Our Team

Ellen Baum

Director, Climate and Health Research Network

After a successful career that included Senior Scientist at the Clean Air Task Force, focused on pollutants with air and climate impacts; a forester in one the US’s most forested states; and a consultant and lobbyist on a range of state and national environmental issues, Ellen founded the Climate and Health Research Network in 2014, an NGO targeting GHG mitigation and zero-carbon technologies. She has taught environmental studies at Colby College in Waterville, Maine. Over the past 40 years, she has served on numerous environmental and civic boards.

“I joined Terra Praxis’ Board of Directors because of their clear-eyed approach to climate change and for seeing the climate problems as big as they are. I believe every serious climate solution has to be on the table. Terra Praxis has a critical role to play in changing the trajectory of the energy transition and providing energy access worldwide. I want my legacy to be contributing to that impact.”

Jacopo Buongiorno

Battelle Energy Alliance Professor of Nuclear Science and Engineering, MIT

Jacopo Buongiorno is the Battelle Energy Alliance Professor of Nuclear Science and Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and a member of the National Academy of Engineering. He is also the Director of the Center for Advanced Nuclear Energy Systems (CANES), and the Director of Science and Technology of the MIT Nuclear Reactor Laboratory. His research focuses on reactor safety and design, two-phase flow, and heat transfer, with over 110 published journal articles. Jacopo teaches courses in thermo-fluids and nuclear reactor engineering. He has published over 110 journal articles in the areas of reactor safety and design, two-phase flow, and heat transfer. Jacopo is a Fellow of the American Nuclear Society and consults widely for the nuclear industry.

“I spent the early stages of my career dreaming up the next nuclear reactor design. I eventually came to realize that the best design wouldn’t matter unless there was a dramatic change in the nuclear delivery model to enable a scalable supply chain. Therefore, I redirected my focus to innovating nuclear technologies to be scalable and universally deployable. I am delighted to join the Terra Praxis Board of Directors because I know Eric and Kirsty are laser-focused on making nuclear and other emission-free technologies cost competitive, an essential condition to move the needle on climate change mitigation and adaptation.”

Kirsty Gogan

Founding Director + Co-CEO, Terra Praxis

Kirsty is an internationally recognized leader in the design and deployment of scalable strategies to address global climate and energy needs. Kirsty is a member of the UK Government’s Nuclear Innovation Research and Advisory Board (NIRAB) and is the UK representative on the IAEA Director General’s Special Advisory Group on Nuclear Applications. She serves on the Board of Nuclear Innovation Alliance, as well as Voices for Nuclear.

“We know we have to decarbonize our overall economy and double or even triple our overall energy supply to meet global rising energy demand. What makes Terra Praxis unique is that we’re focused on what is required to achieve that end state, rather than working within the confounds of the solutions we have today.”

Eric Ingersoll

Founding Director + Co-CEO, Terra Praxis

Eric is a strategic advisor and entrepreneur with deep experience in the commercialization of new energy technologies. He has extensive project and policy experience in renewables, energy storage, oil & gas, and nuclear, with a special emphasis on advanced nuclear technologies. Eric develops commercialization and market entry strategies for advanced energy technologies such as advanced nuclear power generation, carbon capture, and zero-carbon liquid fuels. Eric was a member of the renewable energy advisory group of the National Commission on Energy Policy (NCEP), and was honored at the Obama White House as a Champion of Change in Renewable Energy.

“We founded Terra Praxis because when we started looking at what has to get done to achieve the energy transition, we didn’t see a lot of things that would get us there. We are honored to have our Board Members’ vote of confidence in our mission and support in developing new solutions to some of the world’s greatest challenges.”

Amy Roma

Partner, Energy & Infrastructure, Nuclear & Fusion, Orrick

Amy is a global thought leader on energy matters, specialising in energy transition and security, with a focus on nuclear power and fusion. Recognised by the Financial Times as one of the Top 10 Most Innovative Lawyers in North America, she has also been acknowledged by the National Law Journal for her impactful insights at the intersection of energy and the environment. She is an active humanitarian, leading impactful pro bono initiatives related to PPE distribution and support for communities in crisis, including efforts in Afghanistan. Her commitment to driving social change complements her professional focus on sustainable energy solutions.

“I chose to serve on the Board of Directors of Terra Praxis because I believe the organization has a very similar mindset as me in the need to innovate the business model for nuclear to be more attractive and streamlined so that this technology can be adopted as a solution to climate change. I really like Terra Praxis’ approach to innovation and I’m excited to join the Board.”

Ray A. Rothrock

Venture Capitalist/Philanthropist

Ray is a venture capitalist in Silicon Valley. His focus is early stage, cyber, AI, energy, and space. His career of 50+ deals has resulted in 9 IPOs and multiple listings on the Forbes Midas List. He serves on public boards, NGOs, and foundations. In particular, he is a director of the NGO Nuclear Threat Initiative and is a member of the Council on Foreign Affairs.

"I joined Terra Praxis’ Board of Directors because I believe they are bringing the right people and technologies together to innovate practical solutions to barriers for deployment of nuclear energy. Knowing what I know about the electric power industry, nuclear power, and the attendant issues thereof, a strategy to assist the utility sector to refit existing infrastructure makes a lot of sense to me. Terra Praxis’ solution to reduce or even remove one less blocker to the successful deployment of nuclear power is very exciting. I’m thrilled to be part of this solution.”

Romana Vysatova

Productions and Operations Manager, Terra Praxis

Romana has helped develop product, market, marketing, organizational, and investment strategies and written dozens of business plans for companies and non-profits seeking growth and investment. She co-founded Lucid Strategy; worked with First Chicago to establish one of the first Venture Capital funds in China; with Drexel Burnham Lambert in the Mergers & Acquisitions in New York; the White House Domestic Policy Council and the U.S. Department of Agriculture leading a Reinventing Government initiative to integrate and streamline rural economic development programs across multiple Federal agencies. Romana received a Master in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and graduated from Harvard College.

“I’ve worked with the Terra Praxis founders since the organization's inception and for years before on projects to generate reductions in carbon emissions worldwide while expanding affordable energy access. I believe Terra Praxis is one the few organizations developing large-scale solutions that will make a meaningful difference in these areas.”

Andrew Whittaker

SUNY Distinguished Professor, University at Buffalo

Andrew is a SUNY Distinguished Professor in the Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering at the University at Buffalo. He is a registered civil and structural engineer in the State of California, with expertise in seismic isolation. Whittaker has published more than 150 peer-reviewed journal articles, 11 books and book chapters, and more than 375 other papers and technical reports. He made significant contributions to the first generation of tools for performance-based earthquake engineering and led the structural engineering team that developed the second generation of these tools. He is Chair of the ASCE Nuclear Standards Committee.

"The founders of Terra Praxis and I share a common vision for achieving climate goals by 2050, namely, deploying commercially viable, advanced nuclear energy at scale for the production of electricity, process heat, and synthetic fuels. I am excited to serve on the Terra Praxis Board of Directors to help achieve this energy transition."

COMMITMENT X EXPERTISE

Our BOARD OF DIRECTORS