Reith Energy is the professional practice of an single expert bolstered by a supportive constellation of allies: family, colleagues, and students, as well as partner firms and NGOs. Key contributors to our success have been Ayla Reith, who ran Reith Energy for several years and now advances international development at Dimagi; Pin Nurukka, who manages our venture's administrative affairs; Nate Brackett, who partnered in performing successful sustainability reviews; Andrew Thomas, who provides strategic advice from his role as Executive in Residence at Cleveland State University, and Nancy Brennan, who co-founded the original Sustainable Systems, Inc. A highly valued ally is the American University of Nigeria, which recently employed me for four years as Director of Sustainability and Vice President of Academic Affairs. Thanks to the supportive leadership of then-President Margee Ensign and Board Member William E Bertrand, I was blessed with a platform not just to perform a thorough sustainability review as a consultant, but subsequently to join the University and actualize a breathtaking array of influential initiatives. Guided by a comprehensive sustainability plan, AUN built super-green buildings, deployed the northern Nigeria's largest solar array, developed a sustainable campus landscape, supported desertification-combating agricultural reforms, and recycled its waste stream into a community-based enterprise that employs over a hundred low-income women. Other valued allies include my students and partner ventures such as Futureproof NOLA, Remote Energy Solutions, Rike Engineering, and Greenstone Partners. The resume below would never have been possible without the enthusiastic support and companionship of colleagues on the continuing crusade to advance sustainability.
Dr. Charles Reith leads Reith Energy's projects and supports those of its allies and clients. He has 25 years of experience working in energy, mining, agriculture, environmental remediation, waste management, and academia. His responsibilities have included executive management, project execution, technical analysis, solution development, and sustainability auditing. He has also provided management and professional training through short-courses, webinars, and broadcasts. His clients include multinational firms such as ExxonMobil, Shell, and Newgold; national resource companies such as Petroleo Mexicano, Abu Dhabi Gas Liquefaction, and Petroleos de Venezuela SA; resource ministries in Trinidad, Egypt, Peru, and Ghana; and dozens of small businesses, municipalities, and NGOs. Charles spent his early career with Jacobs Engineering Group, where he performed technical work, managed increasingly large environmental projects, mostly for the US government, and developed new business. He served as Vice President of Environmental Safety and Health for DynMcDermott Petroleum Operations Company, which manages the United States Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Throughout his consulting career, Dr. Reith served academia as professor, administrator, and staff member at four Universities: American University of Nigeria, Tulane University, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and George Mason University. He is a Certified Permaculture Designer, a Licensed Horticulturalist, and a Licensed Landscape Contractor; these credentials supported his founding and leadership of Naturally Green, a company that designed, installed, and maintained environmentally responsible landscapes in Southern Louisiana. In his capacity as founder of Naturally Green, Professor at Tulane University, and acting Executive Director of the Alliance for Affordable Energy, Charles was very active in planning the disaster recovery of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Charles has a PhD in Ecology from the University of New Mexico. He has published three books and dozens of technical and popular publications, and has hosted Backyard Wonders, a regional nature TV series. In 1990, Dr Reith received the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Award from President George H.W. Bush for volunteer work on environmental justice in the South Valley of Albuquerque, New Mexico.