance community resilience across the Southeast. Her research focuses on mapping and analyzing energy trends, with particular emphasis on the human dimensions of energy, such as energy affordability, access, and climate resilience.

Outside of work, Laura enjoys strength training and reading a good book.

Liz Willis

Liz (she/her) is a Buildings Associate at SEEA. She graduated from the University of California—Santa Barbara with a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and history. Her favorite undergrad course was Green Architecture, which sparked her interest in sustainability in the built environment. She brings valuable insights as a LEED Green Associate and has experience in commercial HVAC optimization.

Liz is from Georgia and is committed to improving communities in the South. In her free time, she enjoys reading, making pottery, and listening to Taylor Swift. She’s also a big fan of trivia and board games!

Katie Strickland

Katie Strickland serves as SEEA’s Communications and Events Associate, supporting strategic messaging and the coordination of key organizational events. She holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Georgia and brings a strong foundation in marketing and brand storytelling to her role.

A native of Atlanta, Katie is passionate about advancing energy efficiency across the Southeast. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, discovering new restaurants, cheering on the Georgia Bulldogs, and all things Taylor Swift!