EESI Welcomes Two Energy Leaders to Its Board of Directors

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) is welcoming two new members to its board of directors: Philip R. Sharp, a former U.S. representative from Indiana who also led  Resources for the Future between 2005 and 2016, and Robert Jackson, a leader in the nonprofit space and former Michigan state energy official.

"Phil and Robert are going to bring so much to EESI’s board,” said EESI Board Chair Jared Blum. "As a former member of Congress, Phil is well placed to help guide our Congressional education, which started while he was serving the people of Indiana in the House of Representatives. At that time, I had the pleasure of working with Phil on the Energy Policy Act of 1992—he was the driving force behind that unprecedented piece of legislation. I’m thrilled he will bring his expertise, experience, and judgment to EESI. Robert is an expert in implementing energy policies at the state level who brings us important perspectives that will inform our briefings about the historic investments in climate solutions provided by Congress as well as our work advancing inclusive on-bill financing programs in rural areas."

"As the chair of the board’s Nominations Committee, ensuring our board has representation from a wide range of fields and backgrounds is critically important to me," said EESI Board Member Frank Murray. “I am confident that Phil and Robert will make immediate, impactful contributions to EESI.”

"Our board is a source of strength and knowledge, and I am very grateful for the efforts of Frank and Jared that led to Phil and Robert joining EESI leadership," said EESI President Daniel Bresette. "We need the best people in our corner as we confront the climate crisis.”

“As a former member of Congress, I value the contribution of organizations like EESI, which help ensure our policy-making is grounded in fact and our democracy addresses critical national challenges.”

Philip R. Sharp was the president of Resources for the Future, an independent and nonpartisan research institution that analyzes energy, environmental, and natural resource policies, from 2005 to 2016. In 2016, Sharp was awarded the James Schlesinger Energy Security Medal by then Secretary of Energy Ernie Moniz.

From 1975 to 1995, Sharp was a member of Congress representing Indiana. He played a prominent role in the development of landmark energy legislation, including the 1990 Clean Air Act amendments and the 1992 Energy Policy Act. Following his service in Congress, Sharp joined the Harvard Kennedy School faculty from 1995 to 2002 and served as director of its Institute of Politics for several of those years.

In addition to being a member of the MIT Energy Initiative’s External Advisory Board, Sharp also serves on the advisory board to Columbia’s Center for Global Energy Policy and as a senior advisor to Resources for the Future. He is chairman of the board of EcoAmerica, a non-profit climate advocacy organization. Previously, he served on the National Commission on Energy Policy, the Blue Ribbon Commission on the Future of Nuclear Power, and the National Academies study panel on America’s Climate Choices. Sharp holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and a PhD in government from Georgetown.

“I really appreciate the work EESI is doing in rural communities to help households and businesses become more energy efficient and sustainable.”

Robert Jackson is the executive director of the Retired Engineers, Scientists, Technicians, Administrators, Researchers, and Teachers (RESTART) Program at Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, Michigan, and the president of the RESTART Institute, a nonprofit that helps the private and public sectors decarbonize.

Before RESTART, Jackson directed the Michigan Energy Office, managing the State Energy Program, the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program, and the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Revolving Loan Fund. Jackson also served as the Energy Ombudsman for Michigan, responsible for resolving public and private sector energy disputes and monitoring utility compliance with the Michigan Public Service Commission’s code of conduct.

Jackson sits on the board of directors for the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), is the past chair of the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) and the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable, and former vice-chair of the Department of Energy’s State Energy Advisory Board. Jackson holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Science degree in chemical engineering from Wayne State University.

See a full roster of EESI's board of directors here.