GIA SCHNEIDER

Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Gia Schneider is a co-founder and the CEO of Natel Energy. Gia holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from MIT and has 17 years of experience in the energy industry. While in the utility practice at Accenture, she provided strategic and tactical solutions to several major energy companies and has significant experience in energy-related strategy development and deal valuation. After Accenture, she worked at Constellation Energy on optimizing generation asset value. Gia left Constellation in 2004 to help start the energy trading desk at Credit Suisse; and in 2005, she started the carbon emissions trading desk at Credit Suisse, growing it to a profitable business in its first year.

Gia is passionate about finding economically viable solutions to mitigate climate change, foster sustainable development and produce inexpensive renewable energy. In her spare time, she can be found surfing, kiting, cooking, dancing and gardening with friends and family.

ABE SCHNEIDER

Founder, President and Chief Technology Officer

Abe is co-founder and Chief Technology Officer at Natel. He is named on multiple linear hydroEngine patents, and brings 13 years of experience to bear on Natel’s engineering activities. In addition to broader program management, Abe also directly contributes on a wide range of technical areas, including product specification, system architecture, computational fluid dynamics, structural design and analysis, and manufacturing supply chain development.

Abe earned undergraduate and masters degrees in Mechanical Engineering from MIT and gained experience with large firms like The Timken Company and innovative startups such as Makani Power, now part of Alphabet (Google X). At Timken, he worked as a Senior Engineer in Advanced Product Development, developing innovative gear reducers, hybrid vehicle drivetrains, and micro-scale energy harvesting systems to power intelligent bearings. At Makani, he managed a group of engineers broadly responsible for their aero-mechanical systems. Additionally, Abe has provided independent consulting services on two small hydropower refurbishment projects in the Northeast US.

In his spare time, Abe enjoys the outdoors, particularly surfing and kitesurfing, climbing, and flyfishing, with his wife and friends.

DAVE SHELDON

Chief Financial Officer

Dave manages finance and administration functions for Natel. He has 25 years experience in finance and operations for both public and privately held technology and energy companies, with extensive experience with growing businesses from $10 to $200 million in revenue. As CFO for emerging companies, he has managed finance, administration, IT, legal and corporate development activities, raised funds from a variety of sources, and established a foreign subsidiary to support manufacturing and back office functions. He managed strategic partnerships and international sales through distributors for 40 countries. Earlier, Dave held progressively responsible finance, corporate development and general management positions for publicly reporting energy and technology companies including Gulf Oil Corporation, Eastern Gas and Fuel Associates, Triad Systems and Epicor (formerly Activant).

Dave received his BS in Economics from MIT, an MBA from Stanford, and began his career in the San Francisco office of KPMG. Dave was awarded a patent for a system that optimizes supply chains with predictive models combining demographic and demand data.

Adam Smith

Director, Project Engineering

Adam is a project engineer at Natel, focused on project diligence, interconnection, and construction design. Prior to joining Natel, Adam was lead electrical engineer for the distributed generation solar group at NextEra Energy Resources. He has spent 12 years as a senior engineer in the solar industry on many sides of the table – EPC contractor, developer, and owner. Adam’s expertise includes solar design, electrical engineering, grid interconnection, electrical code compliance and production modeling, and he has a portfolio of over 600 projects totaling over 300 MW.
Adam holds a M.S. in Engineering from the Building Systems Program at the University of Colorado at Boulder and a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Dartmouth College.

Alden Keefe Sampson

Founder, Upstream Tech

Alden is co-founder of Upstream. Upstream provides services to monitor and measure natural resources for efficient project implementation, via an easy to use, cohesive dashboard.

After learning to work with large datasets at software technology companies Crashlytics, Twitter, and Drift, Alden (along with his colleague Marshall) founded Upstream to distill satellite and ground data into information conservationists use to grow their operations.

Today Upstream helps The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation work with farmers to reduce water use, revitalizing rivers and fisheries. The Nature Conservancy uses Upstream’s systems to monitor migratory bird habitats across California. And its neural networks are scanning vast regions to identify locations for river friendly hydropower generation.

Upstream was acquired by Natel Energy, where it will operate as an independent unit with ample funding to grow its team and broaden its impact.

Alex Campbell

Director, Project Development

Alex Campbell is a Director of Project Development at Natel Energy. He is focused on business modeling, project and corporate valuation, strategic partnerships, and project development.
Prior to Natel Energy, Alex worked at Reykajvik Geothermal, a Paul Tudor Jones investment, as a Director of Project Finance where he focused on business modeling, financial modeling, project and corporate valuation, lender discussions, and early stage project development in the Caribbean and Africa. Prior to Reykjavik Geothermal, Alex worked at Sithe Global, a Blackstone portfolio company, as a financial analyst where he focused on project valuation, environmental & social compliance, and early stage development projects in Africa, South America, and Asia.

Alex holds a M.Sc. degree in Energy Systems & Policy from the University of Iceland and University of Akureyri. He holds a B.Sc. degree in Business Management from the University of Delaware with minors in international business and environmental engineering.

Alex Conn

Testing and Mechanical Technician

Alex is a testing and mechanical technician at Natel. He spends his time fabricating and assembling hydroEngine machinery, as well as running and maintaining Natel’s various hydraulic and fatigue testing equipment. He has experience operating both manual and CNC machine tools, welding, and repairing electronic components. Prior to Natel, Alex worked as a bicycle mechanic.

In his free time Alex enjoys building and flying quadcopters, watching documentary films, reading nonfiction books, and mountain biking.

ANDY BAUMGARTNER

Archivist & Graphic Designer

Andy is an Archivist and Graphic Designer at Natel. Currently he splits his time between photographically documenting the construction of the hydroEngine, and designing graphics for web and print. He also assists in web development and GIS.

Andy received a BA in Computer Science from the University of Minnesota, but has also worked as a graphic designer, photographer, and video editor.

While not at Natel Andy enjoys working on personal projects which combine his interest in photography, art, and computer science. He also enjoys watching and listening to audio-books, podcasts, YouTube videos and films.

ANITA TIRAPELLE

Manager, Multimedia

Anita is responsible for coordinating the multimedia effort at Natel, and works as a web and graphic designer for the company. She develops design concepts for a variety of communications in both print and digital formats, including technical and promotional brochures and the company website.

She holds an AA degree in Graphic Design from FIDM – Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising – with a focus on UI/UX design and branding. Before starting her career as a designer, Anita received her BA in Arts at the Università degli Studi di Padova, and a MA in Philology at the Université de la Sorbonne Nouvelle – Paris III, and worked as a writer and a communication professional in Italy and France.

In her free time she enjoys spending time with her husband and little son Leo, cooking and eating good food, and perusing design blogs.

BEN WARD

Commercial Associate

At Natel Ben works on the Commercial team in project development and customer support. After several years of service in the US Navy, Ben graduated from Johnson & Wales University. He also holds a solar installation NABCEP certification. Previously Ben focused on the build out and launch of critically acclaimed Bay Area restaurants, emphasizing the use of renewables and sustainable practices.

CHRIS BECHTEL

Mechanical Technician

DANA NGUYEN

Office Manager

Dana is Natel’s office manager. Prior to Natel, Dana worked in finance for a healthcare management consulting firm. Dana received her BA in International Relations from San Francisco State University. She is interested in learning about the development of social, healthcare and environmental policies.

Dorothy Sosnowski

Vice President Development

Dorothy joined Natel on October 2 to lead project development efforts. Dorothy comes to Natel with over 16 years of experience in electric utilities and renewable energy. Prior to joining Natel, she led solar project development and acquisitions in the western U.S. with NextEra Energy Resources’ distributed generation team. Dorothy has an M.B.A. in finance and general management from the University of Virginia and a B.A. from Tulane University.

ERIC THOMPSON

VP Sales and Marketing

Eric currently heads up Sales and Marketing for Natel Energy developing and implementing the support strategy for customers and strategic partners. He also works directly to help with Natel Energy customer project development. Eric has 25 years of experience in the deployment of innovative renewable energy technologies and in building energy projects. Previously he was Co-Founder/VP Business Development at Nordic Windpower, a manufacturer of megawatt-scale wind turbines for the distributed energy market. By teaming with customers on project development, he signed over $30M in the product rollout phase of the company. Before that, Eric helped companies deploy new technology in wind, solar, energy efficiency and energy software including leading energy companies like QBotix, Itron, Green Mountain Energy, Fenway System and Environmental Defense Fund. In addition to the US, he has worked in China, Indonesia and the Philippines.

Eric has a B.S in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Cornell and completed an Asia Foundation Fellowship Program on Indonesia electric utility resource planning.

Eric and his wife Cynthia have two young children, so that recreation and relaxation center around the garden, soccer practice, gymnastics class, family camping and active family involvement in community and the public schools.

James Coyle

Mechanical Technician

James is a Mechanical Technician at Natel Energy. His work includes fabrication and assembly of hydroEngine equipment and test machinery. Prior to joining Natel, James worked in the energy space, and has more than 20 years of machining experience.

JESSICA PENROD

Project Development

Jessica is focused on developing a portfolio of projects using Natel’s hydroEngines in the Western U.S., primarily in partnership with irrigation districts. In addition, she is driving the early development of Natel’s first Restoration Hydro Pilot project, working with NGO’s, resource agencies, national labs, and the environmental sustainability community. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Spanish from the University of Oregon.

As a Captain when she is not in the office, you can find her exploring oceans and waterways on sailboats, or any water related activity. She is passionate about sharing her respect of water, and helping others understand the importance of conservation and conscious living.

JIN ZHAO

Civil/Environmental Engineer

Jin works as an Civil/Environmental Engineer. Jin graduated from UC Berkeley with a M.S. degree in environmental engineering in the summer of 2015. He holds a B.S. degree in civil engineering from University of Michigan, and a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Shanghai Jiaotong University.

JOANNA NOBLE

Mechanical Engineer

Joanna is a mechanical engineer at Natel, interested in machine design and manufacturing. She has designed and fabricated a variety of tools used for hydroEngine assembly and component testing.

Joanna has an undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering from Duke University and a Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from UC Berkeley. Before joining Natel, she worked on structural design and fabrication at Makani Power, an airborne wind turbine company. She has also researched 3D ultrasound techniques, repaired hospital equipment in Tanzania, and explored the use of 3D printed tools for injection molding.

Outside of work, Joanna enjoys reading novels, listening to public radio podcasts, and climbing.

Johannes Santen

Senior Mechanical Engineer

Johannes is a mechanical engineer at Natel working on testing, control systems, and mechanical design. Prior to joining Natel he spent five years working at a startup, building a high-compression ratio, liquid tolerant natural gas compressor and gaining experience with taking a new technology from concept to field operation.

Johannes holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering.

Outside of work, he enjoys building an riding his bikes, photography, and eating delicious food.

Joseph Head

Director, Project Engineering

Joe is a project engineer at Natel, tasked with the field installation of the hydro engine at sites across North America. He started his career flying around Alaska in helicopters, prospecting for uranium. He later went to work for Nerco Minerals, where he ran computer simulations to optimize ore extraction, designed containment systems for toxic materials and supervised an engineering team at the Cripple Creek gold mine. After earning his Masters, he switched from mining to telecommunications. While working for US Cellular, he managed the design and construction of numerous wireless broadcast and switching facilities. Following that, he worked for NextEra Energy designing and building commercial-scale PV solar projects. He has a BS in Geological Engineering and a Masters in Satellite Communications. He is a Professional Civil Engineer registered in Colorado.

KATIE MCKINSTRY

Director, Operations

Katie is Natel’s Director, Operations. She serves as the technical lead for development and new product introduction programs. She integrates engineering innovations into manufacturing processes and leads manufacturing growth. She works closely with sales and engineering to set production goals and develop operational systems. Katie earned her undergraduate degree in Engineering and History from Yale University and her Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. Prior to joining Natel, she was a Program Manager in New Product Introduction at Tesla Motors.

Outside of work, Katie enjoys spending time with her husband Marc and daughter Mabel. She is an avid runner and an active community volunteer, particularly in youth science education. Before earning her graduate degree, she served as an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer in Vermont.

Kelsey Seto

Mechanical Engineer

Kelsey works as a mechanical engineer at Natel and her primary interests surround mechanical design and design for manufacturing. Prior to joining the Natel, she carried out research in alternative energy sources in Douglas Hart’s lab at MIT where she completed both her B.S. and M.S. degrees in mechanical engineering as well as a minor in architecture.

Outside of work, she participates on a gymnastics team and enjoys planning and building her own hardware/electronics projects.

Marshall Moutenot

Founder, Upstream Tech

Marshall is co-founder of Upstream. Upstream provides services to monitor and measure natural resources for efficient project implementation, via an easy to use, cohesive dashboard.

After gaining a broad set of technical and product experience working at Microsoft, Twitter, Drift (business customer communication), and Wistia (analytics visualizations), Marshall (along with his best friend and longtime colleague, Alden) started public benefit corporation Upstream with the broad goal to use technology to help the environment, particularly the underserved water space.

Using satellite imagery, environmental datasets, and machine learning, Upstream is now powering decision making at The Nature Conservancy, The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and The Freshwater Trust.

Upstream was acquired by Natel Energy, where it will operate as an independent unit with ample funding to grow its team and broaden its impact.

MEGHAN HARWOOD

Government Affairs & Communications

Meghan drives Natel’s government affairs, policy and regulatory outreach, and supports the communications needs of the business development team. She is particularly interested in policy that promotes renewable energy deployment, supports decarbonization of energy supply and supports sustainable watersheds. Meghan received a BA in Government and International Studies from Colby College.

Outside of work, Meghan is passionate about environmental education and takes every chance to enjoy the outdoors. She enjoys skiing, hiking, listening to podcasts, live music, and good food!

Metodi Zlatinov

Senior Mechanical Engineer

Metodi is a mechanical engineer at Natel, with a passion for environmental stewardship and for pushing the limits of what machines can do. Prior to joining Natel, he leveraged CFD and optimization methods to develop cooling technologies for gas turbines at GE Aviation. Metodi also has experience with structural analysis of power plant components in accordance with the ASME codes. He earned his B.S.E in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Princeton University, and his M.S. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from MIT.

MICHAEL SPOLUM

Regional Director of Business Development – S and SE Asia

Michael leads Natel Energy’s business development efforts in South and Southeast Asia, which currently includes sales and pipeline development in Bhutan, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, the Philippines and Vietnam.

Michael holds a Bachelor of Arts in Asian Studies from St. Olaf College and a Master’s Degree in International Development Policy from Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy. Michael brings 15 years of experience as an entrepreneur, development consultant and project developer in geographies spanning mainland Southeast Asia on issues and projects related to rural electrification, infrastructure and agricultural development, sustainable natural resource management and the water-energy-agriculture nexus.

Michael is passionate about people and the limitless potential of the human spirit to help create of a more equitable and compassionate world. A Colorado native, he enjoys slow-cooked food, star-filled skies, deep breaths of crisp mountain air and long hikes with his wife and family.

Natan Jacobson

Mechanical Technician

Natan is a Mechanical Technician. He received a BS in Mechanical Engineering at UC Davis, where he is a member of the Formula Electric SAE team. He is interested in the manufacture, testing, and assembly of machines, as well as clean energy and sustainability.

Neil Storey

Director, Lands

Neil works on the project development team with a focus on land and origination. He brings 20 years’ experience working for natural resource, engineering, land, and renewable energy development firms; including CH2M HILL, BrightSource Energy, PPC Land Consultants, and S-Power.

Following completion of his B.S. in Geology and Geospatial Analysis, Neil began his career as a field geologist where his passion for maps and mapping technology led to training in GPS Surveying, and ultimately the completion of graduate programs in Applied Geomatics, and Geographic Information Science and Technology from University of Southern California.

PEDER AUNE

Mechanical Engineer

Peder provides prototyping support to Natel’s engineers, fabricating components for a variety of product development projects. He has several years of machining experience, including the programming and operation of CNC mills and lathes. Prior to becoming a machinist, Peder worked as a teacher for over 15 years, teaching mathematics at a high school in Oakland and at an international school in Guatemala.

Peder holds a B.S. degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford University.

When he’s not at work, he enjoys exploring Oakland on bicycle, fixing his VW bus, and spending time with his wife, Lupe, and their two children.

RODRIGO LINARES

Lead Engineer

Rodrigo holds an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from Universidad Simon Bolivar and a master’s in Manufacturing from MIT. He has a broad set of previous experiences in industries ranging from oil and gas to electronics manufacturing to medical devices. He specializes in design for manufacturing and assembly and development of stochastic models for systems design.

Within the company Rodrigo help build cost models for different hydropower technologies, has designed and constructed several test benches for key system components and has built numerical models for assembly and manufacturing. At Natel, Rodrigo’s main role has been the development of the drive-axle system; structure and power take-off systems, and the tolerance stack up management for the system.

Rodrigo also enjoys bread baking, beer brewing, mountaineering and doing statistical analyses on traffic and political elections.

RYAN MCKINLEY

Developer, watershedOS

Ryan designs and develops the watershedOS software platform for Restoration Hydro development. Prior to working at Natel, Ryan founded Voyager Search, a tool for finding and using complex geospatial data. Ryan was also a founder and developer of Instructables.com. He received a BS in computer science from the University of , San Diego, and an MS from MIT.

Sterling Watson

Mechanical Engineer

Sterling is a mechanical engineer at Natel, interested in mechanical and system design for sustainable energy technologies. Prior to joining Natel, she was a graduate student at MIT focusing on village-scale, solar-powered desalination system design and optimization for the developing world. Sterling earned her undergraduate and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from MIT.

WILL SHIELDS

Program Manager

Will is a Program Manager for Natel’s product development team. His focus is building out technical programs that deliver critical infrastructure to both Natel’s engineering efforts and hydroEngine installations. Prior to joining the company, Will launched several R&D programs at Google [x], with projects that ranged from wearable headsets to passenger ferry services. He is a co-inventor of a floating photovoltaic power generation system, holds a long list of certifications relevant to large hardware projects, and brings enthusiasm for adventuring the unknown.

Outside of work, Will enjoys learning to speak Norwegian, shaping surfboards in his garage, and spending time with family and friends.