Alliance for Sustainable Colorado Names New Executive Director

Alliance for Sustainable Colorado (www.sustainablecolorado.org), a non-profit organization dedicated to unifying the sustainability movement in Colorado, has named Joanne Keys as its new executive director.

“With both a passion for the environment and a proven ability to lead dynamic business teams, Joanne is uniquely qualified to lead the organization,” said John Powers, Alliance Board President and Founder. “Her talent will be a tremendous asset in catalyzing the shift to a truly sustainable world.”

Ms. Keys brings over 20 years of management and executive level experience to her new role, including several years with multi-continental and multi-cultural businesses. Most recently, she served as President of NANA Pacific, an Alaskan-native owned technology corporation. Previously, Ms. Keys was a Vice President with American Management Systems, a Fortune 500 company, and spent over six years in Antarctica supporting the U.S. Antarctic Program’s scientific and environmental missions.

“I’m deeply honored to have been chosen to lead Alliance for Sustainable Colorado through this exciting period of growth,” said Ms. Keys. “I have a profound admiration for what the organization has contributed to society and to the environment, and I intend to build on that good work.”

In addition to her extensive business experience, Ms. Keys has a long history of volunteer service in wildland firefighting and remote Search and Rescue operations, including in the Antarctic. Her experiences there helped solidify her passion for the environment and for planetary sustainability.

Alliance for Sustainable Colorado recently hosted what was called the “Big Tent” during the Democratic National Convention. The Tent, an 8,000 square-foot, two-story structure, was a first-of-its-kind effort to provide bloggers and new media journalists with work space. During this major media event, The Alliance hosted in-depth panels with prominent national leaders including energy executive T. Boone Pickens, Executive Director of the Sierra Club Carl Pope, Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO), and Google CEO Eric Schmidt. Ms. Keys’ role as project manager of the “Big Tent” played an instrumental role in making the event a successful endeavor.
Ms. Keys says the Alliance will continue to focus on providing the kind of innovative frameworks that will enable nonprofits, businesses, governments, and academia to work together in the shift to a sustainable world.

About Alliance for Sustainable Colorado
The Alliance for Sustainable Colorado works to catalyze the shift to a truly sustainable world by fostering collaboration among nonprofits, businesses, governments, and academia. The Alliance Center at 1536 Wynkoop Street near Union Station, a LEED certified office building, is home to 27 non-profit organizations. To request a tour of the Alliance Center, contact Emily Andrews at eandrews@sustainablecolorado.org

The organization has been recognized by several organizations for their leadership in environmental sustainability. Some of the awards include; USGBC Leadership Award for Excellence in Green Building Education, CDPHE Gold Environmental Leader Award, and Colorado Energy Champion issued by the Office of Energy Management and Conservation.