Our People

Anthony Smith, PhD

President & Founder

Anthony brings over 40 years’ experience in energy efficiency, solar energy, and community economic development in Vermont, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Virginia. He founded Secure Solar Futures in 2004 as CEO and President and leads the company’s innovation development and strategic partnerships. He serves as a founding board member of the Virginia Renewable Energy Alliance (VA-REA). He served as co-director and associate professor of the Eastern Mennonite University MBA program from 2008 to 2015. He earned his Masters in Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania, and a PhD from the Wharton School of Management, University of Pennsylvania.

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Ryan McAllister

Chief Executive Officer

Ryan served in the Peace Corps in Mauritania and Rwanda and wrote his Master’s thesis at the University of London on the Economics of PV Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa. He began his career in residential solar sales, working with solar energy for over a decade before being appointed CEO of Secure Solar Futures. He enjoys bringing solar to customers who otherwise would not be able to benefit from it, and generating savings for school districts that can then use those resources to better educate their students.

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Maggie Davison

Chief Operating Officer

Maggie has spent most of her career in the management and organizational development of small business with a focus on the telecommunication industry. Through her position at Secure Solar Futures, she combines her skill set and passion for a cleaner future to bring positive change to fruition.

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Macon Rich

Chief Financial Officer

Macon has been engaged with the financial direction of Secure Solar Futures since its inception. He has applied the skills and knowledge gained from almost 40 years in financial and management positions in a variety of industries including banking, supply chain logistics and media. He is proud to have reached the point of impacting not just the region—but potentially the world—for a more sustainable future.

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Erik Curren

Marketing Director

Erik has spent more than a decade in marketing for residential and commercial solar companies. He has published three books on solar power and advocacy for clean energy, including The Solar Patriot: Helping America Win Clean Energy Independence in 2017. Erik enjoys helping America fight climate change and creating a 21st-century energy economy using the power of business and innovation.

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Joe DeRado

Business Development Director

Joe has over 20 years of experience in the energy sector, having worked for companies such as Petrorep and Enron Energy. He earned his B.S. in business administration with a specialization in international studies, as well as a CEM-CEP certification from the Association of Energy Engineers.

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Devyn Keller

Associate Director, Programs and Policy

Devyn graduated with honors from James Madison University with a focus in anthropology. She then taught at the college and high school levels for many years, advocating for teachers and students in addition to her classroom duties and receiving several awards for her contributions. She transitioned into work in the environmental world at the League of Conservation Voters and then the Virginia Department of Energy. Today, her work around workforce development and energy education is laying the groundwork for expanding access to energy education, training and careers to Virginians from all walks of life.

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Lisa Farwell

Senior Project & Asset Manager

Lisa has spent over 20 years in banking, branch and operations management with 10 years of project management experience in the financial industry. She enjoys being a part of bringing greener energy alternatives to Secure Solar Futures’ clients and educational opportunities and career development to communities in the region. She values being involved in a growing industry within the purpose-driven framework of B Corp standards.

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Loren Swartzendruber

Senior Business Development Associate

Loren served as a college president for 23 years, most recently at Eastern Mennonite University. He is a proponent of Secure Solar Futures’ educational offerings, workforce development projects and support for electric school buses, and firmly believes in renewable energy as the means to address the climate change crisis.

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Matthew McFadden

Business Development Manager

Matthew has over 15 years in project and training management, over 20 years of sales experience, and is well versed in all forms of solar, storage, and energy. He enjoys making history with the first solar projects in Southwest Virginia’s coal country, meeting new people, saving clients money and developing new career opportunities in regions where they may have not existed before.

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Cian Robinson

Business Development Associate

Cian has 30 years of experience and leadership within both large, complex corporations and small, entrepreneurial companies. Cian has been recognized with numerous business awards for his work and relishes the challenges that come with creating bespoke solar solutions for clients. He is committed to innovative energy solutions that result in savings and the wellness of the environment, while simultaneously delivering education and workforce development solutions.

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Andre Eanes

Technical Projects Manager

Andre leverages his quantitative background and technical skills to support various aspects of project development with Secure Solar Futures. He aims to continue merging his passions for environmental stewardship and technical innovation to bring about meaningful and equitable transformations to our energy systems. He graduated from the University of Richmond with a degree in biology, has published a cover article in Solar Today and enjoys building a more equitable energy infrastructure.

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Britni Arrington

Programs Manager, Solar Education and Workforce Development

Britni has spent most of her career in the non-profit educational space, working as program manager for OST programs before transitioning into her role as a special projects manager for Southeast Rural Community Assistance Project, Inc., where she served as manager of workforce development programs and as an entrepreneurial mindset facilitator. She enjoys leading and building partnerships and working for a company with values that align with her own.

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Priya “PK” Kurani

Customer Solutions Coordinator

PK has spent her career working with corporate and non-profit organizations in New Jersey, New York and Virginia. Her skills include sales, program management and event planning. She has a B.A. in Political Science and Philosophy from Boston University and a Masters of Science in Social Psychology from Walden University. She enjoys volunteerism and advocating for those without a voice while prioritizing support for the environment and local communities.

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Cindy Schroer

Throwing Solar Shade® Coordinator

Cindy has an M.S. in biology from James Madison University and is a retired Virginia educator with 30 years of experience teaching Science and STEM at the middle school, high school and community college levels. Over the course of her career, she has taught biology, chemistry, earth science, ecology, environmental science, human anatomy and physiology, and archaeology. In 2022, she began working as a Throwing Solar Shade® curriculum coordinator at Secure Solar Futures.

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Amethyst Ralls

Marketing Coordinator

Amethyst recently graduated from the University of Mary Washington with a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration: Marketing and Environmental Sustainability. After completing her B.S. in just 3 years, she’s enjoying the opportunity to learn more about the industry and combine her passions of marketing and sustainability.

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Caroline Miller

Technical Project Coordinator

Caroline is a student at George Mason University working toward her Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science. She has experience with research, data analysis and public speaking. During her time with Secure Solar Futures, she has written a research paper about perovskite solar cells, conducted background research for multiple subjects and handled the collection, organization and input of various data. A highlight of her tenure was attending the American Solar Energy Society 2022 Conference and speaking with some very influential people. She enjoys working in an industry that fights for the health of both the planet and its people, and educating others about renewable energy.

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Greg Mullins

Solar Ambassador

Greg recently retired from public education, having served 39 years in the profession. He was Superintendent of Wise County Public Schools for the past seven years and during his tenure the schools partnered with Secure Solar Futures to install solar arrays on multiple building sites. Plans have been developed for the installation of arrays on the remaining school sites in the near future. Greg has spent his life in a region dependent upon fossil fuel and feels it is important to be part of the transition to green energy, to play a role in the diversification of the economy, and to promote educational growth for local students.

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Daniel Hall

Business Development Associate

Daniel Hall is the president and co-founder of Access Strategies. With almost two decades of experience in government and politics, Daniel possesses the knowledge and relationships to successfully represent his clients’ interests. Before his career in the solar industry and government affairs, Daniel served two terms in the West Virginia House of Delegates (2009-2012) before being elected to West Virginia State Senate (2013-2016).  During his legislative time, he served as chairman for several committees and ultimately as Senate Majority Whip.

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Nick Blanton

Financial & Technical Manager

Nick brings 15 years’ experience in small business formation and management to Secure Solar Futures. He studied Economics at the University of Virginia and holds a master’s degree in Renewable Energy and Sustainability Systems from Penn State University, where he focused his studies on critical minerals management and grid transformation in support of widespread solar and wind integration.

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Investor Partners

Matt Ferguson

Matt is the founder and director of a new venture, Project Seastar, a catalyst of solutions rooted in autonomy that improve community and organizational effectiveness. Prior to Project Seastar, Matt served as counsel at Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton, where his project finance and transaction experience included tax equity structuring, the issuance or redemption of financial instruments such as facility industrial revenue bonds and cross-border aircraft leases, initial public offering advisory, tax planning and business development structuring, merger and acquisition counsel and master limited partnership and real estate investment trust formation.

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Eric Hurlocker

Eric is a principal at GreenHurlocker, PLC in Richmond, where he has practiced since July 2012. With over twenty years of experience in practicing and advising clients in the areas of energy law, commercial transactions and general corporate work, Eric brings a legal perspective to Secure Solar Futures, LLC. Eric works closely with renewable energy development companies and has appeared on behalf of clients before the Virginia State Corporation Commission. He is a former partner in the Richmond, Virginia offices of Williams Mullen and former senior in-house corporate and energy attorney at PPL Corporation in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and at Virginia Power in Richmond, Virginia.

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Johann Zimmermann

Johann is a principal and structural engineer at JZ Engineering, a company that provides structural engineering services for underserved and marginalized communities. He has worked and volunteered in the field of international development for over 20 years, providing his skills and talents to organizations such as the Mennonite Central Committee, Mennonite Disaster Service, Manna Inc., and Habitat for Humanity. Johann holds a B.A.Sc. in civil and structural engineering from Cornell University.

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Strategic Partners

Secure Solar Futures brings well-rounded expertise for project development and deployment through proud association with the following firms.

Got Electric LLC
Skyline Roofing
City National Bank