Women & Energy Committee

In her role at Reynolds American Inc (RAI), ShaShrina shapes and promotes the interests of all RAI operating companies, including R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company; Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company, Inc., American Snuff Company, LLC, R. J. Reynolds Vapor Company, and Modoral Brands Inc., in the political and policy arenas. As the company’s top democratic lobbyist, she works with
Administration officials, members of Congress and industry associations on agriculture, commerce, manufacturing, and trade issues.

ShaShrina is well known for advising Members of Congress, political leaders and organizations on corporate affairs and communications, investor relations and social impact initiatives. She currently plays a strong role in executing sharp, creative solutions that move business objectives forward. ShaShrina has advised Members of Congress on an array of issues and negotiated with the
President of the United States on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Trade Agreement, the United States embargo against Cuba, the National Defense Authorization Act, the Border Security Results Act, the Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage Act, and the Affordable Care Act.

Previously, served as Vice President of TRI-COR Industries, Inc. where she led the company’s public and private engagement efforts to expand market access. Before this position, Ms. Thomas was the Chief of Staff and the U.S. House of Representative Floor Assistant to the Chief Deputy Whip, US Congresswoman Terri Sewell (AL-7); and Deputy Chief of Staff and Appropriations Director for US Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18), where she secured more than $1 billion dollars in appropriation funding, execution of policy initiatives, the organization’s communications and advocacy strategies before the White House and the Administration as well as public and private partnerships. Earlier in her Career, Ms. Thomas was the Director of Government Relations for Keane
Inc. (NTTData) and was directly responsible for coordinating institutional investor demands and feedback from salespeople and lobbying efforts in the creation of new Solutions Sets that were driven by government laws/regulations, such as: Sarbanes Oxley OMB-A123; IT Capital Planning/OMB A11; Unique Identification (UID)-Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation and Knowledge Management Executive Order 13-356.

Throughout her career, she has worked extensively in Europe and Asia representing the US Congress before the Congressional Bundestag Energy Exchange in Germany, the Ministry of National Defense of the People’s Republic of China in China, the Organization for Economic Co-Operation
and Development in France, and the World Health Organization in Belgium. A member of the Corporate Advisory Council for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, a former member of tthe Corporate Advisory Council for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, and Elected to the Board of Directors, Tougaloo College Research and Development Foundation. Thomas is Senior Advisor to the Versa Board of Advisors and Aurotech, Inc.

ShaShrina provides a strategic overview of the geopolitical, economic, and commercial issues that could impact the organization in question, helping give context to strategic decisions. Connecting to the world outside the organization, especially at the top of government and industry, enabling the
organization to engage with the most senior influencers and stakeholders. A sounding board for senior leadership, to advise and reflect on priorities/concerns and challenge assumptions. Her background as a former senior advisor for Members of the House of Representatives, provided the platform needed to differentiate her in a competitive marketplace. ShaShrina’s achievements at the national and state level are unparalleled.

Alejandra B. Giraldo Celis is the President and Chairwoman of the World Green Growth Organization (WGGO). Her expertise is in Environmental Law, Compliance Policies, Environmental Policy, Commerce Law, Governance, and International Relationships. She previously served as the advisor to three Ministers in Colombia, an advisor for the US Government, and for the Peruvian, Mexican, Brazilian, and Guyanese governments. With a robust background in leadership and Environmental Law, Alejandra has served as a foreign attorney, legal advisor, and as the President & CEO of Apex Global Group and Consult AA Corp. As a legal adviser, she developed and implemented regulatory compliance and environmental policies. She was hands-on with the overall coordination and strategizing of different companies’ operations in the pharmaceutic industry, private sector, energy sector, business development.

Alejandra is a dedicated and passionate advocate for sustainability, environmental, and development. She has built alliances and strong networks in over sixty countries across GCC Countries, South America, South Asia, Europe, Africa, and North America.

The World Green Growth Summit, Alejandra’s predecessor to the WGGO, continues to be celebrated annually. It hosts more than 8000 key stakeholders, over 100 speakers from across the globe, and 120 countries all participating to address emerging trends, policy issues, and opportunities in the energy sector. The WGG Summit was designed to connect governments officials, with fortune executives, entrepreneurs, green economy experts, and thought leaders for high-level discussions and networking through key topics on sustainable development.

Alejandra has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Sciences and Law from La Gran Colombia University, a JD in Law from La Gran Colombia University, a Master of US Legal Studies from St John’s University, a Master’s in International Business Administration from EAN University, and an International Relations Graduate Certificate from Harvard University

James Edward Campos is an American political, business consultant and speaker on energy issues. Mr. Campos recently co-founded Right Energy Group and Right Energy Services and serves as a consultant as well as a speaker with an emphasis on business development, energy navigation and promoting the importance of U.S Energy access and sustainability to stakeholders nationwide in the various sectors of the energy industry. In addition, Mr. Campos partners with other organizations and corporations looking to advance energy strategies for the betterment of the U.S economy and its communities.

Previously, on April 9, 2018, Mr. Campos was nominated by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate by a vote of 98-2 as the Assistant Secretary/Director at the office of Economic Impact & Diversity at the Department of Energy. Mr. Campos also sat on six White House Councils including the White House Council on Hispanics in Excellence, the White House Council on HBCU’s, the White House Council on Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders, the White House Council on Native Americans/TCU’s (Tribal Colleges and Universities), the White House Council on Opportunity & Revitalization Zones and the White House Council on Affordable Housing. As Assistant Secretary/Director, Mr. Campos oversaw The Office of Workforce Development & Business Strategy, The Office of Minority Education Initiatives, The Office of Equal Employment Opportunities, The Office of Civil Rights
and The Office of Diversity and Inclusion. In his role, he was tasked with helping with the implementation of legislation and Executive Orders with an eye towards their affect on minority businesses as well as insuring that all communities are afforded the opportunity to fully participate in department programs. Mr. Campos also served as the architect of ‘Equity & Energy’ Initiative at the Department of Energy.

Prior to his Presidential appointment, Mr. Campos served as the statewide Commissioner of the Nevada Consumer Affairs Division where he regulated seven industries and enforced state laws governing deceptive trade practices. Mr. Campos also served on three other distinguished gubernatorial appointments for two governor’s in the state of Nevada that included: the Nevada Equal Right’s Commission, Nevada’s Judicial Selection Commission and the Nevada Taxicab Authority Commission.

Mr. Campos also served on the Nevada Governor’s Workforce Investment Board and sat on the Governor’s Sector Councils on Gaming, Tourism & Entertainment, Mining & Minerals as well as the Governor’s Office of Economic Development’s international Trade Council.

Mr. Campos earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History from the University of Maryland, College Park, a Masters of Science at the University of Maryland and a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Glasgow, Scotland. Mr. Campos also holds various professional executive certificates; Energy Innovation (Stanford University), Diversity & Inclusion (Cornell University) and
Executive Business (Georgetown University). Mr. Campos has served in both the public and private sectors, working in industries such as publishing, telecommunications, state & federal government, strategic business consulting, political consulting, as well as being a small business owner and an adjunct business professor.

Mr. Campos currently sits on the Executive Advisory Board of U.S Energy Steam (TX), Board Member of the Global Energy Transition Forum (TX), Advisory Board Member Lone Star College (TX), Advisory Board Member of the American Latino Veterans Association (VA), Strategic Advisor to the President of Hispanics in Energy (CA), Strategic Advisory Board of Knowledge River (CA), a Native American STEM initiative, Vice Chair of Women in Energy at the World Green Growth Organization (NY) and Chair of Energy Committee for the Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (MD).

David Byrd helps put the right talent in the right place in your organization.

He brings 15+ years of experience in public service at the federal, state, county, and local level to bear on behalf of Korn Ferry clients.

Mr. Byrd ended his federal service in Jan. 2021 as the 18th National Director of the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) located within the U.S. Dept. of Commerce. Before that, he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Policy Development and Research, U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Mr. Byrd has had an exemplary career as a public servant. He has been a three-time presidential appointee, a three-time gubernatorial appointee, and a two-time county government appointee. He has served as an executive on transition teams at the federal, state, and county levels.

Earlier in his career, he worked at: the U.S. Dept. of Education, advising the assistant secretary on postsecondary education issues; the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, implementing policy on children and family issues; and the Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. Congress, as a researcher.

Throughout his career, Mr. Byrd has received numerous designations, awards, and accolades. In August 2021, he was named a Man of Power and Influence in the Washington, DC, metropolitan region by the Global Conscious Initiative.

Mr. Byrd completed his BA in English at Ohio Wesleyan University and his MA in Corporate Public Relations at Rowan University.

He is a former member of Toastmasters International and the Public Relations Society of America.

Aseilah Abdulla Ali Moalla Alhasshmi is the current director of the Fujairah Environment Authority and deputy director of Rawasi Real Estate in the United Arab Emirates. She is an environmental expert and has extensive experience working with municipal authorities on issues ranging from food quality, to corporate support, to the environment.

Ms. Alhasshmi has a long history of working with the municipality of Fujairah. Beginning in the field of public health as a chemical technician and then head of the food control centre, Ms. Alhasshmi monitored, tested, and ensured food quality throughout the state. She then progressed to collaborate with federal and state officials to provide Fujairah with necessary health services as the head of the General Health Section. Ms. Alhasshmi held other leadership positions in the municipality of Fujairah including the director of corporate support services and the director of public services and the environment where she contributed to policy making, ensured compliance with laws and regulations, and developed relationships with local communities and businesses.

Ms. Alhasshmi currently works as the director of the Fujairah Environment Authority, focusing on creating educational and outreach programs about environmental issues, developing new environmental policies, and ensuring compliance with laws and regulations. Ms. Alhasshmi also currently works as the deputy director of Rawasi Real Estate, where she collaborates with strategic partners, businesses, and colleagues to ensure that all building projects comply with regulations, are managed properly, and progress as planned. 

Ms. Alhasshmi received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Al ain and a Master’s in Business Administration from Sharjah University.

Pandwe has a bachelors of arts from Scripps College, a Master from Claremont Graduate University, Masters in leadership from Harvard, an MBA from MIT, and a PHD from Claremont graduate University. President and Founder of EchoTech Visions – focused on scaling, supply chain logistics and B2B contract lead development. She dove into the business world where she started, led and scaled more than 20 successful companies.

Dr. Scyller Borglum serves as Vice President for WSP USA’s Underground Storage Market in the Energy National Business Line. In addition to salt cavern development for temporary gas storage, Dr. Borglum involved in carbon dioxide sequestration projects with injection wells and depleted reservoirs, hydrogen storage, and compressed air energy storage. She brings more than two decades of experience in ground-up petroleum engineering, geological engineering research, oil and gas/energy industry, and professional experience.

Dr. Borglum worked in oil fields up and down the Rocky Mountain Front, in Texas, and in the Bakken, North Dakota. Her petroleum engineering work focused mainly on upstream activities as she worked for a service company, an independent, and a major. Dr. Borglum conducted geomechanical studies on various salt and rock types while in graduate school and while working at RESPEC, a world renowned geomechanical testing laboratory. She served as an Oak Ridge Institute of Science and Education Fellow at the National Energy Technology Laboratory in Morgantown, WV. Dr. Borglum is not only published in her academic fields, petroleum and geological engineering, but she also co-authored the textbook, The Fossil Fuel Revolution: Shale Gas and Tight Oil.

During her time as elected Representative in the South Dakota State Legislature, Dr. Borglum worked on policies and legislation addressing cradle to grave solar and wind energy development and decommissioning requirements. Dr. Borglum lives in Rapid City, South Dakota with her husband and travels frequently to Houston, Texas for work.

Lea has been an entrepreneur in our community for many years and served as the President/ CEO of the Tucson Hispanic Chamber from 2009 until November of 2018. The Tucson Hispanic Chamber serves the business community in the bilingual, bi-cultural region of the Arizona-Sonora border and was recognized as the Hispanic Chamber of the Year in 2013 by the U.S Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The chamber represents over 1800-member businesses and in partnership with the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry is one of the largest chambers in the State of Arizona. She earned her Institute for Organizational Management designation from the U.S Chamber during her tenure.

She ran for Congress in Arizona Congressional District 2 in 2018 and won a competitive primary race. During her campaign she was endorsed by Governor Ducey, Senator Kyl, Congressman Kolbe and many local elected leaders. Though the general election results were disappointing, she enjoyed meeting thousands of people in the region and tackling many key issues impacting Arizona.

She previously served as the Executive Director for Greater Tucson Leadership (GTL) from 2005 to 2009 and owned and operated a Business Brokerage Firm from 2005 to 2009 and a chain of six gasoline stations / convenience stores with fifty employees from 1998 to 2005 in the Tucson region. Lea was appointed by Governor Doug Ducey to co-chair the Arizona Zanjeros (2015 – 2017), a business leadership group formed to ensure the state continues to flourish economically by driving business growth and promoting Arizona’s extraordinary assets. She was selected to serve on Governor Doug Ducey’s Transition Team in 2014 and co-chaired the subcommittee on Economic Development, Entrepreneurship and Trade. She has also been appointed to serve on the Arizona Judicial Council which advises the Arizona Supreme Court, and the Arizona Finance Authority, the state’s bonding authority.

She currently chairs the board of directors for Tenet-owned St Joseph’s and St Mary’s Hospitals and is the Chair of the SBA’s national Small Business Development Council. She is the Past President of the National Association of Women Business Owners in the greater Tucson area.

She formerly served on the Boards of the United States Hispanic Chamber, the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the University of Arizona Foundation. She formally served as the Chairwoman of the Southern Arizona Business Roundtable, the Past Chair of the Southern Arizona Chamber of Commerce Alliance, the Founder and Past Chair of the Pima County Small Business Commission, and as the Chairwoman of the University of Arizona Hispanic Advisory Council. She was appointed by the Obama Administration to the National Women’s Business Council where she served for three years.

Lea was recognized as a 2021 Most Influential Women in Arizona Business Award by AZ Big Media and received the 2021 Jack Jewett Award by Arizona Center for Civic Leadership. She was inducted into her high school alma mater Sabino High School’s Hall of Fame in 2021. Additionally, she was recognized by the National Football League with a 2015 Hispanic Heritage Award by the Arizona Cardinals, the University of Arizona Eller College with a 2014 Extraordinary Woman in Business award, the University of Arizona Alumni Association with the 2012 Distinguished Citizen Award, the 2011 State of Arizona Minority Business Advocate of the Year, the 2009 Rising Star by the Hispanic Professional Action Committee, the 2008 Business Advocate of the Year by MED Week, a 2007 Woman of Influence by Inside Tucson Business, was recognized as a 40 under 40 recipient and honored with a University of Arizona Entrepreneurial Fellow award. In addition, she is a Flinn Brown Fellow and an Honorary Rotarian.

She received her undergraduate degrees in Marketing and Entrepreneurship from the University of Arizona, and her Masters in Business Administration from Pepperdine University. She is married with two children.

Jacqueline Thomas is a female entrepreneur, Miss America titleholder, and a press and communications professional.

A native to Arizona, Jacqueline competed for the title of Miss Arizona 6 times before capturing the title in 2019. During her time as the longest reigning Miss Arizona, she was nominated as one of the Most Influential Women in the Arizona because of her work with Lady Leaders, which has held partnerships with three major universities, two U.S. Senators, three non-profits, and numerous businesses. At Miss America 2020, Jacqueline was named a top 5 finalist for the Women in Business Scholarship Award.

During her time as the spokeswoman of Arizona for the Miss America Organization, she gained unparalleled communications and PR experience in front and behind the camera. This experience led her to become the youngest Deputy Press Secretary of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the largest law enforcement agency in the world. She is now a Communications Director working for a member of Congress on Capitol Hill.

In her free time, you can find Jacqueline studying proper etiquette techniques, traveling to other countries, and strolling the National Mall with her golden retriever, Teddy and her fiancé, Jason.

Apache Danforth is a Consultant and Project Manager for Perodigm Media, a Native American owned marketing firm. She currently manages the development of a Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Program for a multinational oil transportation company, with a focus on the growing movement of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW). Through her role and responsibilities at Perodigm she has had the opportunity to raise the Indigenous woman’s voice in the energy sector.

Apache received her M.A. in Public Relations from the College of Communication and Information at Kent State University. She holds a B.A. in Organizational Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She has worked in public relations for the Oneida Nation for 10 years, where she started as an intern in the Communications Department and worked her way into a full time position. She is passionate about public relations and communication, as they have given her a platform to change and improve the narrative of Native American people.