Can Clean Energy be a Business Magnet for the State of Arizona?

Originally aired April 26, 2021

Companies are increasingly seeking clean electricity as part of their commitment to zero-carbon operations — and where those companies choose to locate is increasingly influenced by the availability of renewable energy. This 90-minute panel examines how Arizona can capitalize on its abundant solar and wind resources to attract corporate investment, what state energy policymakers can do to support decarbonization goals, and how AI and machine learning can help companies document clean energy supply throughout their value chains.

Speakers

Kris Mayes

Founding Faculty Director, Program on Law and Sustainability, ASU Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law; Former Chair, Arizona Corporation Commission

Kris Mayes is the Founding Faculty Director of the Program on Law and Sustainability at Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. She served as an Arizona Corporation Commissioner from 2003 to 2010, including two years as Chairman, where she co-authored Arizona’s Renewable Energy Standard and drove adoption of one of the nation’s most ambitious Electric Energy Efficiency Standards.

Sheila Remes

Vice President, Environmental Sustainability, The Boeing Company

Sheila Remes leads Boeing’s environmental sustainability team, which is focused on continuously improving the company’s products, services, and operations to achieve sustainability goals. She oversees Boeing’s environmental sustainability strategy on the Boeing International leadership team, working across the company’s global footprint to align business strategy with climate commitments.

Ashley Ellixson

Executive Vice President, Legal and Risk Management, United Dairymen of Arizona

Ashley Ellixson is the Executive VP of Legal and Risk Management at United Dairymen of Arizona, a milk marketing cooperative. She oversees government relations, legal issues including joint venture opportunities, food safety, and the cooperative’s sustainability efforts — representing the agricultural sector’s growing engagement with corporate sustainability and clean energy.

Pratik Raval

Global Manager, Sustainability, American Express; Visiting Lecturer, MIT

Pratik Raval is the Global Manager of Sustainability for American Express, responsible for strategy, execution, and business integration of corporate sustainability and ESG across the company’s global operations. Concurrently, he has served as a visiting lecturer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he engages students on corporate sustainability strategy and ESG implementation.