Our Team

Carly Rixham is the Executive Director for American Solar Energy Society (ASES). She is the Editor, Publisher, and Art Director for Solar Today magazine. She received her Masters in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at University of Colorado at Boulder where she researched microalgae for the production of biofuel. While studying in Boulder, Rixham served as Director of Arts and Sciences at CU Energy. Rixham also was a microbiologist at BioVantage Resources, culturing algae for bio-remediation of nutrients in wastewater. Prior to her renewable energy career, She taught Biology and Ecology at the university and high school levels, and worked in software development at Intuit. Rixham captained the University of Denver Pioneers Lacrosse team and coached for the University of Colorado (Go Buffs) Lacrosse Team. She enjoys travel, art, mountain sports, and nature.

Sarah Townes has worked in music and finance in Boulder, CO since 1998, and was delighted to join the ASES team in 2016 to promote solar energy and sustainability in our beautiful world. Sarah enjoys working with the dynamic staff, and managing the finances for such a positive organization brings great job satisfaction. ASES’s large membership base and non-profit status  require full accountability and transparency in all its dealings financial and social, and it brings her pleasure to work in non-profit accounting in such a high integrity organization. Outside of ASES Sarah enjoys singing, teaching singing and performing, and her latest album is available for sale on iTunes. Favorite recreation includes hiking, relaxing by the fire at the St. Julien, and having fun with her family, both immediate and extended. She finds inspiration daily in her young son and his friends.

Lauren Reddington is a 2021 environmental studies and pre-law graduate of the University of Colorado Boulder. She was initially selected as an intern for the Zero Emissions Network (ZEN), a program of ASES in the spring of 2021. She was quickly promoted to the role of Operations Manager, then soon after was recruited to be the ASES National Solar Tour Director. She is delighted for the opportunity to continue to learn from board members and write grant proposals, further advocate for renewable energy through the solar tour, design carbon offset projects for the Boulder community and hone her environmental knowledge in an applied capacity. Lauren hopes to utilize her experiences with ZEN and ASES to better advocate for nonprofits in her future law career.

Kat Friedrich is an entrepreneurial journalist who has combined engineering, technology and writing for 27 years. In 2012, she co-founded Clean Energy Finance Forum, a news project that Yale University acquired. Later, she co-founded and managed a sister website on innovation in forestry, water, agriculture and urbanism.
She has written and/or edited for Popular Mechanics,  the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association, Renewable Energy World, YouthBuild USA, Yale Center for Business and the Environment, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the University of Texas at San Antonio, the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, Hoffman Power Consulting,  Conservation Services Group, Energy News Network, Microgrid Knowledge and the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. Previously, she was an engineer for the Forest Products Laboratory of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and American Superconductor. Kat has two degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison — a B.S. with distinction in mechanical engineering and an M.S. in science and environmental journalism from the Land Resources Program. She spends her free time learning about dance and functional fitness, snowshoeing and hiking in Wisconsin’s beautiful state and local parks, reading science fiction and exploring music events.

Sunshine joined ASES in 2017 and serves as Creative Director and Webmaster, ensuring brand guidelines are consistent across all marketing collateral, including Solar Today magazine and ases.org. With more than 22 years in graphic design communication, she has given a unique voice to numerous businesses through her passionate, creative design services including brand identity, print, web and interactive.

Phil has over three decades in media sales, marketing and management. He has extensive experience with non-profit and renewable energy print and digital properties, including Green Manufacturer magazine, the Sustainability Manufacturing Network, Environmental Leader, Renewable publications in Brazil, India, China and Russia, Water Technology magazine, and Water Tech World.

Phil has a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from University of Southern California. He is an active supporter of PetSmart charities, UNICEF, Freedom Guide Dogs, and Workshops for Warriors. Phil is pictured here with his son and daughter.

Remi is a Masters student at the department of mechanical engineering University of Colorado Boulder as well as the graduate program ambassador. Remi has been volunteering with the ASES for the past three years and was vice-chair of the Photovoltaic Technical Division. He has also been curating Solar@Work newsletter since then. Remi’s area of expertness is in Clean Energy Technology and Storage Systems.
Remi was born and raised in Nigeria, in his free time, he enjoys listening to music and road cycling.

Emily is a Communications and National Solar Tour Intern at the American Solar Energy Society (ASES). She is pursuing a degree in Environmental Studies and Economics at the University of Colorado Boulder. Emily has always been passionate about the Environment and renewable energy and she hopes to explore careers in sustainable business. Emily believes equity and community are building blocks of a sustainable future and she is grateful to participate in a nonprofit (ASES) that reflects these values. In her free time, Emily enjoys cooking, hiking and reading.

Giselle earned her Bachelor of Science in Supply Chain & Information Systems from Penn State University and has a background in Supply Chain Analytics. She has lived all across the US and fell in love with being outside in nature. She enjoys hiking, gardening, and paddle-boarding on Lake Michigan in her spare time. Giselle began volunteering at clean-up events at her local park, but wanted to expand her passion for sustainability after continuing to see the impact our current supply chain has on the environment. Giselle is excited to learn all she can from ASES and the solar community.

My name is Ben Streett and I am currently a senior at the University of Colorado Boulder majoring in Environmental Studies and minoring in Spanish. I love to ski, run, hike, and any other excuse I can find to be outside. I am thrilled to be part of the ASES team and equally as excited for the opportunity to contribute to a more sustainable world for all.

David Moss is a Membership Intern at the American Solar Energy Society. He is currently studying Environmental Studies and Economics at the University of Colorado Boulder. David has always had a passion for the outdoors which has led him to be interested in sustainable business and conservation. He is excited to work with ASES in finding ways to provide opportunities and information to the community. In his free time, David enjoys climbing, foraging for mushrooms, cooking, and hanging out with his dog Jasper.

From Roseburg, Oregon, I am a 5th year Senior at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and I am on the Track and Field Team here as well.

My Chinese name is Tian Yong Yuan. People also call me Vincent. I am from China, but I came to the United States for high school when I was 16. This experience has made me more independent and better at taking care of myself. Since growing up, I have loved nature, which is why I hope to contribute to the environment of the planet in the future. When I was a high school international student, I started a recycling bin program, which promoted the separation of garbage in the school. I also love various sports like basketball, tennis, badminton and skateboarding. Sports have enriched my life and I am passionate about learning and exploring. I played basketball, soccer and track for my school in high school in the United States. All of these experiences have made me an active, athletic, and sunny person.

Vaishalee Dash, is currently a Master’s in Electrical Engineering (Power) student at Washington State University, Pullman. Her research work pertains to integration and impact of Renewable Energy (RE) on power distribution grids, mainly around voltage and reactive power control problems. She completed projects exploring future control architectures for Distribution Management Systems and new technologies for active grid control. She holds a MS (research) in Electrical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur developing control strategies for hybrid RE systems and has authored several research papers, reports, and proposals.

Prior to joining WSU, she was as a Senior Research Engineer at Center for Study of Science, Technology and Policy, a leading think tank in India. She delivered projects on solar PV and battery storage sizing and techno-economic analysis for various applications, helping Government, institutions and other stakeholders working on clean energy transition pathways. Vaishalee is passionate to contribute towards the adoption and integration of RE and drive forward discussions in this area. She enjoys sketching, traveling, and spending time with family and friends in her free time.