Equinor has announced the members of the company’s new Equinor Renewables US public affairs team, which is responsible for strategic communications and stakeholder, community and government relations for Equinor’s offshore wind projects in the U.S.: Empire Wind 1, Empire Wind 2 and Beacon Wind 1.
“Equinor has created a team of professionals that are not only skilled and experienced practitioners, but who also possess a deep understanding of the communities and regions in which we operate,” says David Marks, head of government and public affairs for Equinor Renewables US. “The priority of every team member is to ensure that, as we work tirelessly to help realize the region’s long-awaited energy transition, we fulfill our commitments to our stakeholders, partners, and communities every single day.”
The team includes the following:
David Marks – Head of Government and Public Affairs: Marks leads all communications, state government relations, and stakeholder management for Equinor’s U.S. offshore wind energy business. He began his career working on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., where he worked for the U.S. Senate Energy Committee.
Tom Cunningham – Senior Public Affairs Manager: Cunningham leads stakeholder engagement for the Beacon Wind project and supports strategic engagement across the United States. Prior to joining Equinor, Tom was Deputy Director of the Global Energy Center at the Atlantic Council.
Harrison Feuer – New York Director of Public Affairs: Feuer leads public affairs and community engagement efforts across New York state for Equinor’s offshore wind portfolio and is the main point of contact for the Empire Wind project. He has extensive experience in Albany and in New York politics, with more than 10 years of experience in federal, state, and local government, serving on the staffs of former Congressman Steve Israel and New York State Assemblyman Charles Lavine.
Jennifer Edwards – Community & Environmental Investment Manager: Edwards manages Equinor’s community benefit commitments and environmental mitigation funds. She joined Equinor more than a decade ago, working in roles that include Procurement Lead for the early stages of the Beacon Wind Project, and providing strategic support for the company’s Legal Services, Permitting, and Business Consulting groups.
Amanda Schoen – Director of Industry Relations: Schoen leads all coordination within the offshore wind industry, including outreach and engagement with suppliers, associations, NGOs and community groups. She began her career working on Capitol Hill and most recently was the U.S. offshore policy director for Vestas.
Ana Fisyak – Community Engagement Manager: Fisyak is responsible for external relations and engaging stakeholders and communities in New York across Long Island and Queens for the Beacon Wind project. She is a trained urban planner with over a decade of experience collaborating with environmental justice and frontline communities.
Kristin Kelleher – Stakeholder Engagement Manager: Kelleher is responsible for stakeholder engagement in New England for the Beacon Wind Project, where she works to raise awareness, identify local opportunities, and maintain communication with stakeholders. She previously served as the Vice Consul for Prosperity, Energy & Climate Policy at the British Consulate in Boston.
Alba Peña – Community Engagement Manager: Peña manages external relations in New York City for Empire Wind, engaging with communities and stakeholders. She previously worked for the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, supporting the development of programs and initiatives for at-risk youth.
Susan Lienau- Community Engagement Manager: Lienau manages external relations for the Empire and Beacon Wind projects, engaging with communities and stakeholders on Long Island. Susan has over 15 years’ experience working with communities, elected officials, and stakeholders across Long Island, with extensive experience in the Capital Region and throughout New York.
Lauren Shane – Senior Communications Manager: Shane leads internal and external communications, including media and digital communications, for Equinor Renewables US. She has worked at Equinor for more than a decade, most recently as communications manager for Equinor’s upstream business in the United Kingdom.
Brian Young- Senior Communications Consultant: Young works on internal and external communications, including media and digital communications, for Equinor Renewables US. Before joining Equinor, he previously worked as strategic communications consultant for labor unions throughout the Northeast.
