WASHINGTON, Nov. 22 – Earthworks, an international organization that campaigns to protect communities from the impacts of mining and oil and gas extraction, announces the addition of three distinguished experts to its Board of Directors.
Cathy Carlson has been an advocate for mineral policy reform since 1987 in both Washington, D.C and in Colorado, and has been advising Earthworks since its founding as the Mineral Policy Center. Besides her expertise in mineral development, Ms. Carlson has extensive expertise in natural resources issues on public lands in the Western U.S. including oil and gas leasing and development, livestock grazing, and fisheries and wildlife habitat conservation.
Paula Hawthorn, Ph.D., is a retired high-tech start-up executive who now occasionally works as a management consultant. Dr. Hawthorn’s technical expertise is in database management systems. She earned her doctorate in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the University of California at Berkeley. She has held management positions at various start-ups as well as with Informix and Hewlett-Packard. She has been an activist all her life, beginning with volunteering for John F. Kennedy's presidential campaign, then in movements for civil rights, for peace, and for environmental responsibility. She has served on both the Association for Computing Machinery’s and National Academy of Science’s panels on improving statewide voter registration databases.
Anthony Ingraffea, Ph.D., P.E., is the Dwight C. Baum Professor and Weiss Presidential Teaching Fellow in the College of Engineering at Cornell University, where he has taught since 1977. He is also director of the Cornell Fracture Group and co-editor-in-chief of Engineering Fracture Mechanics. Dr. Ingraffea performed R&D for the oil & gas industry from 1984 through 2001 and is one of the most prominent national experts on the risks to water supplies from hydraulic fracturing for shale gas. He has been outspoken about the need for sound independent science on the impacts of oil and gas development, and for stronger protections for people and the environment.
“We’re proud to welcome Dr. Hawthorn, Dr. Ingraffea and Ms. Carlson to the Earthworks board,” said board Co-Chairs Kerry K. Anderson and Michael E. Conroy. “As we are seeing enormous expansion of hardrock mining and ‘fracking’ for natural gas, along with growing awareness of their devastating impacts, Earthworks is excited to grow our board’s expertise and counsel. All three new board members will strengthen our ability to protect communities and the environment from the impacts of irresponsible mineral and energy development while seeking sustainable solutions.”
“I grew up with Earthworks since its inception, and I am excited about the opportunity to continue to work with the organization as a board member” said Cathy Carlson. “Earthworks is able to move quickly and decisively to address impacts from energy and mineral development around the country and throughout the world.”
“Earthworks, with its projects such as No Dirty Gold and the Oil & Gas Accountability Project, is highly effective in fighting for a healthy environment for our and future generations,” said Paula Hawthorn. “I am thrilled to be able to lend my time and talent to support such a nimble, grassroots group as Earthworks.”
“At a time when citizens are fighting for their livelihoods and their health against extractive industries and rising in unprecedented numbers to combat corporate power and climate change, I am excited to join Earthworks’ mission to protect communities and the environment from the impacts of irresponsible extraction,” said Anthony Ingraffea. “I hope that Earthworks can make good use of my engineering knowledge and experience with the threats of shale gas extraction.”
