Jackie Burman

Vice President, Operations and Finance

Jackie Burman is the Vice President of Operations and Finance at Securing America’s Future Energy. In this role, Jackie oversees finances, human resources, and operations for the organization.

Prior to joining SAFE, Ms. Burman spent more than 4 years in Cape Town, South Africa where she assisted a wide range of non-profit organizations in reaching their funding goals. During her time abroad, she also helped create a fundraising academy to provide young adults with the skills necessary to begin careers in development. She worked in both marketing and fundraising in DC before this.

Ms. Burman holds a Bachelor of Art’s Degree from UNC-Chapel Hill and Masters’ degrees in business administration and Jewish Communal Service from Brandeis University.

Gourang Wakade

Vice President of Development

Gourang Wakade is the Vice President of Development for SAFE and its sister organization, the Electrification Coalition (EC).

He leads a lean development team to develop and execute a comprehensive fundraising strategy that yields sustained multi-year funding results.  Building on the success achieved to date by SAFE EC, Gourang manages a collective fundraising portfolio of $16 Million and is in charge of the overall development systems and strategy while focusing primarily on identifying, cultivating, and soliciting high net worth individuals and foundations, with particular attention on increasing unrestricted funding for both organizations.

He is an experienced fundraiser with a large and varied global network and has proven success in raising and securing multi-year six-figure plus funding commitments for complex and demanding projects across a variety of industries including non-profit, corporate finance, and higher education. Prior to SAFE, Gourang served as the Vice President of Development for the Council on Competitiveness, a non-profit membership association of CEOs, University Presidents, Labor Leaders, and National Lab Directors. In addition to managing membership, and development at the Council on Competitiveness, Gourang was the lead for the organization’s bi-annual fundraiser, the America Competes Award, that honored Business and Civic Leaders for their contributions to ensure American Competitiveness. He also produced and managed sponsorships for the organization’s Annual National Competitiveness Summit. Gourang also served as the Director of Conferences and Engagement, for the Global Federation of Competitiveness Councils where he actively recruited leaders from around the world to join and fund the establishment of the organization.

Gourang has a Bachelor’s in Arts degree from the College of Wooster, Oh. He also serves on the Fundraising Committee for the Spring Gala of the Hillwood Estate Museum and Gardens in Washington, DC.

Jeffrey Gerlach

Vice President, Policy Strategy 

Jeff Gerlach is Vice President of Policy Strategy at SAFE.

Prior to joining SAFE, Jeff worked at a management consulting firm, where he supported the Department of Energy’s Office of Petroleum Reserves and Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability. He previously interned and consulted for SAFE in 2013, contributing to the Oil Security Index and the Commission on Energy and Geopolitics’ Oil Security 2025. Additionally, he worked on multiple political campaigns in Minnesota and completed a year of service in AmeriCorps.

Mr. Gerlach received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Anthropology from the University of St. Thomas in 2011 and his Master of Public Policy from the University of Chicago in 2014.

Alyssa Siddiqui

Managing Director of Corporate Engagements

Alyssa Siddiqui is Managing Director of Corporate Relations at SAFE and the Electrification Coalition (EC). She is responsible for identifying and implementing innovative strategies to enhance the organizations’ profiles, expand industry partnerships, and develop new opportunities for engagement and growth. Alyssa leads corporate partnerships for the EC’s medium and heavy-duty fleet electrification work and for SAFE’s autonomous vehicle initiative. In 2021 she launched the Electrification Coalition Business Council.

Alyssa joined SAFE and the EC after over a decade at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, most recently as the Senior Director of Corporate Relations, where she led the strategy and execution of an integrated fundraising plan to achieve an annual revenue goal of over $9 million. She managed high-level corporate recruitment of new members, expanded relationships with existing clients and key stakeholders and launched the Let’s Rebuild America infrastructure initiative. Alyssa also oversaw the U.S. Chamber’s largest signature event, The Aviation Summit, held annually in Washington, DC which attracted over 900 attendees and participants, including top CEOs and industry leaders.

Alyssa began her career at the National Park Foundation working on the capital campaign for the Flight 93 National Memorial Fund. She graduated from Colby College with a Bachelors of Science in Government. She is a member of the Washington, DC chapter of Women of EVs and was named one of the Top Women in EV 2022 by The EV Summit.

Danielle Russo

Executive Director, Center for Grid Security

Danielle Russo is the Executive Director of the Center for Grid Security. She is an innovative leader and policy expert focused on aligning energy programs and policy with national interests. Danielle has worked extensively on transmission expansion for national security and overall grid security and resilience planning. She spent four years as a senior analyst and policy writer supporting the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy Resilience and Optimization (ODASD ER&O), where she focused on policy development and decision making for enhancing military installation energy resilience. While there she worked extensively on various efforts, including energy resilience exercises, energy project planning tools, government partnerships, defense critical electric infrastructure, and more. Her previous experience also includes supporting energy security programs for the U.S. Marine Corps, Army, and Army Reserve. In 2020, Danielle won a Federal Energy and Water Management Award for her work supporting black start exercises at military installations. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and Technology from the University of Maryland.

Ron Minsk

Senior Advisor

Jason Islas

Peter Flory

Peter Flory, Senior Fellow, SAFE Commanding Heights

Served in senior positions in Pentagon and NATO and has deep experience in semiconductor legislation.

Joe Quinn

Vice President of Strategic Industrial Materials

Joe Quinn leads the Center for Strategic Industrial Materials, a new policy initiative dedicated to advancing more secure and sustainable supply chains for aluminum and other industrial materials critical to America’s national and economic security.  Quinn is developing a framework designed to ensure resilient and domestic aluminum production. 

Prior to joining SAFE, Quinn served as the Vice President of External Affairs & Industry Relations at the Aluminum Association. He raised the industry’s profile, created the Congressional Aluminum Caucus, set new membership records, and served as a strategic advisor to the industry on trade and energy issues.  

Previously, Quinn worked at public relations firms positioning organizations favorably with key opinion leaders to advance policy initiatives. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Public Affairs Council. A Cincinnati native, he received his B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communications from the University of South Carolina.  

Zoe Oysul

Senior Policy Analyst

Abigail Hunter

Executive Director, Center for Critical Mineral Strategy

Abigail Hunter is the Executive Director of SAFE’s Ambassador Alfred Hoffman Jr. Center for Critical Minerals Strategy (Minerals Center). Previously, Abigail served as Director of International Affairs and Partnerships within the Minerals Center. In this role, she nurtured existing and new SAFE partnerships to advance sustainable and ethical supply chains amongst allies and like-minded countries.

Before joining SAFE full time, Hunter headed federal government affairs for Quebec for nearly three years as the senior attachée in Washington, D.C. Her mandate focused on the energy, environment, and trade relationship between the province and United States. Hunter started her career at the National Governors Association, where she led the association’s international work.

Hunter completed her Masters in Sustainable Energy at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. Her four-part capstone on aluminum’s clean energy paradox was published by the SAFE Center for Strategic Industrial Metals. She received her Bachelor of Commerce from McGill University with a double major in International Management and Managing for Sustainability.

Born in Toronto and growing up in New Jersey, Hunter is a proud dual citizen and conflicted hockey fan.

Jocelyn Trainer

Policy Analyst, Center for Critical Minerals Strategy

Jocelyn Trainer is a policy analyst for the Center for Critical Minerals Strategy at SAFE. Her work focuses on securing responsible and sustainable critical mineral supply chains through practical domestic policy and strong alliances.

In previous roles, she worked on energy, economics, and security at CNAS, inclusive peace processes at the United States Institute of Peace, international institutions and global governance at the Council on Foreign Relations, and nuclear security and nonproliferation at CRDF Global. Trainer was a 2022 Graduate Fellow with the United Nations Association with the National Capital Area.

Trainer holds an M.A. in security policy studies with a concentration in conflict resolution from the Elliott School of International Affairs at The George Washington University. She received a B.A. in political science, a B.A. in Spanish, and a minor in international relations from Loyola Marymount University.

Avery Ash

Executive Director, Coalition for Reimagined Mobility and Senior Vice President of Government Relations and Special Initiatives, SAFE

Prior to joining SAFE, Avery Ash served as the Vice President of Global Public Policy and Product Strategy at INRIX, the global leader in connected car services and intelligent movement. Previously, Ash was Director of Federal Relations for AAA, where he was responsible for the Association’s federal advocacy on transportation, vehicle technology, mobility, and energy issues.

Ash serves in numerous leadership positions including as a founding steering committee member for Partners for Automated Vehicle Education; a member of Texas Department of Transportation’s Texas Technology Task Force; and board member at the DC-based arts non-profit, CulturalDC. He has previously served on the executive working group of the World Economic Forum’s initiative on the Future of Urban and Autonomous Mobility, as co-chair of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Technology Engagement Center’s workgroup on autonomous vehicles; on the Board of Directors of the Electric Drive Transportation Association; and been selected as an Aspen Institute Socrates Scholar and SAFE Energy Security Fellow.

He is a frequent speaker and recognized expert on issues surrounding automated, connected, and electric vehicles; transportation policy; and urban mobility. On Capitol Hill, Ash served as Legislative and Special Assistant for Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, where he focused on financial services and economic development issues. Prior to that he supported Congressional Affairs at the US Chamber of Commerce where he managed a portfolio that included technology, transportation, financial services, and anti-counterfeiting issues. He is a graduate of Bowdoin College with a joint degree in Economics and Anthropology.

Ashley Simmons

Deputy Director, Coalition for Reimagined Mobility

Ashley Simmons joined the Coalition for Reimagined Mobility as its Director of Strategic Communications in March 2021. Representing a cross-section of industry, public sector and academic leaders, the Commission is shaping a comprehensive new vision of transportation policy that enables technology to foster more inclusive and accessible communities, and the safe, secure and clean movement of people and goods.

With more than a decade of experience specializing in public relations and public affairs, she’s developed winning communications strategies that elevate reputations, shape advocacy efforts and expand global influence. An expert in strategic communications, Ashley is also the Founder and CEO of REVVIT Public Relations – a consultancy that provides counsel on media strategies and integrated communications campaigns to educate the public and policymakers on technology centric legislative and regulatory policy issues.

Before joining Reimagined Mobility, Simmons led communications teams at advocacy organizations representing the technology, telecommunications and transportation industries. As vice president for External Communications at the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA), Simmons transformed and modernized TIA’s communications function to develop integrated strategies and data-driven campaigns that framed key policy debates on supply chain security, spectrum allocation, net neutrality and broadband deployment, and elevated issues important to the telecom standards and technology community. Under her leadership, TIA grew it’s reach and the impact of its work to deliver exceptional member value.

Earlier in her career, Simmons spent three years as director of communications for the Intelligent Transportation Society of America (ITS America), where she oversaw cross-functional marketing, events and communications and led a successful campaign for the ITS World Congress in Detroit, Michigan. Prior, she was an account director and digital media consultant for the David All Group and cultivated her PR and media relations skills as communications manager for the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) and with the Motion Picture Association. Before coming to the nation’s capital, Simmons held communications advisory roles for mayoral and county political campaigns in her hometown of Buffalo, New York.

Simmons earned a Master of Arts in Media and Public Affairs from the School of Media and Public Affairs at the George Washington University, and Bachelor of Arts in Public Communication with a minor in Political Science from SUNY Buffalo State College.

Dominic Mathew

Manager, Shared Mobility Policy, Coalition for Reimagined Mobility

Allanté Whitmore

Director, Autonomous Vehicle Initiative

Allanté Whitmore completed a Joint Ph.D. in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the Department of Engineering and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University. She brings autonomous vehicle technology and policy expertise from researching the environmental, equity, economic, and ethical impacts of autonomous vehicles. During her tenure at CMU, Allanté was awarded multiple fellowships including the K&L Gates Presidential Fellow and Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship in addition to interning at Argonne National Laboratory.  Whitmore also was a member of the Pittsburgh Micromobility Collective and AV Policy Advisory Group.

Maya Zuk

Policy Associate

Maya Zuk is a policy associate at SAFE. She focuses on supporting the different centers at SAFE with their work.

Before joining SAFE, Maya studied International Relations with a focus on Security Studies at King’s College London, working on several projects, including with the Ministry of Defense. She is currently an Associate of King’s College London.