SEIA Expands Executive Team, Doubles Down on Strategic Imperatives for 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) announced an expansion of its executive team today as the organization prepares for a strong advocacy push in 2021.

Evelyn Butler will serve as vice president of technical services, leading SEIA’s work on a range of critical issues that facilitate continued solar growth and mitigate business risks for solar companies. Ms. Butler’s portfolio will include work on solar codes and standards, workforce development, corporate social responsibility and the circular economy including PV recycling, among other issues.

In her five years with SEIA, Ms. Butler has worked across the organization on many key issues and has fostered more collaboration with industry on technical best practices and codes and standards proposals. Through her work, she established SEIA’s PV Recycling Network, helped to create requirements for solar on new homes in California, and improved solar permitting through SolarAPP+. In her role, Ms. Butler will elevate and amplify SEIA’s emphasis and action on these key issues, among others, as the organization equips the solar industry to manage its growth and address market barriers over the next several years.

Roderick Lewis is SEIA’s new vice president of member services, responsible for developing and driving all phases of the organization’s membership growth strategy, including recruitment, retention and membership upgrades.

Mr. Lewis has led SEIA’s membership team since mid-2019 and has worked in association sales for more than 20 years. SEIA has set a goal for solar to reach 20% of all U.S. electricity generation by 2030, and Mr. Lewis will work to ensure that SEIA’s membership mirrors the industry’s growth and that the organization has the resources it needs to effectively advocate for a maturing industry.

“I’m so proud of the team we’ve built and the results we have been able to deliver for solar workers and businesses over the past few years,” said Abigail Ross Hopper, SEIA’s president and CEO. “SEIA’s bold vision requires capable executives to carry out our strategic imperative to lead America’s transition to a clean energy economy. Roderick and Evelyn have served SEIA’s members exceptionally well, and they are outstanding additions to our leadership team as we ready ourselves for the challenges ahead.”

In addition to his role as SEIA’s vice president of state affairs, Sean Gallagher will also direct SEIA’s federal regulatory affairs efforts. Mr. Gallagher previously represented the California Public Utilities Commission at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), and has supported utility-scale solar project development on public and tribal lands. He has also worked on matters related to the Section 1603 Treasury Grant Program and the U.S. Department of Energy’s loan guarantee program. Mr. Gallagher will lead SEIA’s work to defend and expand competitive, open markets for solar, a critical area of focus for the association at both the state and federal levels.

SEIA will be filling additional positions under Mr. Gallagher to lead the industry’s advocacy on issues such as increasing renewable energy deployment on public lands, the implementation of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act, fair treatment of distributed energy resources, fair electricity market rules and greater collaboration with Regional Transmission Organizations and compliance with the Paris Climate Accord.

All changes to SEIA’s executive team are effective immediately.

###

About SEIA®: 

The Solar Energy Industries Association® (SEIA) is leading the transformation to a clean energy economy, creating the framework for solar to achieve 20% of U.S. electricity generation by 2030. SEIA works with its 1,000 member companies and other strategic partners to fight for policies that create jobs in every community and shape fair market rules that promote competition and the growth of reliable, low-cost solar power. Founded in 1974, SEIA is a national trade association building a comprehensive vision for the Solar+ Decade through research, education and advocacy. Visit SEIA online at www.seia.org and follow @SEIA on Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. 

Media Contact: 

Morgan Lyons, SEIA’s Senior Communications Manager, mlyons@seia.org (202) 556-2872