Meet the Helios Team

Phil Dougherty

Mr. Dougherty brings more than 15 years of federal service at the U.S. Department of Energy to SMI. Having previously served in positions at the Energy Department, including Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, acting Director of the Wind and Hydropower Division, and senior advisor in the Office of Policy and International Affairs, he brings experience in a wide range of advanced energy generation technologies, including wind, hydro, geothermal, and solar, as well as the new water power R&D program established in 2007.

Mr. Dougherty most recently served as the national director of Wind Powering America, a U.S. Department of Energy program to accelerate the market penetration of wind technology. In this role, he led a nationwide team that worked with national, state and local stakeholders across the energy, agricultural and environmental sectors in 34 states. He also led an inter-agency task force to address wind-siting issues potentially affecting critical federal mission areas, including Department of Defense operations and military readiness. In 2004, he served in Baghdad as a volunteer with Operation Iraqi Freedom.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the State University of New York, and a Master´s Degree from the George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

Damian Kunko

Damian Kunko has been working in government relations for over thirteen years, primarily in the fields of technology, renewable energy, telecommunications, and healthcare. He has extensive experience in working with companies seeking Federal funding for R&D and with organizations seeking to achieve their Federal marketing goals.  Additionally, he helped co-found the Ocean Renewable Energy Coalition and leads SMI and Helios Strategies’ business development efforts.

Prior to joining SMI/Helios, Mr. Kunko served as the co-founder and CEO of the Rural Broadband Coalition (RBC), a national advocacy organization that lobbied for federal policies and funding for expanded broadband Internet access in rural communities. Mr. Kunko formed RBC after serving as Director of Consulting Services for a healthcare and technology government relations firm. In this position he was primarily responsible for the oversight and development of client activities related to federal marketing and lobbying. Previously, he had served on the staff of a Member of Congress from Washington State.

Mr. Kunko holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Washington State University.

Paul Gay

Paul Gay has fourteen years of experience as a senior policy and political adviser on Capitol Hill. Mr. Gay most recently served as Deputy Legislative Director for Senator Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia, former President Pro Tempore and Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee. In that position, Mr. Gay was one of the Senator´s floor staff and gained extensive experience in securing funding for congressionally directed projects. He also worked on education issues, in addition to energy matters and climate change legislation, and agriculture, space, telecommunications, and transportation policy.

Previously, Mr. Gay was Deputy Chief of Staff for Rep. Brian Baird from Washington State. Mr. Gay specialized in energy issues during the West Coast power crisis of 2000-2001. He also oversaw all appropriations matters and handled the Congressman’s duties with regard to the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Mr. Gay also served as Legislative Director for Rep. Rick Boucher of Virginia, a senior member of the Energy and Commerce and Judiciary Committees. He was responsible for all of Rep. Boucher´s appropriations requests, as well as work on education, defense, agriculture, and transportation issues. Mr. Gay was also responsible for Rep. Boucher´s efforts to secure federal funding for various research programs at Virginia Tech, including the “Smart Road”, and clean coal technology development.

Mr. Gay received a Bachelor´s degree in History and Political Science from Radford University and a Masters degree in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia.

Drew Ronneberg

Dr. Drew Ronneberg has over ten years of energy related experience, the majority of which was at the U.S. Department of Energy. Ronneberg´s positions at the Department of Energy included Supervisor of the Engines, Fuels and Deployment Division in the Vehicle Technologies Program, Acting Wind and Water Program Manager, Senior Advisor to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Technology Development, and Forest Products Technology Manager in the Industrial Technologies Program.

As Supervisor of the Engines, Fuel and Deployment Division, Dr. Ronneberg´s responsibilities included overseeing over $100 million in annual Research, Development and Deployment activities, standing up the $105 million SuperTruck and $104 million National Laboratory Facilities Recovery Act programs and managing contractor support. As Acting Wind and Water Program Manager, Ronneberg led the release of the 20% Wind Energy by 2030 report that detailed the feasibility of deriving a significant fraction of the nation´s electricity from wind energy. It was the first government report that demonstrated such a capability. Prior to his work as a DOE employee, Ronneberg was a Senior Analyst at Capital E. As a Senior Analyst, Ronneberg examined the practicality of transforming municipal solid waste into ethanol technologies, analyzed the value proposition of residential fuel cells and evaluated technologies that convert methane to hydrogen and carbon black. Dr. Ronneberg has also led multi-scenario planning exercises develop robust energy savings strategies to help companies and government programs cope with future uncertainties.

Dr. Ronneberg holds a Bachelor´s degree in Chemistry from Occidental College and a Master´s degree and Doctorate in Chemistry from Princeton University. Dr. Ronneberg is also an elected official, serving as an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner for the Northeast Capitol Hill Community in Washington, DC.

Max Chamovitz

Max Chamovitz has been active in shaping environmental policy for over a decade. In 1993 Mr. Chamovitz worked in the Executive Office of Vice President Al Gore´s National Performance Review where he assisted in recommending administrative changes to the EPA to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Agency. The following year he took a position at the Alliance to Save Energy where he worked in the lobbying department, helping to shape policy that was both environmentally conscious and business friendly. Mr. Chamovitz also spent three years serving as a Legislative Assistant to U.S. Congressman Adam Smith (WA), and in 2005 he established MC Squared Energy – a company of environmentally conscious energy consultants dedicated to bringing quality lighting solutions to businesses while saving customers money and helping the environment.

Mr. Chamovitz graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with a Bachelors of Political Science, and minors in both Economics and English.

Scott Lindsay

Scott M. Lindsay brings over 15 years of expertise in government affairs with experience at the federal, state, county and local levels.

He founded SML Consulting in 2003 to offer strategic marketing and government relations consulting to the energy and technology industries. He has been working with SMI since then offering advisory and support services.

Since its inception, he has helped form, advise and provide government relations support to the Ocean Renewable Energy Coalition (OREC) – a Washington, DC based association, focused on promoting the marine renewable energy industry.

Prior to forming SML Consulting, he served as the director of government & member relations for the Northwest Public Power Association (NWPPA). He joined NWPPA after three years of consulting for the Association from Morgan Meguire, where he was vice president. While with this Washington, D.C.-based consulting firm, Scott served as a legislative consultant for NWPPA and other energy and technology clients. Mr. Lindsay also spent five years in the office of Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn as a legislative aide and outreach coordinator focusing on energy, information technology, defense, transportation, commerce, banking, foreign affairs, and veterans´ issues.

Mr. Lindsay is a Washington State native and graduated from the University of Portland before moving to Washington, D.C. He now resides in Vancouver, Wash.

Dennis Padilla

Mr. Padilla has over thirty years of experience in Government contracting. He is the former Director of Contracts and Grants for the Office of Naval Research (ONR) in Arlington, Virginia. As ONR´s Director of Contracts and Grants, Mr. Padilla managed the business processes for Navy and Marine Corps Science and Technology programs in such areas as basic research, manufacturing technology, weapon systems prototypes and commercial-military dual-use applications. His contracting activities centered on the challenges of transitioning new technologies from industry, academia and government into fielded fleet-ready systems.

Prior to his work with ONR he served as the Deputy Director of Contracts for the Navy´s Strategic Systems Programs Office and as Chair of the Defense Acquisition Research & Development Committee. His other assignments within the Navy have included work as a Procurement Analyst with the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Acquisition) and as ONR´s Regional Coordinator for Contract and Grant Administration at the Naval Postgraduate School-Monterey. Mr. Padilla has also served a Contracts Negotiator to NASA´s Ames Research Center and the Navy´s Fleet Ballistic Missile Program.

Mr. Padilla´s education includes a Bachelor´s Degree in Business Administration from San Jose State University, a Master´s Degree in National Resource Strategy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, and the completion of the Executive Education Program of the Amos Tuck School at Dartmouth College.

David W. Dorheim

Mr. Dorheim has more than 30 years of experience developing, producing, and marketing energy products in the battery, fuel cell and renewable energy industries. Over the last 15 years, he has been the CEO or a member of the Board of Directors at five (5) energy oriented, early stage companies. He is currently President and CEO of DWD Advisors, Inc., a consulting company he formed in 2006 to help Cleantech and renewable energy companies build successful business strategies and secure funding from both public and private sources.

Early in his career Mr. Dorheim gained experience in the energy industry at Black & Decker and General Electric, where he held positions in engineering, marketing and sales management, and manufacturing management. In 1990, he formed AER Energy Resources where he served as President and CEO until 2002. AER Energy Resources was a publicly traded, battery development company based in Atlanta, Georgia that was initially funded by venture capital and completed a successful IPO in 1993. From 2002 to 2006, he served as President and CEO of Neah Power, a Seattle based fuel cell development company funded by venture capital.

At DWD Advisors, Mr. Dorheim helps companies connect the attributes of new energy technologies with early adoption opportunities in the commercial market, and identify funding opportunities with venture capital firms and the federal government, especially at the U.S. Department of Energy. In the last four (4) years, he has worked with companies developing fuel cell, battery, electric drive vehicle, biofuel, electric vehicle grid infrastructure, carbon capture, and wind power technologies. He is currently serving as an advisor to several early stage energy companies and is an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa.

Mr. Dorheim received a BA in mathematics and physics from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa.

Jennifer Sollars

Jennifer Sollars has nearly a decade of experience in state and federal policy making with extensive experience at the US Department of Energy. Most recently Ms. Sollars worked for PPL, a Pennsylvania based utility, in their Federal Government Relations office. At PPL Sollars was responsible for indentifying and coordinating opportunities within the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) culminating in a $19 million smart grid award from the DOE. Ms. Sollars was also responsible for developing and messaging corporate positions relating to Renewable Energy Standards, transmission policy, energy markets, and financial regulatory reform to both bodies of Congress and numerous Federal Agencies, including DOE and the US Department of Interior.

Prior to joining PPL, Ms. Sollars spent four years at the U.S. Department of Energy in the office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. During her tenure she advised two Assistant Secretaries on all matters before Congress relating to alternative energy and energy efficiency including: creation of a Federal Renewable Energy Standard, development of alternative energy tax incentives, and passage and implementation of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 including the existing federal loan guarantee program. Sollars also worked with appropriators and staff through four appropriations cycles regarding the office’s $1.2 billion annual appropriation. Before joining DOE, Sollars worked for the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, handling transportation and water issues.

Ms. Sollars began her career in New Hampshire working on numerous political campaigns and directing the federal and state lobbying office of a 1,000 member Chamber of Commerce. Sollars received her BA in Political Science from New England College.

Bob Hamlen

Dr. Robert P. Hamlen has over 49 years of expertise in the field of batteries and fuel cells. After 13 years of service, Dr. Hamlen retired from his position as the Chief of the Power Division at the U.S. Army´s Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center at Fort Monmouth, NJ, and Fort Belvoir, VA in 2004. Previously, Dr. Hamlen was the Founder and First President of Alupower, Inc. which focused on developing aluminum based fuel cells for electrics. Prior to that, he was the Manager of Exxon Enterprises Battery Division, which under his leadership introduced the first rechargeable Li-TiS2 battery in 1978, and the Manager of the Electrochemistry Branch at GE R&D Center, where he focused largely on aqueous and sodium-sulfur batteries.

After his retirement in 2004, he was awarded the U.S. Army Medal for Meritorious Civilian Service and in 2005 was presented the Frank Booth Medal at the International Power Sources Symposium in Brighton, England.

Dr. Hamlen received a B.S. in Chemistry from Lafayette College, his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from Johns Hopkins University, and completed the Advanced Management Program at the Harvard Business School.

Doug Freitag

Douglas W. Freitag brings over 20 years of expertise in working with the Federal Government is various capacities.

He is the owner of Bayside Materials Technology, a company established in 1993 to help companies with technology based Federal Business Development, Government Affairs, Market Research, and new product development. Current clients include small, medium, and large companies throughout the world. Examples include : Dow Corning, Goodrich Aerospace, Schott Glass, Alion Technologies, Zephyr Technology, Syntiron, Triton Systems, Sciperio, and USACA. Mr. Freitag has over 25 years of experience in advanced materials and manufacturing with areas of technical expertise including but not limited to: electronics, optics, photonics, composite materials, sensors, coatings, advanced ceramics, power generation and storage, water purification, and biotechnology.

Mr. Freitag served as the Manager for Advanced Materials while at Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control where he was responsible for providing leading edge materials and manufacturing technologies for use in a range aerospace and defense products.

Throughout his career, Mr. Freitag has collaborated with the Federal Government in planning, reviewing, and conducting federally sponsored programs in advanced technologies. He has published and presented over sixty papers in this field, many of which have been invited, has been issued several patents, organized and chaired numerous technical sessions at national meetings, and participated in various government panels in support of the advanced materials industry. He was a keynote speaker at the Japan Ultra-High Temperature Materials International Conference. Lockheed Martin recognized Mr. Freitag as providing a key technology in radome technology which made a significant contribution to their business over the past decade.

Mr. Freitag’s education includes a Masters of Science and Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University where he graduated with highest honors.

Jessica Borek

Jessica Borek brings both political experience and a public relations/communications background to SMI and Helios Strategies. Ms. Borek joined SMI/Helios in 2009 to aid clients in research and legislative policy initiatives with the Federal Government. In her role at SMI/Helios, she provides additional government relations support to the Ocean Renewable Energy Coalition (OREC) – a Washington, DC based association, focused on promoting the marine renewable energy industry.

Ms. Borek was most recently a PR Associate at Hisaoka Communications where she executed strategic media relations and marketing campaigns, developed communications strategies and coordinated events for a wide range of clients. Prior to that, Ms. Borek served as an intern with the National Association for Child Care Research and Referral Agencies, as well as with the office of U.S. Senator Christopher Bond.

Ms. Borek graduated Magna Cum Laude from The George Washington University with majors in Political Science and Sociology.