Who We Are
  The
Interwest Energy Alliance brings together a unique mix
of industry and non-governmental advocacy groups, which
helps facilitate a consensus-based approach to project
development throughout the West. Interwest's members
include:
About Us
Craig Cox
Executive Director
Craig Cox is executive director of the Interwest
Energy Alliance, a non-profit trade association that
represents the nation’s leading companies in the
renewable energy industry, bringing them together with
regional non-governmental organizations in the West
(Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and
Wyoming). Interwest performs outreach and
representational activities and seeks to build
collaborative, consensus-based approaches to new project
development and transmission siting throughout the West.
Cox has been active in renewable energy public policy
development since working for Congressman Dan Schaefer
in Washington, D.C., where he formed the U.S. House
Renewables and Energy Efficiency Caucus on Schaefer’s
behalf in 1996. Cox is currently a member of the Western
Governors’ Association’s Energy Working Group, and is
active in various other governmental and
non-governmental renewable energy policy and advocacy
organizations throughout the West. In 2005, Cox received
a “Wind Advocacy Award” from the American Wind Energy
Association and in 2007 the Colorado Environmental
Coalition’s “Conservation Award.” In 2008, Cox received
the first annual “Governor’s Excellence in Renewable
Energy” individual award from Colorado Governor Bill
Ritter.
Amanda Ormond
Southwestern
Representative
Amanda Ormond, Interwest’s southwestern
representative, is principal of the Ormond Group, a
consulting firm specializing in energy and environmental
project management, community and government relations
and policy development. She has 20 years of experience
in both government and the private sector in the energy
efficiency, renewable energy and the environmental
management fields. In the mid 1980’s, Ormond worked for
an environmental consulting firm on groundwater
pollution investigation and remediation. In 1987, she
joined the Arizona Department of Commerce’s Energy
Division. In 1995 she was appointed Energy Director,
where she served until 2001. She was responsible for
setting policy and managing a staff of 20 and an annual
budget of $10 million in energy efficiency, conservation
and renewable energy. In 2001 she launched the Ormond
Group to provide energy consulting services to
government, businesses and not-for-profit organizations.
Ronald L. Lehr
Consultant
Ronald L. Lehr practices law and consults clients
about energy regulation and business matters. Current
assignments include work for the National Renewable
Energy Laboratory on the DOE program "Wind Powering
America,” for the American Wind Energy Association on
transmission issues for wind energy, and for Resolve,
Inc. on the National Wind Coordinating Committee. He
also works for national trade organizations and private
firms on renewable energy policies and commercialization
strategies. He appears as an expert witness, sponsoring
testimony in utility merger, anti-trust, and government
claim litigation. He served for seven years from 1984 to
1991 as Chairman and Commissioner of the Colorado Public
Utilities Commission. He serves on corporate and
foundation boards of directors and boards of advisors.
He has completed terms as an appointed member of panels
charged to make recommendations on electric industry
restructuring and transmission needs to the Colorado
General Assembly, and as President and Commissioner of
the Denver Board of Water Commissioners, the water
utility for Denver and surrounding suburban areas.
Interwest Energy Alliance: Legislative
Representation
The Interwest Energy Alliance is represented in the
Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah legislatures by talented
and experienced governmental relations teams in each
state.
Arizona
Interwest is represented in the Arizona by the
Arizona Clean Power Alliance (ACPA), whose lobbying
effort is led by former legislator Ken Clark. Mr.
Clark has over twelve years of public outreach and
government relations experience and has worked in
various capacities to influence legislation at the state
and federal level. Mr. Clark was elected to the
State Legislature in 2002, and served until 2004, when
he was appointed as the Director of Arizona’s State
Energy Office. Mr. Clark advanced legislation related to
renewable energy as both a legislator and a state
employee.
Colorado
Chuck Malick is a veteran lobbyist at the Colorado
State Capitol. For the last twenty years Chuck has
worked on issues related to clean air, clean water, and
energy. In 1986 Chuck began lobbying for the Colorado
Public Interest Research Group and was soon embroiled in
the passage of the Colorado Safe Drinking Water Act. As
renewable energy and the over-reliance on fossil fuels
became centerpieces of Colorado public policy debates,
Chuck became active in legislative issues related to
finding new energy solutions and mitigating the damage
caused by current extractive energy practices. Chuck’s
lobbying organization, CNM Enterprises, is a mission
based firm that focuses on progressive environmental,
health, and public education issues.
New Mexico
In the New Mexico legislature, Interwest is
represented by Drew Setter & Associates, an
Albuquerque-based national government and public
relations firm that has extensive experience at all
levels of government. The firm’s principal, Drew
Setter, has more than ten years of political and
legislative experience at the federal, state, and local
levels working on economic development, taxation,
education, and other policy areas in the public and
private sectors.
Also representing Interwest in the New Mexico
legislature is Mari Anixter, who has extensive
experience in broadcast journalism and has served the
New Mexico legislature in key positions in House
Majority offices. A certified paralegal, business and
technical writer, Mari has expertise in governmental
affairs and public relations. In 2005, she teamed up
with Butch Maki & Associates, New Mexico’s largest
governmental and public relations firm to represent
finance, education and renewable energy clients. In
representing the Coalition for Clean Affordable Energy (CCAE),
Mari secured passage of the 2006 New Mexico Solar Market
Development Tax Credit Act, as well as building support
for several other clean energy initiatives.
Utah
Rob Jolley has worked as a lobbyist in Utah
for 20 years. He received a B.A. degree in Political
Science from Brigham Young University in 1984. While at
BYU he began working on political campaigns across the
United States. Until the end of 1996 he had a campaign
consulting business, but now he uses his campaign
expertise to help his clients with elections and
legislators, supportive of his clients.
After graduating from BYU, Rob joined Focus Marketing
and Governmental Affairs Consultants where he was
responsible for the firm’s state and local lobbying
efforts. In 1991, he started his own lobbying practice.
Since that time he has represented clients from a wide
range of industries — health care, telecommunications,
electric power, mining, and advertising — and has won
some of the hardest fought battles, both at the
legislature and before local governments.
Interwest Energy Alliance: Board of Directors
- Eric Blank, Iberdrola Community Energy
- Hap Boyd, GE Energy
- Tanuj Deora, Horizon Wind Energy
- Rick Gilliam, SunEdison
- Rob Gramlich, American Wind Energy
Association
- Mike Jacobs, UPC Wind Management, LLC
- Kevin Lynch, PPM Energy
- Edward Maddox, AES Wind Generation
- John Nielsen, Western Resource Advocates
- Tom Weis, enXco
- V. John White, CEERT
- Steve Wieland, Vestas
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