Global ADVISoRS

EPIcenter's Global Advisors do just that - advise EPIcenter on its leadership role within the global innovation community. The Global Advisors work closely with the Board of Directors and staff to advance the mission of EPIcenter to propel energy innovation.

The EGA is chaired by EPIcenter's Board member, Cris Eugster.

Lynn Abramson

Executive Director
Clean Energy Business Network

Lynn Abramson is the Executive Director of the Clean Energy Business Network, an association of 3,000+ business leaders working across every aspect of the clean energy economy.  Lynn leads the CEBN’s efforts to inform and engage these business leaders in policy issues impacting the industry, educate the public and policymakers about diverse energy technologies, and provide resources to help members address common business challenges.

Lynn previously managed the CEBN at its former home in The Pew Charitable Trusts from July 2013 until its transition to become an independent initiative of the Business Council for Sustainable Energy in May 2017.  Before that, she worked as a senior legislative assistant in the U.S. Senate on energy, natural resources, and transportation policy. She holds a B.A. in Biology from Boston University and a Ph.D. in Marine and Atmospheric Sciences from Stony Brook University.

Brett Elmendorf

Partner
r26d

Brett is a Strategic Technical Designer applying the power of design by shifting between art and science to transform the experience of technology. In high school as an amateur architect, he designed and built the first skatepark in Brownsburg, Indiana. While earning a Physics degree at Butler University, he was selected for the Quantum Mechanics Lab. 

Starting at Rackspace in 2000, he spent a decade designing secret internal operations software including the Rackspace ticketing system and data center automation platform. Pursuing a enduring fascination with light, he created Blinkdom, a hardware project wiring up software, LEDs, water bottles, and an industrial robot. He designed Moonbeam, a software project mixing a Monome 64, sound, and a DMX512 lighting system.

Currently at r26D, "arr twenty-six dee", he collaborates on a variety of projects from ReactJS web app interfaces to furniture and digital architecture to light sculptures, designing in software and physical materials.

Dirk Elmendorf

CEO
Jobward.app

Dirk Elmendorf moved to San Antonio to attend Trinity University.  He graduated with a BA in Economics.  After helping to start a very small computer consulting company, he stumbled onto the idea that would change his life.  Along with two other Trinity students, Dirk co-founded Rackspace Managed Hosting in 1999.  Rackspace (RXT)  is currently a public company with a market cap of over $4 billion dollars.  Dirk left Rackspace in 2009 to get back to his start-up roots.  In addition to advising several startups, Dirk is currently the founder/CEO of Jobward.app.  It is a startup focused on helping jobseekers to navigate the hiring process with confidence. He serves on a number of city and public committees and is very focused on Science and Math education.  He is currently the chair of the board for the Witte Museum and the chair of Tech Bloc.

Brett Perlman

CEO
Center for Houston's Future

Brett A. Perlman is the CEO of the Center for Houston’s Future.

In 2016, he was a Fellow in the Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative (ALI), an innovative program focused on developing new approaches to having an impact and solving the world’s most pressing social issues.

Prior to his appointment as a Harvard Fellow, his 25-year career spanned senior positions in business, government and community service organizations.

He holds advanced degrees in public policy from Harvard University and in law from the University of Texas, and was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Northwestern University.

Dr. Les Shephard

Founder
NEXAS: Energy - Water SOULutions

Les Shephard founded NEXAS: Energy – Water SOULutions, dedicated to providing clean, reliable and resilient water and energy supplies to communities of need in the U. S. and elsewhere after 10 years at the University of Texas, San Antonio. Shephard is also affiliated with the Department of Physics, University of La Laguna, Tenarife Spain as a Research Associate pursuing clean energy – safe water solutions for island states. Shephard also served as Vice President, Sandia National Laboratories where he was actively engaged in pursuing technology solutions that address our 21st century energy,water and security challenges in regions of high strategic importance to the United States.