Jennifer Rouda - Founder & Principal
Jennifer is the founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Principal Consultant at 7Skyline, LLC, an environmental and energy consulting firm based in Oregon. She is a leader in strategic environmental planning and risk mitigation in the electric transmission and renewable energy and storage industries. Her experience includes overseeing or consulting on dozens of high-profile energy projects for more than 25 years. She currently supports multiple renewable energy projects and initiatives, and her clients include HP, Inc., Rye Development, Radia, JERA, Southern California Edison, Warm Springs Power and Water Enterprises, and the Hoopa Valley Tribe. She co-led the preparation of Voices from the West: Findings from Interviews Regarding Energy on Tribal Lands, a companion document to The Nature Conservancy's Power of Place -- West, a regional renewable energy study covering the 11 Western States.
Jennifer is adept at building and supervising large teams, working on executive strategic initiatives, and overseeing innovative energy projects, plans, and programs. Her skills include energy project risk assessment, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) planning, electric transmission route selection, renewables siting and permitting, and due diligence. Jennifer was formerly the head of Technical and Financial Assistance for the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy, a developer for Navajo Power, PBC, and Vice President of Environmental Development for Abengoa T&I. Before her position at Abengoa, she served as a global project account manager for CH2M HILL Engineering and as a principal planner at Ecology and Environment, Inc. She currently serves on the boards of Solar Oregon and Sustainable Northwest. Refer to LinkedIn for further details about Jennifer's background and experience.
David Harper - Executive Officer & Tribal Liaison
David leads Tribal outreach efforts for utility-scale solar and energy storage projects with more than 20 Tribes throughout the Western United States. Previously, he directed Tribal engagement efforts for the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and served as the development Tribal liaison for Navajo Power, PBC. A member of the Colorado River Indian Tribes, David was the first director of their Tribal Historic Preservation Office (THPO), responsible for establishing the office and developing its codes and ordinances.
As both a consultant and THPO director, David has worked on many Western energy projects, including the Genesis Solar Energy Project with NextEra Energy, the Blythe Solar I and II Projects with First Solar, the Desert Quartzite Solar Project with Renewable Energy, the Palen Solar Project with EDF Renewable Energy, and Swan Lake North Pumped Storage. He has established cultural monitoring program budgets, scopes of work, and schedules and handled contracting arrangements for extensive Tribal cultural monitoring programs. David was a founding board member and chairman of Greenaction for Health and Environmental Justice and served on the board of the Betty Ford Center and as the chairman of the Colorado River branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Refer to LinkedIn for further details about David’s background and experience.
Alisha O’Connell - Vice President & Interconnection Manager
An enrolled member of the Penobscot Nation and a Passamaquoddy Tribal member, Alisha manages Tribal grant and technical assistance projects alongside 7Skyline partner technical organizations. Previously, she worked as the policy program manager with the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy, where she assisted in daily operations and responded to federal policy initiatives. Alisha worked in public health for eight years before switching to clean energy consulting. She gained valuable experience with the Immunization Division at DC Health, where she helped set and implement strategic priorities for the Vaccines for Children Program and analyzed the District of Columbia’s COVID-19 vaccine rates during the pandemic response. Alisha holds bachelor's degrees in economics and biology and a master’s in public health with a concentration in health policy and management. She has maintained her Project Management Professional (PMP) credential since 2021. She is passionate about supporting Tribal communities and welcomes the opportunity to help Tribes realize their energy sovereignty goals and increase economic growth. Refer to LinkedIn for further details about Alisha's background and experience.
William Peterson - Finance & Human Resources Manager
Bill joined 7Skyline at its inception in 2016 and currently manages the company's financial and human resource functions. He brings forty years of financial leadership experience at a variety of firms and organizations. Previously the branch manager for Portland Teachers Credit Union in Hillsboro, Oregon, Bill has also served in management roles at First Interstate Bank of Oregon, First National Bank of Oregon, H&R Block, and Century 21 Real Estate in Oregon.
Rob Peterson - Senior Projects & Administrative Manager
Rob has 15 years of experience managing environmental reviews for energy infrastructure projects and a PhD in education. Before joining 7Skyline, he was a supervisor in the California Public Utility Commission’s California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) compliance section. He has a diverse background in utility regulation and policy development, energy consulting, public outreach, environmental planning (CEQA and National Environmental Policy Act), research, publishing, and technical training. At 7Skyline, he supports renewable energy siting efforts for Tribal nations and developers and the development of reports, energy planning documents, and grant applications. Refer to LinkedIn for further details about Rob’s background and experience.
Kristin Weinberger - Senior Editor
Kristin has more than 25 years of experience in editing and project management and eight years of experience specific to energy planning. Since joining 7Skyline, she has helped Tribes, Tribal enterprises, and developers collaborating with Tribes produce grant proposals, energy plans, and planning documents. At the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy, she assisted senior leadership in working with Tribes and Tribal organizations on grants designed to promote their renewable energy and energy sovereignty goals. Kristin has also provided project support to Terabase Engineering and Navajo Power. Prior to joining 7Skyline's energy consulting team in 2016, Kristin worked for Addison-Wesley Professional and Cisco Press, as well as other professional publishers, technology companies, and consultancies. She earned a bachelor’s degree with high honors in English from the University of California, Berkeley, and a master’s degree in English language and literature from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Refer to LinkedIn for further details about Kristin’s background and experience.
Sydney Harper - Tribal Liaison & Project Manager
A member of the Colorado River Indian Tribes, Sydney received her bachelor’s degree in American Indian Studies from Haskell Indian Nations University. At 7Skyline, Sydney acts both as a Tribal liaison and as a project manager. Previously, she was a program associate for the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy and a house manager and case coordinator for the O’Connell Children’s Shelter in Lawrence, Kansas. Sydney worked her way through college at the Lawrence Boys and Girls Club, completing two terms with AmeriCorps. She also served as a youth care worker
for children ages 10-18 years old and as a food service coordinator for the O'Connell Children’s Shelter. Refer to LinkedIn for further details about Sydney's background and experience.
Montena Small - Associate Planner & Grant Writer
Montena plays a pivotal role at 7Skyline, helping to secure funding for Tribal clean energy projects and capacity building. She is responsible for assessing grant opportunities, helping inform and shape responses to them, and collaborating with 7Skyline partner technical organizations and stakeholders to ensure projects and applications align with the opportunities and with Tribal resilience, sovereignty, and sustainability goals. Montena coordinates meetings, events, and site visits supporting Tribal energy activities and engagements.
Sheiyenne Baloo-Seegmiller - Finance & Tax Project Manager
Sheiyenne, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, serves as a Tribal liaison, advises Tribes on grants and loan financing, and helps review contracts for 7Skyline. Previously, she oversaw tax policy outreach for the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy and advised clients on personal, business, and fiduciary taxes as the senior operations manager for a boutique tax and accounting firm.
Sheiyenne graduated from Brigham Young University (BYU) with a bachelor's degree in political science and a minor in American Indian studies. While at BYU, she served as the 2019-2020 Miss Indian BYU, participated in several internships among the Salt Lake urban Indian population, and drafted House Bill 116, establishing the state of Utah's Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women and Girls Task Force. Her bill passed in March 2020. Following graduation, she was appointed by Governor Spencer Cox to be a member of the Utah Direct-Entry Midwifery Licensing Board. In 2022, she graduated summa cum laude from her University of Oklahoma master's program in legal studies with an emphasis in Indigenous Peoples Law. Refer to LinkedIn for further details about Sheiyenne's background and experience.
Angelina Papakee - Energy Project Manager
A descendant of the Meskwaki Nation of Iowa, Angelina serves as the renewables project manager. She is currently focused on The Nature Conservancy’s Tribal climate project financing needs assessment in addition to the project support and graphic design work she does in support of the 7Skyline team. Previously, Angelina served as the preferred provider program coordinator for the Alliance for Tribal Clean Energy (Alliance), a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit. She launched the program for the Alliance, developing and vetting a large network of renewable energy service providers and developers to refer to Tribal partners. Angelina’s skills include using customer relationship management (CRM) software to track and build relationships, grant writing, and organizing branded presentations. She earned a bachelor’s degree in American studies with a concentration in Urban and Indigenous Studies from Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Her experiences in her own community and working with the urban Indigenous community in the Twin Cities area over the course of several years have contributed to her extensive knowledge and understanding of Indigenous history and community-based healing models. Refer to LinkedIn for further details about Angelina's background and experience.
Shawni Laffoon - Grants Manager
Shawni is a Tribal member of the Colorado River Indian Tribes. After completing high school, she earned an associate's degree in exercise science from Mesa Community College and a bachelor's degree in health sciences from Arizona State University. Shawni specializes in managing and coordinating educational programs for families and caregivers of young children through grant-funded initiatives. She excels in building partnerships with local organizations and agencies to enhance resource access for participants. She is experienced in conducting research and writing grant applications for Tribal and local departments. Refer to LinkedIn for further details about Shawni's background and experience.
Aneeque Mir - Energy Management Fellow
Aneeque is a Master of Science (MSc) Energy Systems candidate and an Oxford Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Impact Lab Fellow at the University of Oxford, United Kingdom. He has more than three years of work experience in Pakistan's energy development sector, working with government and private firms. During his academic work in Pakistan, he researched energy demand modeling in low-income and middle-income countries. He published his findings in multiple international journals and conference proceedings. Currently, he is working with 7Skyline as an Energy Management Fellow for 2024 to support Tribal communities through their energy development and planning processes. Aneeque is from the Kashmir region in Pakistan and takes immense pride in his identity.
Chinenye Mbonu - Energy Management Fellow
Chinenye is a Master of Science (MSc) Energy Systems candidate in the Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, United Kingdom. She graduated at the top of her undergraduate class with a First-Class Honors degree in Earth Science from the University of Ghana in 2013. Following that, she has navigated the turbulent oil and gas fields in Africa as a Field Engineer, conducted extensive research on the controversial topic of power sector regulation in Europe as a Power Africa Energy Fellow, and managed complex high-priority capital projects for leading utilities across North America as a Senior Project Analyst. She has contributed immensely to multiple sub-sectors of the global energy industry across public and private sectors. She is passionate about the conscientious implementation of leading technologies and establishing efficient global energy value chain policies to attain net zero.
Rahul Rabinowitz - STEM Intern
Rahul Rabinowitz is a senior at Moorestown High School in Moorestown, New Jersey. In college, he plans to major in public policy and believes that working at 7Skyline will give him the skills necessary to enter the field of public affairs. He is excited to learn more about the inner workings of environmental policy and the process behind renewable energy projects and grants as a 7Skyline intern. Refer to LinkedIn for further details about Rahul's background and experience.
Jadon Svetich - STEM Intern
A 2024 graduate of Sheldon High School and International Baccalaureate recipient, Jadon is set to begin studies in Nuclear Engineering at the University of Oregon this fall. He plans to transfer to Waseda University in Tokyo the following spring.