Community
Advisory Council
Members

David serves as Florida Energy Policy Manager for the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). He performs research on the electric power sector and advocates for policies that promote energy affordability, security, and reliability for Floridians while reducing pollution. He works on initiatives to diversify Florida’s energy resources, invest in its energy efficiency potential, and modernize the power grid with cutting-edge technology and best planning practices, with the goal of attaining lower energy costs and a grid that is resilient against increased climate threats.

Prior to joining EDF, David worked on distributed energy resource (DER) policies and programs at Austin Energy, the municipal electric utility that serves 500,000+ customers in Austin, Texas. He helped administer and enhance the utility’s residential and commercial solar incentive programs, oversaw its DER inspection program, led a multi-department update of Austin Energy’s DER interconnection policies, and co-led a redesign of the DER permitting process.

He holds a Master’s in Public Affairs from the University of Texas, and a Bachelor’s in Political Science from the University of Connecticut.

Carolyn Jones is the Chief Executive Officer of Mississippi Minority Farmers Alliance (MMFA). A community based non-profit organization established by a group of Black farmers who saw a need within their community to come together to preserve their community and legacy of the Black farmer. Carolyn currently works with new and beginning farmers, socially disadvantaged, limited resource, veteran farmers and ranchers and local communities on issues of sustainability & diversification; environmentally friendly farming; land retention; succession planning/heirs’ property management; financial management; marketing and community growth and development.

Nicole Steele is a nationally recognized leader and expert with over 20 years of experience in the clean energy transition with a focus on equitable access to the benefits of clean energy including household energy savings, community resiliency, and career pathways.

She recently joined Amalgamated Bank as the Director of Climate Policy where she leads the bank’s climate policy strategy. Prior to joining Amalgamated, she was instrumental in the development of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) programs including the National Clean Investment Fund (NCIF), Clean Communities Investment Accelerator (CCIA), and Solar for All (SFA) at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). She also worked in partnership with the U.S. Treasury on the Inflation Reduction Act’s solar energy tax credit guidance including the Low-Income Communities Bonus Tax Credit program. At the same time, she ran the Workforce and Equitable Access (WEA) team in the Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the head of the National Community Solar Partnership+ (NCSP) that created the Community Power Accelerator, a program designed to address the full ecosystem of connecting communities and small businesses to the financing needed to deploy clean energy, and many other initiatives that developed solutions for the rapid deployment of clean energy with true meaningful benefits.

Kyle Bridgeforth is an owner and operating partner at Bridgeforth Farms, a fifth-generation row-crop agribusiness headquartered in Tanner, Alabama that focuses on using modern technology and agronomics to grow high quality agricultural products. Bridgeforth primarily works with crop traceability and efficiencies along with revenue management. Beyond the farm he works closely with several industry associations including Bayer, United Soybean Board, National Black Growers Council, The Breakthrough Institute, Center for Food and Agriculture Dialogue and Office Chérifien des Phosphates (OCP Group).

Prior to the farm, Bridgeforth worked in the Executive Office of the President for the United States Trade Representative aiding the Agricultural Affairs team and the Trans-Pacific Partnership efforts. Locally, Bridgeforth is Vice President of the Athens-Limestone Hospital Board and a board member of the Limestone County Water and Sewage Authority. Bridgeforth graduated with a degree in International Studies: Business and Economics from Morehouse College.

A native Atlantan, Burunda Prince previously served as The Farm’s, NBC Universal’s tech accelerator, Managing Director prior to becoming the COO of RICE. A proven leader of complex organizations focused on exceptional outcomes, Ms. Prince brings to RICE the rich experiences in Fortune 500 corporations, management consulting, engineering, and civic engagement. She uses her considerable talents to embrace, challenge and improve ecosystems, helping entrepreneurs make their mark on the world. For Burunda, mentoring is as integral to business as finance, marketing and operations. A natural trailblazer, Ms. Prince’s professional, educational and civic contributions have been punctuated by ‘firsts and few’ – the first female consultant of color at Bain and one of a select few of women engineers at Procter & Gamble. Ms. Prince considers herself an honorary Yellow Jacket as she attended Georgia Tech as a high school student before heading to Cambridge to graduate from both MIT (chemical engineering) and Harvard (MBA). At MIT, she joined Alpha Kappa Alpha, Inc., the first historically black service based Greek sorority. 

H. Boyd Pettit, III is Partner and General Counsel for GeorgiaLink Public Affairs Group, LLC. Pettit, a practicing Attorney since 1979, served as a Democratic member to the Georgia General Assembly for five consecutive terms beginning in January 1983. Elected to the House of Representatives, succeeding newly elected Governor Joe Frank Harris, he was named a member of the House Appropriations, Judiciary, and Industry Committees. Pettit became Secretary to the Judiciary Committee and Chairman of the Public Services and Utilities Subcommittee of House Industry. During his membership in the House, Pettit served as Georgia’s representative to the Southern States Energy Board and was selected as a participant in the Leadership Georgia Class of 1987. In 1993, he joined GeorgiaLink Public Affairs Group while remaining active on behalf of local governments, local education entities, public bond finance issues, and local industrial recruitment and development. In September 2000, Pettit was selected to the Georgia State Board of Transportation. He was re-elected in January 2001 to a full five-year term. Pettit currently serves on the State Board of the Georgia Youth Science and Technology Centers and is an active member of Sam Jones Memorial United Methodist Church in Cartersville. Previously serving on Board of Directors of the North Metro Technical Institute Foundation, Pettit was a part of the effort to secure property, utilities, and funding for the state adult technical school. Boyd has two daughters, Dana and Bray. They reside in Cartersville, Georgia.

Lauren Waldrip previously acted as partner at Campbell Ward, a Little Rock based public affairs and public relations firm. A native of Moro, Lauren oversaw communications, promotional efforts, media relations, trade association management, event planning, marketing strategies, government relations, grassroots engagement and activities for state and federal PACs.

While at Campbell Ward, Lauren served as the Executive Director of the Arkansas Rice Federation and testified on behalf of farmers before the Public Service Commission regarding net metering.

She has worked as Project Coordinator for the Razorback Foundation, where she created and implemented a program that increased membership by 20%. Lauren assisted with the re-branding of the Razorback Foundation and aided in planning events for current and prospective donors. She has provided public relations assistance for U.S. Senator John Boozman and for the Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation.

Lauren serves on the Little Rock Water Reclamation Commission and the Arkansas Foodbank board. She has been named to Arkansas Business’ 20 in their 20’s and Arkansas Money and Politics’ Future 50 lists and is a Leadership Arkansas graduate.

Bill Bridgeforth is a fourth-generation farmer and partner at Bridgeforth Farms in Tanner, Alabama—one of the largest Black-owned row crop operations in the United States. The Bridgeforth family’s farming legacy dates back to the late 1800s, and today, the farm cultivates cotton, corn, soybeans, wheat, sorghum, and canola across more than 10,000 acres.

Bill holds a degree in Soil Science from Alabama A&M University and is known for implementing sustainable practices like crop rotation and no-till farming. Beyond his work on the farm, Bill is a leading advocate for Black farmers nationwide. He served as Chairman and now Chairman Emeritus of the National Black Growers Council, working to improve the efficiency and sustainability of Black row crop farmers. In recognition of his leadership and advocacy, he was honored as a “Champion of Change” by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Recently, Bill expanded the family legacy by launching Bridgeforth Cotton, a line of workwear and fashion-forward clothing made from cotton grown on the family’s land, featured in a national collaboration with Target. His commitment to innovation, stewardship, and empowering Black growers continues to inspire future generations in agriculture and beyond.

Kristofor Anderson is the director of energy resources for the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA). This division serves as the state of Georgia’s energy office, where Anderson manages millions of dollars in federal grants for energy efficiency, renewable energy, and energy resiliency. Anderson also manages the state energy office programs including the Weatherization Assistance Program, the State Energy Program, the Fuel Storage Tank Program, and multiple newly created programs by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. 

Prior to joining GEFA, Anderson was a planning consultant and worked on a range of planning and management programs for federal and energy industry clients. 

Anderson received a bachelor’s degree in geography from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and received a master’s degree in city and regional planning from the Georgia Institute of Technology. 

Hope Cupit is a William Fleming High School graduate and has a large network of family in the area. Hope’s mother was one of nine children–can you imagine all those aunts, uncles, and cousins? That large family in Hope’s life clarifies why leading SERCAP for Hope means fostering a family-like atmosphere amongst the SERCAP team.

Hope’s path towards SERCAP began when she was in middle school. She attended a school that offered career objective classes during part of the day. Hope selected accounting. The exposure really stuck with Hope and launched her on a career trajectory that began when she earned her accounting degree at James Madison University. Hope looks back on that time and muses, “Can you believe I actually stuck with that?” It’s true, she continued with that middle school interest and a career developed as a result.

Early in Hope’s career, while working at a regional CPA firm, she was an auditor for non-profit organizations. That was how Hope was originally introduced to SERCAP: she audited their books. Hope admits it was extremely challenging to audit the SERCAP books because of their complexities–she describes them as “intimidating”. While working on that project she recalls, “I didn’t quite understand or believe that there were still people without the basic necessities of life: water and safe housing.” This exposure to the significance of the SERCAP mission left its mark on Hope–one day prompting her to officially join the team.

Hope knew she liked working for nonprofit organizations and was struck by the mission of SERCAP, so when a controller position opened up it seemed only natural to apply. She began that position 11 years ago. Regarding her work as a controller, Hope said, “I was glad to come and get involved and engaged with the rural communities we serve.”

Gilda Cobb-Hunter is a Democratic member of the South Carolina House of Representatives. She is the first African American woman elected to the State House from Orangeburg County. Cobb-Hunter is the former representative for South Carolina’s 66th district, which she originally assumed in 1992. Following redistricting and the 2022 general election, Cobb-Hunter now represents South Carolina House District 95.

Hunter was a teacher at Belleville Middle School in 1978. In 1979, she worked as an instructor at South Carolina State University. She worked as a case worker for the Orangeburg Department of Social Services from 1979 to 1984 and has been executive director of CASA Family Services since 1985. She currently works as a social work administrator and is a member of Branchville’s NAACP chapter.

Mandy Mahoney is the CEO of MahoneyOne, a boutique consulting firm with a specialty in advancing climate and clean energy solutions across the Southeast. With extensive leadership experience, Mandy has held key roles, including Director of the Building Technologies Office and Senior Advisor at the U.S. Department of Energy, President of the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance, and Director of Sustainability for the City of Atlanta.

A passionate advocate for sustainability and innovation, Mandy holds a master’s degree in environmental management from Duke University and a Juris Doctor alongside a Bachelor of Science in biology and environmental studies from Emory University. She serves on the Boards of Directors for the Mississippi Early Learning Alliance and Georgia Organics and the Advisory Board of the Turner Environmental Law Clinic at Emory University.

Grandon is the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the P3 Group, one of the nation’s leading international real estate development and consulting firms. The P3 Group specializes in business, community, and urban development through the creation of Public-Private Partnerships, also known as P3s. The P3 Group is the nation’s largest minority-owned real estate developer that focuses exclusively on Public-Private Partnerships.

Grandon has over 20 years of experience in public-private partnerships, healthcare, and sales. He leads strategic business development, partnering, and project development activities across the US and Caribbean, focusing on the higher education, K-12, and infrastructure sectors. He successfully delivered the first municipal P3 in Arkansas and the first K-12 P3 in Illinois, generating value for both public and private stakeholders. He also oversees the coordination of cross-functional teams of construction, design, finance, and legal professionals and negotiates tax exempt and taxable transactions within the US and the Caribbean.

Byron “BP” Perkins, a seasoned attorney with over 22 years of experience, specializes in personal injury law, including automobile, motorcycle, and 18-wheeler accidents, as well as wrongful death and civil rights cases. His practice includes representation in racial and gender discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, and Fair Labor Standards Act Violations.

Rev. Jenny Phillips is Director of Environmental Sustainability at Global Ministries. She works within the agency to identify sustainability strategies, and supports annual conferences and local churches in their creation care ministries. She launched Global Ministries’ renewable energy and energy efficiency programs and has directed the Global Ministries EarthKeepers program since 2017. Jenny is co-convener of the United Methodist Just and Equitable Net-Zero Coalition and is on the Georgia Interfaith Power and Light Advisory Council. She has a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary in New York and a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Washington. Jenny is an elder from the Pacific Northwest Conference and lives in the greater Atlanta area.

Known for my innovative thinking, strategic vision, and collaborative leadership style, I am passionate about addressing the urgent challenges posed by climate change and creating impactful solutions through philanthropic efforts, non-profit leadership, and policy advocacy. Let’s work together to make a lasting impact on our environment and communities and create a better world for future generations.

Brad Stevens serves as Regional Executive Officer/Business Development for Community Bank of Mississippi and current director for its board of directors. His previous positions include division president, executive vice president and senior vice president, all with Community Bank of North Mississippi; and vice president, assistant vice president/loan officer and internal auditor, Security Bank of Amory. Stevens, an honor graduate of Smithville High School, earned the associate’s degree from ICC where he was a member of the Hall of Fame and Student Body president; and the bachelor’s degree from Mississippi State University. He is also a graduate of both the Louisiana State University and Mississippi State University Schools of Banking.

Daniel Tait serves as Executive Director for Energy Alabama. A sustainable energy advocate, Daniel is a Certified Energy Manager and holds previous certifications from the Building Performance Institute. In 2015, he was named International Young Energy Professional of the Year by the Association of Energy Engineers.

Daniel serves on several committees advocating for clean and equitable energy including the Alabama State Department of Education’s Green Schools Committee, and the advisory council for Alabama Interfaith Power & Light. He previously served on the Tennessee Valley Authority’s 2019 Integrated Resource Plan Working Group, its Energy Efficiency Information Exchange Council, and its Utility of the Future Information Exchange Council.

Daniel currently serves on the board of directors for Neighborhood Concepts, which builds and advocates for affordable housing and the advancement of economic opportunities, and he is a Research and Communications Manager for the Energy and Policy Institute, a utility watchdog, where he covers electric and gas utility issues in the Southeast. He is a graduate of Leadership Huntsville/Madison County’s Connect Program, Class 15 and the Alabama Leadership Initiative, Class of 2016. Daniel holds a degree in International Trade and Foreign Language from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. He lives in Huntsville with his wife and two children.

Charles Taylor is a graduate of Morehouse College (Philosophy) and a member of Freedom Side, a national collective of social justice community organizers. He served as a State Organizer for the Mississippi Conference NAACP 2012 “This Is My Vote” campaign which registered 29,000+ African Americans to vote in Mississippi. Taylor was a Field Director and Campaign Coordinator for the Better Schools, Better Jobs (Initiative 42 in MS to fully fund education). Recently, he consults for One Voice, Inc. as a data manager and a community organizer for Energy Democracy. Taylor also consults a Data Consultant with MS Votes. Taylor recently served as the Data Director for Mike Espy for Senate Campaign in 2018 and served as Data Director for Jay Hughes for Lt. Governor of Mississippi in 2019.

Taylor served as the Data Scientist for the National Baptist Convention for the 2018 midterm election cycle and currently serves as the Statistician for the National Baptist Convention under the leadership of President Jerry Young.

Taylor is principal at Peyton Strategies, a political data firm, based in Mississippi, specializing in data collection and management. Taylor provides consulting services for non-profits and progressive candidates ranging from federal to local districts. With a background in community organizing, political direction, and canvassing, Taylor has a unique perspective, intuitive insight and sound judgment in the area of political analytics.

Kalven L. Trice is a visionary leader with over 39 years of experience as a senior economist, planner, and conservationist. He became the first African-American to lead a USDA Arkansas field-based agency in 1997. During his 13-year tenure as Arkansas State Conservationist, Kalven successfully managed over 250 employees and 90 offices, overseeing a conservation portfolio worth over a quarter of a billion dollars. In 2020, Trice retired from USDA after 39 years and founded Capacity Building, Consulting, & Analysis, LLC (CALLC).

Trice has helped clients assess their needs and develop solutions through public and private funding sources. He has also served as a principal subject matter expert for organizations such as the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and the Arkansas Black Mayors Association. The Central Arkansas Sphinx Foundation, a 501(c)(3) community service organization affiliated with Pi Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., is managing grants funded through USDA. Three grants totaling $2.3 million from USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and Farm Service Agency provide technical and financial assistance to Pulaski County residents on urban conservation, community and backyard gardening, and awareness of USDA programs and agencies. A similar grant was awarded to the Memphis Dawah Association for over $850,000 in 2024. Please visit CASF’s website, casfgrants.org for more information on the grant. Trice’s firm, CALLC, prepared the USDA grants, as well as grants totaling $96 million for the Arkansas Black-Mayors Association to address flooding in 19 majority-minority communities across Arkansas.

Trice holds a Master of Public Administration with honors from American University and a Master of Science in Agricultural Economics from the University of Arkansas. He also earned a Bachelor of Science Degree with honors in Agricultural Economics from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. Throughout his career, Trice has received numerous awards for his contributions to resource conservation and community service. He is a life member and former president of the National Organization of Professional NRCS Employees and has served on the boards of several organizations, including the Central Arkansas Sphinx Foundation and the Jesse Mason Foundation. Trice also received several awards for his outstanding management and efforts in promoting and sustaining America’s family forests and farms, including two USDA Secretary of Agriculture Honor Awards and a National Forest Landowners Award.

A native of Marianna, Arkansas, he and his wife, Jacqueline, are proud parents of Kerian Trice Purnell (Warren).

Thomas has been active with Conservative for Clean Energy Virginia since 2016 and has served on the Advisory Board and as a Interim Director prior to becoming State Director in March of 2023. He is a longtime conservative activist and has been engaged in Virginia politics for more than a decade. He has served in numerous roles in the Republican Party of Virginia, including formerly serving as Chairman of Young Republican Federation of Virginia. Thomas is the current Southern Regional Vice Chairman (Term to end August 2023) of the Young Republican National Federation and a member of the Republican Party of Virginia State Central Committee. He has also worked on numerous campaigns and grassroots efforts all across Virginia. Thomas is a graduate of Liberty University and the UVA Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership. He was appointed by Governor Glenn Youngkin to serve on Virginia’s LGBTQ+ Advisory Board.

Stacey joined the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy in 2024 as the Clean Energy and Equity Director. She is working to accelerate clean energy adoption while maintaining energy equity. Prior to joining SACE, Stacey was the Deputy Director of the South Carolina Energy Office. While at the SC Energy Office, she served many roles such as solar subject matter expert and the point person for energy equity.

Stacey has more than twenty years of industrial and state government environmental sustainability experience. Prior to joining the SC Energy Office, she worked at the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control for 13 years. During this time, Stacey worked writing air permits, provided sustainability assessments to industrial facilities, and helped businesses with recycling.

Stacey has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from NC A&T State University. She loves to work out and read. She and her husband live in South Carolina and are raising two sons.